JUMEIRAH. There can't be many restaurants in the world where you hop in a 'submarine' to get to your dining table. But then Al Mahara isn't your standard seafood restaurant. The fish on your plate is as fresh as that swimming in the stunning aquarium in this award-laden signature restaurant, which serves western seafood with a Chinese touch. Connoisseurs of suave please note: there is a harpist to serenade diners. Gents need to wear a collared shirt and jacket.

JUMEIRAH. If you don't fancy the idea of a sub-aquatic dining experience, then the Burj serves up an exhilarating alternative, 200 meters up into the sky. Al Muntaha, which specializes in Mediterranean cuisine, has a sophisticated yet laid-back atmosphere, with prices to match the lofty setting. One of those to 'tick off' if you're looking for that quintessential Dubai experience. It even has a 'mixology' drinks trolley, providing you with a perfectly balanced tailor-made cocktail.

JUMEIRAH. A terrific local restaurant, Al Qasr offers patrons a chance to sample some of the local cuisine in a setting that takes its nod from local flavors in architecture and decor. Fine Lebanese dishes are the specialties here, as colorful as they are aromatic. Dine al fresco, beside the restaurant's lovely garden areas and allow the cool, mystifying Arabian night sweep you away. Traditional live music and belly dancing only serve to enhance the restaurant's exotic air, and dinners tend to last well into the evening.

BUR DUBAI. This Bur Dubai gem, part of the Dubai Marine Beach Resort and Spa, brings sagebrush and tumbleweeds to the Arabian Peninsula. A favorite hangout amongst locals and expats, the Alamo boasts a kitchen that turns out some delicious Tex-Mex dishes; however, it's as a bar that this Western-themed joint has made its reputation. Combine terrific live Latino music, potent margaritas and other specialty drinks, and cozy dance floor where attractive locals shake off the doldrums of the day, and it's easy to see why the Alamo is just the place to "spice up" your Arabian nights.

BUR DUBAI. This unique restaurant, ornately decorated to resemble the types of eateries you'd expect to find in Southern India, offers diners a refined dining experience complete with live Indian folk music and entertainment and servers donned in authentic costume. House specialties include mixed grilles, lamb kebabs and goat korma ­ much of it bearing the unmistakable flavors of curry, mustard seed and red chilies. An impressive wine list is also available.