A few days ago, I took a client who has become my friend/mentor (Robin’s biggest client) to dinner in Dubai.

For the past year, we have met every couple months or so in Dubai or Jeddah for dinner.  

The client is from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  Out of respect, I will leave him name less. 

Together we have enjoyed some of the best restaurants in Dubai.  

I emailed this client a couple weeks ago to tell him about a new “trendy” restaurant which just opened in Dubai, and how they claim to always be “fully booked.” 

He replied to my email simply, “then we must go.”  His assistant sent me the details of his trip to Dubai, and our dinner was organized. 

Of course, I got a table with no problem, and looked forward to our dinner. 

The British girl who took my reservations spoke to me as if I was lucky to get a table, and told me that I had to be out of the table by 9:30pm …
I chuckled at the brilliance of the simplicity … of making this dinner sound exclusive. 

This client is much older than me, and comes from a completely different world than I do, so I really enjoy the time I get to spend with him.  Not because he sponsors a few of our events, or introduces me to important people in Saudi … but because of stories and overall experience of just being with him. 

Anyways… 

I arrived to the restaurant before my client, and sat in the bar area as I waited for him. 

This restaurant is from the UK and shares the same name of what I have read is/or once was the most “exclusive” restaurant in London …

The restaurant looked empty which made me smile thinking of that woman telling me I had to be out of my table by 9:30pm

My client arrived, perfectly on time.
As usual he was dressed beautifully, in a kandura … I find his elegance motivating. 

After our normal greetings, our waiter escorted us to our table. 

We had an enjoyable time, and I ordered many dishes for us to taste.  During the meal, a woman came over and gently, presented my client a book from the restaurant.  A gorgeous book telling the history of the restaurant, as well as explaining in detail each dish on the menu.  

I did not tell anyone in the restuarant who my client was nor his family name, so I was surprised she gave my client this present.  

I didn’t get offered a book. 

The food was “ok.” 
Nothing to be considered as one of the best restaurants in Dubai (in my opinion)

But the waiter and waitress were very nice, and the service was good. 

When I paid the bill, I checked to see if they charged me for the book or not… I didn’t mind paying for the book, but was curious if they charged me – and they had not charged me for it. 

As we were walking out the door of the restaurant, with my client walking ahead of me, a waiter who had not serviced us came (literally) running out the restaurant, hurriedly, brushing against me to stop my billionaire client; a chairman who is from one of the most iconic families in all of KSA, and the waiter, in his mid 20’s grabs my clients arm to stop him and say “sir, you have not paid for the book.”

Really, the guy spoke to my client as if he was stealing… 

Gently, I took the book from my client and handed it back to the waiter … pointing out to the waiter that “I just spent nearly $500 dollars on only food and I was being chased like a thief for a $15 book that had been given to my client by the hostess of the restaurant…”

Luckily, I had not drunk any alcohol because surely, if I had a couple glasses of wine in me, I would have responded much more aggressively than I did. 

As we turned to go, my client nonchalantly said  “we should had gone back to Nobu.” 

Nobu Dubai…

I have eaten at all the top rated restaurants in Dubai, and from my experience the best restaurant in Dubai is Nobu. 

Even if you don’t like sushi or euro-asian food, the menu offers a variety of dishes that are always perfect. 

But what makes Nobu such a great evening is the quality of service. 

The General Manager of Nobu Dubai, Luke Bjoin has the service down to perfection.

Out of all the restaurants I have eaten at in the world, I rate Nobu Dubai’s service as one of the best (other Nobu’s I have tried are ok, but nothing compared to Nobu Dubai)  – easily, the best service out of all the restaurants in Dubai. 

If you live in Dubai, or if you are traveling to Dubai on business or leisure, I highly recommend you go to Nobu for dinner. 

For my loyal readers, this blog might seem flippant and banal, but there is a lesson to be learned from everything.

I will never go back to the restuarant discussed at the beginning of this blog. 

Service, and the handling of clients, now more than ever, must be priority number one, especially if you work in the service industry. 

Sophie arrived back from Kuala Lumpur last night, and tonight I am taking her for dinner to Nobu. 

http://www.noburestaurants.com/dubai/experience/introduction/
Nobu Dubai:  +97144262626