'One and Only' Husbands

Yesterday at 4:40pm I played SMS tag with Hambone

Him: Pissed. Long lunch
Me: maybe u shld head home n have a sleep. Don't 4get dinner w J and N tonight
Him: lallllaallllaaaalllllaaaaaaaaaaaa
Me: u r abt to get in trouble. U r a very naughty boy
Him: rdjudgfffggffffffgghjgjtfhhhaaasass!!

Unworthy of a reply I thought, so I sent "J" a quick one

Warning. Will b slapping husband around 2nite. Still having lunch 5 hours later.

Dinner was scheduled for 9pm at Nina's with predinner beverages at the Rooftop. So when the only conversation I could get out of Hambone at 7pm was blowing raspberries (him, not me), to say the least I was a little concerned he would end up face down in his tapas and not even make the dinner table.

But as it turned out, either Hambone is very good at holding it together in an inebriated state, or falls apart completely on a small amount of plonk, and can resurrect after a couple of hours. Because dinner was great, and he behaved himself impeccably (after two atomic bloody marys)

The Rooftop is a bar at The One And Only Royal Mirage. Funny thought, they are just about to open another "One and Only" on the Palm Jumeirah. Anyway, it's one of our favorite bars. It's only good for the cooler months, because it's situated on an open rooftop (derr...) and it is decorated in Arabic plush meets space dome. The sea breeze drifts through the gossamer curtains, and the lamps flicker in time to desert drum beats and chillout tunes. The drinks are expensive, but that's not a first in Dubai - the only shock was that my Champagne arrived in a vase. The greater surprise was that it was emblazoned with the Veuve Cliquot logo, proving the stupidity in flute design has come from a house of class and design (I believe V.C. Is now owned by Louis vuitton.), not by some ninny food and beverage manager.

Drinks were followed by dinner at Nina's, what is described as a new wave indo-euro dining experience. (we don't "eat" in Dubai, we "experience cuisines"). Which means they take the Indian style of cooking, and experiment with the kinds of ingredients we are more accustomed to seeing on a European menu.

We ordered a luscious Hugel Gewurztraminer - its spice, fragrance and viscosity the perfect accompanyment to the food, and slurped it while dipping pappadams and roti in relishes and pickles that I found to be pretty standard Indian fare.

Then came the entrees, which were the highlight. I remember looking at the menu and declaring I wanted all of them. But we shared 4 between us, and there was a lobster spring roll thingy with sweet and salty spice that was heavenly.  Mains were what i consider to be more typical Indian curries - with no standouts - but generally were very good.

Dessert was saffron ice-cream on a sliver if Mille-feuille pastry, and it was creamy, super sweet, and although a little cloying, still edging on the divine. It could have been better to split the mango kulfi with J, who truly hit the jackpot. Mind you, she scoffed the lot, double-time.

And Hambone made it all the way through dinner without falling over, falling on his sword, or falling into a deep hole with his foot in his mouth and no ladder in sight. Well done darling.