Since 2019, the best Nicaraguan food in Dubai could be found being served in a modest one-bedroom apartment in JBR. Craving a taste of home, former cabin crew Gabriela Chamorro started cooking for friends, and then friends of friends, before establishing supper club Girl and the Goose. Word quickly spread, and soon a spot at her 10-seat dining table became the hottest ticket in town. One evening in 2024, two of those spots happened to be occupied by husband and wife Ziad and Rowan Kamel, who together own Couqley and CQ Brasserie. They decided then and there they wanted to work with Chamorro to turn Girl and the Goose into a bricks-and-mortar Central American restaurant. Fast forward to March 2025, and Chamorro’s vision has come to life at the Anantara Downtown. Located just off the hotel’s lobby, everything about Girl and the Goose is immediately warm, much like the feel of Chamorro’s apartment, which has been honoured in a private dining space that now houses the exact table where it all started, as well as the striking wooden artwork that hung above it. It’s a tricky thing translating homecooked food into a commercial kitchen, but the menu feels accessible, traditional and above all, interesting. The menu is split into sections, covering starters, ceviches, empanadas, tostadas and tacos, as well as fish and meat main courses. To start, we opt for the impossibly tasty elotes loco, a wild corn salad mixed with fresh herbs, pecans, beef bacon and crumbled feta, alongside the duck confit flautas. The two crispy rolled tortillas come stuffed with shredded duck and topped with a green apple and carrot salad, served on a bed of incredibly mooreish salsa negra. The beef cheek tacos are filled with perfectly tender meat and topped with tangy pickled onions, while the lemongrass Omani cod is fresh and light, served with a tasty sweetcorn foam. The sweet chilli prawns are my favourite pick of the night, however, served swimming in a creamy tomato bisque flavoured with leeks, beef bacon, leeks and gooseberries. It should be noted that the dish contains alcohol (as do several others) but waitstaff are great at reiterating this in case the note on the menu is missed. Dessert options are presented via a charmingly illustrated deck of cards. The churros are (sadly) unavailable during my visit, so we opt for mille feuille instead, which features an eclectic mix of flavours. Creamy goat cheese and dulce de lece is sandwiched between layers of crispy hojuelas, topped with a scoop of papaya ice cream and a sprinkling of Palestinian sumac. It’s not for everyone, but for me, the flavours are just the right savoury-sweet combination, and I find myself scooping up spoonfuls long after I should have stopped. Sophie Prideaux
Address: Anantara Downtown Hotel, Business Bay
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