Weslodge Saloon @ JW Marriott Marquis

Weslodge Saloon is a Canadian export which opened it’s giant yellow saloon style doors in none other than the world’s tallest hotel, JW Marriott Marquis back on April 14, 2016.Located on the 68th floor (same as Prime 68) but in tower B, Weslodge commands a huge space that seems to go on forever. The kitchen has a traditional grill which is used to smoke the meats.
The decor is very country club meets saloon with animal heads complete with antlers hung on some of the walls, candelabras and historic art in frames which creates an instant charm.
Executive Chef Ben Heaton flies into town every now and then to check on the progress of this newly opened bar and restaurant and while he’s in town he generally releases a limited addition menu item.
The 68th floor restaurant wouldn’t be complete without views of the worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
The crowd is young and hip and seem to enjoy the tunes spun by DJ Sneaky Pete playing everything 90’s, from rock to R’n’B.
The service is prompt and starts arriving not long after we place our order. The cocktail list is impressive and spans many pages. You may spend longer than intended reviewing what’s on offer.For starters we tried a Weslodge salad which is chopped with feta and avocado, a scallop ceviche with rock shrimps and a firey but zingy jalepeno vinegerette as well as a tuna ceviche came with delicate Nori chips on the side.
The lobster poutine was definitely a highlight for us. Chunky pieces of Lobster throughout a generous portion of perfectly fried chips and a tasty gravy with melted cheese curds. Need I say more? Salty but moreish.
We also had a scotch quail egg which was perfectly cooked however the sausage filling was a tad too spicy for my palette. However I enjoyed the addition of the homemade truffle onion jam.
The wait staff were well dressed in crispy white shirts, suspenders and aprons and were well mannered with most of them Canadian locals.
The honey Tabasco glazed southern fried chicken was juicy but under the crunchy coating was the fatty chicken skin which I removed before eating.The show stopper was the bronzino fish which had been grilled to perfection. I gobbled it down crispy skin and all. So delicious and highly recommended.
They make a real effort with their presentation I mean check out they transformed the chunky onion rings below.
For pure comfort and style all guests sit on leather upholstered seating with glam marble table tops. Perfect for those “from above” foodie shots.
The side of creamed corn polenta was topped with a crunchy blackened kernels and garnished with a load of herbs. The Smore’s was a limited edition item served with homemade graham crackes, a bitter chocolate and not the gooeist of marshmallows. I felt this dessert could of been better.
I preferred this coconut cream pie which had a subtle hint of lime. Although a thicker crust would of gone down a treat.
Our waitress for the evening Joanna was phenomenal. Personable, knowledgeable and on the ball. Unfortunately she was only in town to train the staff then was heading back to Canada.
Some exciting insider information is they are opening another venture upstairs in the near future. If Weslodge is anything to go by then us Dubai folk are in for a treat.
Location: 68th Floor, Tower B, JW Marriott Marquis, Business Bay
Phone: 04 5601700