Bull & Bear: Waldorf Astoria DIFC, Dubai

Words: Devina Divecha

Located in Dubai’s financial district, Waldorf Astoria DIFC occupies the 18th to 55th floors of mixed-use scheme Burj Daman; the property’s lead interior design company was SRSS, while LW Design Group oversaw the two main dining venues, Bull & Bear and St Trop. LW Design Group Associate Pooja Shah-Mulani and Senior Designer Jenni Wellings worked on the project, with the former revealing that Bull & Bear’s brief was to create a high-end concept that could transition smoothly from day to night. The restaurant’s interiors use a rich blue, gold and black colour palette, and incorporate timber, metal and leather materials.

Based on the iconic namesake restaurant at Waldorf Astoria New York, the stylish F&B venue has life-sized bull and bear sculptures at the entrance made entirely out of metal mesh, which took several rounds of prototyping to achieve. At first, designers considered creating these in solid brass, much like the Charging Bull and Fearless Girl sculptures on Wall Street, but the concept gradually evolved over time. “At night, the sculptures are lit up and create interesting shadows and patterns on the ceiling,” says Shah-Mulani.

Guests can choose from breakfast items such as smashed avo and eggs, and an açaí bowl with coconut flakes, seasonal fruits, chia seeds and cacao nibs. For lunch and dinner, signature dishes include a reinvented prawn cocktail using locally caught tiger prawns infused with subtle eastern flavours, followed by main courses built around tender meats, as well as vegan and seafood alternatives. Sweet endings are delivered by the likes of The Big Apple, combining refreshing apple notes with nutty sweet crumble.

The second signature outlet is rooftop lounge St Trop, designed with foliage screens and columns alongside contemporary furniture. Influenced by the French resort of Saint- Tropez, timber decking reminiscent of luxury yachts offers a natural colour palette with aquatic accents. The Peacock Alley Lounge and Bar completes the trio of dining options, and boasts a Smiths of Derby custom-made clock featuring stylised peacock feathers.