Dampa Seafood Grill: Fresh and Unique Seafood Restaurant in Dubai

I'm seafood-crazy!

I honestly think Dubai needs more affordable seafood restaurants and, lo and behold, a new one just popped up. I bet you've all heard about Dampa Seafood Grill, the latest Filipino seafood restaurant in town. I went crazy when I heard about the unique concept that I didn't stop bugging my blogger friends until they agreed to meet and dine on a Sunday night.

What made me more excited is that Dampa is located in the heart of Deira, a few steps from Deira City Centre metro station and just a stone-throw away from our new place! Yay! 

Dampa Seafood Grill in Deira (photo taken at closing time)

Dampa Seafood Grill quickly gained popularity. It was buzzing on a Sunday evening. We went around 8pm and we were asked to wait for a couple of minutes as the restaurant is packed. Good thing, a group of four was ready to vacate their spot; hence we were called to go inside in less than five minutes.

The ambiance is relaxed and welcoming. Dampa is a cross between a hole-in-a-wall restaurant and a posh casual dining venue with an industrial concept. It has two levels, but the dining area at the second floor is quite small and only has five tables. The vibe is fun! We found ourselves giggling over the slogans like "If it smells like fish eat it!" and "I got crabs in Dubai." Very witty!   

Funny slogan and interesting offers! I love that board!

a humble seafood restaurant with a unique concept

more seats at the second level

The service was precise, attentive and speedy. A staff immediately gave us menus the moment we were seated. He left and came back with a complimentary pan of crackers with vinegar dip. As it was our first time in Dampa, we asked for recommendations and I was impressed that our server is well-versed with the menu. He patiently explained the options and even the flavors!

We started dining as a group of four; hence we ordered one serving of Dump-a-Seafeast and a dish from the Chef's Special. As for the drinks, we shared two kinds of 1 liter Fish Bowl Mocktail which are already included in the Dump-a-Seafeast meal. 

True to its name, the Fish Bowl Mocktail arrived in a fish bowl! The names are out-of-this-world and so funny. What Ed and I had is called Incredible Hulk; a refreshing green mojito with cucumber and mint. Our friends had Sex Appeal which is brewed iced tea with a blend of peach, lemon and grenadine. I don't know why it's called as such, probably because it's a sweet and sexy drink.   

Dampa Seafood Grill's menu

complimentary crackers

Fish Bowl Mocktails: Sex Appeal and Incredible Hulk 

A few minutes after our drinks were served, our Dump-a-Seafeast arrived. A staff stood by our table with a huge tin bowl filled with grilled seafood and corn-on-the-cobs in chipotle buttersauce. He gently dumped the "seafeast" on our table lined with wax paper sheets. 

What happened was a conversation-stopper. The "dumping scene" simply told us to stop whatever we are doing. We excitedly looked on as a pile of saucy shrimps, crabs, mussels, clams and cobs were dumped in front of us. Our server, then, placed heaps of steamed rice in the bowl where the seafood came from and tossed it lightly; hence the sauce left in the tin bowl did not go to waste. Rice is unlimited, by the way! Another Yay! 

We put our vinyl gloves on and discovered that Dampa serves the freshest seafood! That sense of delight was present in every mouthful. The Chipotle sauce is flavorful; fiery with a touch of sweetness. But what I love most is that the sauce doesn't overwhelm the natural delicate taste of seafood. It complements!         

The Dumping Scene :)

Scrumptious seafood: mussels, crabs, shrimps, clams in Chipotle sauce

definitely a sea-FEAST 

Unli-rice FTW! :)

From the Chef's Special, we ordered Cajun Shrimp. The portion is generous for a group to share and is beautifully presented in pan. The Cajun sauce created burst of rustic flavors; a little spicy yet warm and comforting. 

As one more friend joined us halfway through our dinner, we added a serving of Baked Mussels. It is the dish that definitely wows! Well, everything that we had has a wow-factor, but since I love cheese, I had a case of love at first at sight with the Baked Mussels. It is covered with cheese... glorious cheese with creamy and garlicky flavor. Yummy!     

Cajun Shrimp

Baked Mussels

For dessert, all five of us dug into a slice of Mango Bravo. Our friends said it looks familiar as a popular cafe in the Philippines that I haven't been to yet has it as well. I couldn't compare, all I know is Dampa's Mango Bravo is wonderful. It has mellow layers of vanilla cake and icing, mango cubes and chocolate ice cream.     

Mango Bravo

I love Dampa! The concept is unique. The service is fast and friendly. The food tickled my taste buds. Oh and it's so good that it tells me overeating is totally worth it! No counting of calories when in Dampa! This humble seafood restaurant is definitely a great find!    

with our Foodie Friends: Ken and Doc Gelo 

Seafood feast at Dampa with awesome people! By the way, they are bloggers as well!
That's Doc Gelo of docgelo.com, Ken of kennethsurat.com and Edcel of soloflighted.com. Check out their sites! ;)

Dampa Seafood Grill Menu as of March 2015:

Bill of 5:
Dump-a Seafest (Grilled in Chipotle Sauce): 139 AED
Cajun Shrimp: 35 AED
Baked Mussels: 35 AED
Mango Bravo: 25 AED
additional 1L mocktail: 10 AED
Total: 244 AED (less than 50 AED/pax)

Location:
Dampa Seafood Grill
Centurion Star building
(behind Day to Day, opposite Deire City Centre)
Deira, Port Saeed, Dubai
Contact # 04 299 0884
Timings: 1pm to 10pm

nearest Metro Station: Deira City Centre (Red Line)

For updates, follow my sweet escapes on Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Instagram!