MICHELIN GUIDE

Find out who secured a place in the inaugural Michelin Guide Abu Dhabi

WORDS: MILES BUCKERIDGE

The plat is now out of the Michelin bag in Abu Dhabi and based on the whims and wants of its inspectors, we’ve learned who’s kind of a big deal on the capital’s culinary scene. A significant 42 restaurants were added to this inaugural 2023 Guide, four were awarded the sought-after Bib Gourmand status (good, affordably priced food) and three more were honoured with what is likely international gastronomy’s most coveted prize of all, a Michelin Star.

But who are these Michelin winners, and why should we care? Well, if you like good food – you’ll struggle to find a better respected independent arbiter of taste, than our friends at Michelin. Their rigorous testing method applies science to art, and rates experience based on the quality of the ingredients, the mastery of cooking, the harmony of flavours, the personality of the chef through the cuisine and the consistency both over time and across the entire menu (each restaurant is visited multiple times).

ONE-STAR RESTAURANTS

Three restaurants were each awarded one Michelin Star in Abu Dhabi as part of the 2023 guide.

99 Sushi Bar and Restaurant [ ]

After the Guide announcements, we predict that this (Spanish by birth) haute Japanese cuisine concept is probably experiencing somewhere in the region of 99 problems seating all the people trying to get a table now. These are of course great problems for the sushi house, based in The Galleria Al Maryah Island, to have. And whilst the volume of attention is likely new, 99 Sushi has been a central pillar of Abu Dhabi’s fine dining circuit since 2017. Their signature dishes include wagyu and Kobe prime cuts, otoro nigiri, blue fin carpaccio, Hokkaido uni, gyozas, and king crab salad. They’re also known for adding exciting European flexes onto Asian cuisine. We’re talking tinkering with truffle and figuring out new ways to use foie gras. @99sushibaruae

Hakkasan [ ]

The name ‘Hakkasan’ represents a global chain of high-end Cantonese restaurants, with strong links to the Guide. Two London Hakkasans have won Michelin Stars, and Dubai’s own location gained one in its inaugural guide earlier this year. And this Abu Dhabi outpost, found in a very special location, has now joined that list. You’ll find it at Emirates Palace, plating up artful servings of dim sum, seafood, spice and other food fire, often based on ancient Chinese recipes. Our picks from the Abu Dhabi menu? Typhoon lobster, Chilean sea bass with organic honey and the supreme dim sum selection. The aesthetic element of the courses at Hakkasan is important, yes, but the art is indistinguishable from the eating. It’s all about the holistic experience. The chef is speaking through the food, and whilst we can try to describe it here, the only way to hear this beautiful mantra is to try it. @hakkasanabudhabi

Chef Antonio Guida

Talea by Antonio Guida [ ]

Emirates Palace now finds itself represented by a binary star system, with the relatively recent launch of Talea. It’s a culinary engine driven by multiple Michelin Star-honoured Chef Antonio Guida. A modern space, there are faux frescos on the wall depicting scenes from various Italian cities and highlighted detailing on the ceiling coves. We swooned over the calamari alla griglia, and gushed in hushed cooing sounds over what they did to a fillet of ricciola (amberjack). And what is now their verified ‘Michelin Star’ range of pizza, represents the perfect way to introduce yourself to the kitchen’s incredible flavours on a relative budget. Talea is an Italian job extremely well done, blowing the doors of our expectations clean off. Best Italian fine dining in the city? It just might be. @taleauae

BIB GOURMAND

The Bib Gourmand category is awarded to restaurants that excel in providing good food at affordable prices.

BEIRUT SUR MER

Located along the picturesque, beachfront promenade of Mamsha Al Saadiyat, Beirut Sur Mer comes painted in scintillating botanical aesthetics, paired with a remarkably strong Levantine menu. The menu is absolutely gargantuan, filled with a mezze myriad with dishes such as quinoa tabbouleh, crab moutabal, and halloumi bil teen. Beirut Sur Mer offers the finest service and a vast menu that will leave you wanting to linger for hours if only to try more plates of mezze, but don’t be like us – save room for your mains. @beirutsurmer

ALMAYASS

You’ll find expertly crafted ArmenianLebanese dining at The Galleria Al Maryah Island’s Almayass, and in line with the defining requirement of the Bib Gourmand award, it won’t break the bank. This cross of two culinary houses, both alike in dignity, translates into some great mash-up mezze items – kebbeh karaz, ras asfour with cherry sauce, manti, bastermi, and shanklish lead the pack for us. @almayass_abudhabi

TAZAL

The second of two Al Qana entries, Tazal’s range and quality of Mediterranean meets Middle Eastern fare impressed the inspectors enough to earn a solid Bib Gourmand nod. The creative menu includes fusion dishes such as peri-peri chicken biryani, seafood machboos paella, chicken kaaksadilla, wagyu al mosul, and a Korean lamb explosion with cumin tuile. It’s fair to say the restaurant’s claim that these are ‘brave twists’ certainly checks out, but given the recent Michelin acknowledgement, it seems it was a flavour experiment worth making. @tazaluae

OTORO

Locally based culinary legend, chef Akmal Anuar (whose Dubai restaurant 11 Woodfire won a Star in the inaugural Dubai Michelin Guide) opened his first Abu Dhabi restaurant this year, and it’s a keeper. The location pin drop is at the canal front destination Al Qana, the seat of so much exciting new gastronomic and leisure murmurings in the capital. Otoro is an authentic and clinically studied reenvisaging of an Osakan kitchen, and beyond the stunning nigiri options (of which, naturally the otoro fatty tuna is their expertly crafted signature), our pick of the dazzling dishes was the melt-in-the-mouth shabu shabu burger. A burger like no other, its moreish wagyu slices, perfectly toasted bun and buttery caramelised onion make every bite jucier than the last. We licked our fingers clean. @otoro.ad

SPECIAL AWARDS

The inspectors aren’t only focusing on food while they dine, they’re also looking out for shining stars among the service. In this year’s guide, there are three Abu Dhabi contenders for special awards. Service Award: Rawad Hamdan and team, Restaurant Li Beirut Sommelier Award: Marlon Nuque, Zuma Restaurant Young Chef Award: Luigi Stinga, Restaurant Talea by Antonio Guida

01 Sommelier Award 02 Young Chef Award 03 Service Award

THE FULL LIST

Al Mrzab Butcher & Still Byblos Sur Mer Cafe James Café Milano Catch by St. Regis Cipriani Coya Dai Pai Dong Finz Fishmarket Fouquet’s Grand Beirut Hoi An Li Beirut Li Jiang LPM Market Kitchen Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi Mazi, Meylas Mijana Moksh Namak NIRI Oak Room Oii Paradiso Punjab Grill Shang Palace Silk & Spice Tean VaKaVa Villa Toscana Zuma