With a bejeweled finger that creates a true-blue fine dining experience—one that really explodes with culinary glitz and unattainable razzmatazz—Dubai puts on a stellar show. Now, imagine it has taken a few more steps…Yes, the 2022 edition of the annual Dubai Food Festival, which took place from May 2 to 15, saw a slew of fine dining restaurants spread across the city come together and celebrate . What do they do best? All this, as he left no stone unturned to give the food connoisseurs the treat of his lifetime. With ample display of their culinary talents and skills, the food and presentation shine through.
Luckily for me, I found a ringside seat to all the action as I worked my way through some of the most interesting fall dinners and mindful meals over the course of a week. It’s safe to say that each of my experiences was reflective of the adorable culinary variety and innovation that I played with at my table. In no particular order, here are five of the most memorable meals from my recent trip to Dubai – the ultimate ‘Emirates of Extra’!
Here are 5 fine dining restaurants in Dubai for the gourmand in you:
1. TresMind Studio
Imagine not knowing much about the menu of the 17-course DJStation dinner you’re about to attend. Add this to your borderline OCD. Such was the situation that my anxiety-ridden mind was battling as I entered the surprisingly unremarkable and rather harsh, dark-furnished interiors of Treskind Studios for my 9 p.m. dinner reservation (second meeting at 6 p.m.). Had been. Having recently moved from your perch of dubai Arterial Sheikh Zayed Road to its new thatched-roof home in Nakheel Mall on the man-made Palm Jumeirah island, the attention here is little other than mostly a bite-sized modern Indian cuisine. Helmed by Indian-origin chef Himanshu Saini, the 20-covers-only studio’s menu features an interesting, often inconsistent array of imaginative, minimalist-style Indian dishes. Since one is only given the menu at the end of a meal, it is up to the well-trained wait staff to present each and every dish. These take the form of everything, from duck caferiol ‘tacos’ served atop a nasturtium leaf and a morel casserole drizzled with an Assam chai dashi to a shiso khakhra. And the 17th, Grand Finale Desert Course is a honeycomb cacao hive served on a moon-like globe, with Frank Sinatra on surround sound, showing his famous Fly Me to Moon ballad on cue. Pure Food Theatre, This!
(Also read: Dubai: Your Guide to Experience the Best of All Worlds in One City,
traceind dubai
2. Al Nafoorah
I didn’t expect anything less from any of the fine dining restaurants that found themselves in the opulent Jumeirah Al Qasr Hotel, a virtual landmark of Dubai for decades. But this brand new Lebanese restaurant far exceeds my expectations, with its glam-saturated ambiance and authentic food savoring the unmistakable Levantine freshness. Set both indoors and outdoors with a spacious terrace overlooking the hotel’s plush lawns and the iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel from afar—with a dwarf olive tree growing in the center of the main dining room, Al Nafoorah has it all in place keeps. My Set Menu Reads Like a Journey Through the Wonders of the Cooking Lebanon, Dishes such as Kibbe Nayeh, Chef Ali Fouad’s Sublime Teta Salad, Beef Shariat with Cherry Sauce and Sweet Surprises like Halawat Al Jabeen’s Cottage Cheese Dessert elevate my dining experience here to unknown gastronomic heights.
al nufrahi
3. Mimi Kakushi
Often called ‘Dubai’s best Japanese restaurant’, stepping into Mimi Kakushi’s dimly lit space, which it shares with the Four Seasons Resort in Jumeirah, is like a multi-sensory blast from the past. More specifically, 1920’s Osaka’s jazz scene. An epoch-making era when Japan’s Art Deco movement was just getting started. This mood is reflected to a large extent in the dining experience here. One that blends time-honored Japanese cuisine techniques with fresh thinking, Far Eastern flavors with Western influences. Everything with a three-foot-long dessert plate, along with dishes like oven-baked black cod and Kagoshima Wagyu beef green Chai ice cream cobbler can be tasted here for a sweet lychee iteration of the delicious chawanmushi custard. And if its name piques your curiosity, ‘mimi kakushi’ is the “ear cover” of the Western-style, women’s bob cut hairdo introduced in Japan in 1922.
(Also read: World’s largest caviar tin breaks Guinness World Record in Dubai,
4. Meena Choli
Bringing a decidedly Parisian je ne sais quoi flair to Dubai, the growing food capital of the world, is the elegantly appointed Mina Brasserie. Located at the Four Seasons Hotel in the city’s DIFC enclave, the brasserie is created by James Beard-winning, Egyptian-born and US-raised chef Michael Mina. With lots of vintage-style, speckled mirrors reflecting natural light streaming in from the outside and comfy tufted sofas, the ambiance created here is one of restrained luxury. The rather concise menu features a variety of typical brasserie-style dishes making it the perfect restaurant for a stylish lunch. from Disc With foie gras tarchón served with brioche toast points and fig sauce and the signature tuna tartare with pine nuts for appetizers, lobster pot pie and a peppery medium-rare steak au poivre, my lunch partner and I are gastronomically were in heaven. But a dessert like the sublime ‘The Lemon’ (made from polenta streusel, lemon cream, lime and basil gel) could turn this already sumptuous meal into an almost religious experience!
Meena Choli
5. Roaring Rabbit
Perhaps the quirkiest of all the places on this list, the Roaring Rabbit Gastropub at the brand new Taj Exotica Resort & Spa in The Palm Islands is an experience to behold. With a decidedly English flare, as evident from its surroundings, the pub pays homage to the beloved rabbit in myriad forms. Be it in the decor elements—where diners are encouraged to scope out as many rabbit references as they can—or in the F&B offerings that have a rabbit leitmotif running through them. For example, braised rabbit thigh is served with glazed carrots or a desert such as Bunny Carrot Cake. Speaking of which, it would be criminal to leave here without sampling other desserts like the delicious sticky toffee pudding and generously split bananas. Trust me, it’s a rabbit hole you have to fall next time Dubai,
roaring rabbit
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