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Where To Eat
DXB City Expert
PReViOuS PaGe: JAAN at the Penthouse left: 101 Dining Lounge & Bar
authentic ingredients (the restaurant even has its own brand of Parmesan and olive oil). Overseen by head chef Luca Tresoldi, who has worked in Florence under Féolde for the last five years, signature dishes like octopus slow-cooked in home-made olive oil and tuffoli pasta with veal-shank stew are stunning examples of just how beautiful and delicate Italian food can be when done to this high standard.
Sublime SuShi and SaShimi Beyond the elsewhere-mentioned Zuma and Nobu, Dubai is home to a couple more standout Japanese restaurants. One of them, Armani/ Hashi (+ 971 4 888 3888, armanihotels. com) is housed in the Armani Hotel Dubai, within Burj Khalifa. You’d be hard pushed to find anywhere selling seafood as good as that served here. Another, TOMO (+971 4 357 7888, tomo.ae) at Raffles Dubai, is helmed by chef-owner Chitoshi Takaashi, who has devised a menu that’s vast and packed with fantastic authentic Japanese delicacies, best navigated with the help of a waiter. The terrace here bestows brilliant views of Burj Khalifa, too. Ex-Zuma chef Reif Othman’s Play (+971 4 225 6000, h-hotel.com) at The H Hotel was an instant hit when it opened at the outset of 2016. Playfully (naturally) described as ‘Mediterrasian’ – a fusion of Mediterranean and Asian flavours – the twists on classic dishes here are a real delight. Be sure to order the duck gyoza and takumi Wagyu ribs – both of which are divine. The always-buzzing bar and DJ mean the
atmosphere at dinner is as spirited as the menu, although if you’re a nonsmoker the restaurant area can get uncomfortably smoky. Famed London export Novikov (+971 4 3 888 8744, novikov-dubai. com) at the Sheraton Grand Hotel is another ultra-glamorous spot, with a sleek, dimly lit dining space, resident DJs and a vast – and very impressive – Asian menu. Fronting the open kitchen is a market counter displaying fresh fish and seafood flown in every second day from Portugal and Japan, including interesting delicacies like goose barnacles and sea urchins. The skill of ex-Nobu head chef Shane Macneill is evident throughout – highlights include the king crab-leg and wasabi gratin, scallop and black-truffle sashimi, and the signature duck salad. Founded in Moscow, famed in London and now delighting diners in Dubai is Sumosan (+971 56 678 3357, sumosan.com), which serves up Japanese food of the highest calibre to the showy crowd at Billionaire Mansion. You’ll find it within the Taj Dubai hotel. Cheaper than the lot – though still of high quality – is Manga Sushi (+971 4 342 8300, mangasushi.ae) at Beach Park Plaza in Jumeirah 2. As its name more than hints at, this is a restaurant that’s designed manga-style, right down to the waitresses’ uniforms. The fun extends to the very inventive sushi creations, including Godzilla in Dubai: deep-fried wasabi prawn, asparagus and diced mango, dipped in wasabi mayonnaise and rolled in sesame seeds. You’ll also find a branch of Manga Sushi in The Dubai Mall.