EAT

MIMI KAKUSHI

Welcome to the orient noveau in Jumeirah

e were optimistic about Mimi

WKakushi from the start. It’s run by the same people behind celebrated French restaurant La Cantine du Faubourg, casual Portuguese spot Lana Lusa, the What’s On award-winning Middle Eastern restaurant Ninive, and Twiggy, easily 2021’s most exciting opening to date. Adding a new notch to its gastronomic belt is this, a fun yet fancy Japanese restaurant perched just above Coya at the Four Seasons Jumeirah Restaurant Village.

Design-wise, Mimi Kakushi packs a visual punch. A clandestine entrance leads you up a flight of stairs and through a closed door. Once inside, welcome to 1920s Osaka, a glamorous homage to the avant-garde oriental era, with a sultry amalgamation of big round leather booths, a large mahogany-esque bar with a cool jazz soundtrack playing in the background.

The new venue also has major people-watching potential – we spotted a few of Dubai’s social elite sampling the goods when we visited. All of this added up to a fair amount of gawping, but we soon snapped out of it when the food started to arrive.

A selection of small dishes left us struggling to decide if we preferred the silky miso marinated black cod gyoza (Dhs85) or the rich Wagyu and foie gras dumplings (Dhs70) – both with their glorious pouches made with the best slippery silken casings – until the unimpeachable quality of their greaseless tiger prawn tempura (Dhs90) arrived and quickly became the winner.

The smashed hamachi (Dhs86) makes all other hamachi’s look like a first draft with its lip-smacking, sweet and tangy mix of garlic yuzu soy continuing far beyond what feels decent. The main course of braised short ribs with sweet garlic soy, ginger wasabi relish and pistachio (Dhs395) was another spectacular hit, so tender and juicy you’ll wish you had left more room to enjoy it.

We skipped desserts in favour of the drinks menu, which had extensive sake lists and eclectic bottles of grape, but a reasonable choice by the glass. As ever at these places, the bill racks up faster than a Land Cruiser down Sheikh Zayed Road. But as has become synonymous with The La Cantine Group restaurants, that expense feels fully justified. a Four Seasons Resort Restaurant Village. Daily 6pm to 2am. Tel: (0)43794811. mimikakushi.ae

RATING

Food ����������������������������������������������������������������A Atmosphere ���������������������������������������������������� Price ���������������������������������������������������

MOON SLICE

Creative artisanal pizza in the heart of Jumeirah

here shall we

Worder pizza from?’ It’s a simple question that most pizza-loving folk ask almost weekly, usually tossing off a half-hearted ‘the usual spot, I guess’. But, the pizzaverse is vast and varied, especially in Dubai, and even its most voracious fans likely haven’t sampled all the palatepleasing options out there. One new pizzeria worth checking out right now is Moon Slice. Run by Emirati restauranteur Mahmood AlKhamis and super chef Reif Othman, this teeny pizzeria inside Dar Wasl Mall whips up some delicious and unique artisanal pies.

Sure, certain pizza purists will cast a skeptical eye at certain pizza permutations – moon Caesar salad pizza, anyone? – and derisively deem them ‘not pizza,’ but we believe the glorious trinity of cheese, sauce, and carbs deserves to be celebrated in all its forms. There are nine pizzas to choose from ranging from the more traditional (mushroom; pepperoni; or marinara and mozzarella) to the unique (avo; honey; or marinated chicken breast with red onion and jalepeno). We hedged our bets with one safe option, a standard pepperoni (Dhs75), and one artisanal pizza, the Moon Slice special (Dhs120).

Moon Slice serves thin crust, but it’s not New York style. The ends are puffier and more flavourful, the bottom slightly sturdier, and there’s more cheese than you expect on a pizza so refined in taste. Toppings are ample. There’s plenty of dime-sized mini-pepperoni, which are charred and juicy. The MS pizza, meanwhile, is a truffle triumph, with a blackened dough base, pecorino and truffle paste, truffle foam, a huge splodge of mozzarella and freshly grated truffle to top it all off. It’s a divine masterpiece.

Should you fancy a couple of appetisers to compliment your carb load, opt for the squid ink arancini balls (Dhs65), which ooze with more melted cheese.

Delivery is available – and definitely worth ordering from – but visiting the pizzeria is a thoroughly enjoyable experience, too. It’s like you’re eating within a casual pizza kitchen that happens to be in the heart of Jumeirah. It all feels very Dubai and very Reif, and that’s a great combination. a Dar Al Wasl Mall, daily from noon to 11pm. Tel: (0)4 239 8363. Reservations essential. @moonslicepizza

RATING

Food ���������������������������������������������������������������� A Atmosphere ���������������������������������������������������� Price ��������������������������������������������������������

Staying grounded

Meet Mohamad Merhi, co-founder and managing partner at Cypher Urban Roastery

Mehri is a stickler for details. From bean sourcing, to the exquisitely handsome packaging, everything at Cypher Urban roastery has to be done to his, very precise, standards. No surprise, then, to discover that Dubai’s coffee aficionados – not short of an exacting standard or two themselves when it comes to coffee – are flocking to him for their java fix…

I’ve always had a natural

affinity for coffee. My family have loved it for generations. Some of my fondest memories are listening to my late grandfather, who’d tell us his life story while sipping on a cup of fragrant, freshly brewed Arabic coffee.

The speciality coffee scene has boomed over the last five

years here. People are really appreciating the craft that goes into brewing their morning cup, and are more open to trying new blends. They’re also interested in the story behind each bean and its journey, which is something that we at Cypher pride ourselves on.

When we launched Cypher, I was at a point in my life where I wanted to throw myself into something

meaningful. I wanted to revive the ancient art of coffee in the Middle East and redefine the relationship people have with it.

This mission starts with sourcing the highest standard of coffee

beans, and ensuring that people in the Middle East can enjoy some of the best coffee in the world. We believe in engaging and educating the community from farmers to brewers. We want to give back to the community and the world around us. And we are deeply committed to the promotion of fair trade practices across the bean life-cycle.

The best quality produce?

I developed a fondness for Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia and Guatemala. In my opinion these four origins consistently produce the best quality.

It’s not just about coffee for

us now. Last year we launched Snackwell, our 100 per cent natural fruit-based snacks. Our aim is to help coffee producers who harvest fruits alongside coffee beans to generate other sources of revenue. We also launched Nabtih, (meaning plant). It’s a new initiative to reduce waste associated with harvesting and distribution of coffee by recycling and repurposing its byproducts. For example, we’ve repurposed jute bags – originally used to transport coffee beans – into pots for basil, rosemary and mint. Cypher also stocks sustainable products such as olive oil sourced directly from farms in Palestine. q bycypher.com

OPORTO

Find out why Australians in Dubai are in a flap over these chicken burgers…

f you’re an Australian

Iliving in Dubai, chances are you’ve had the chicken salt conversation recently. Rumours of this supercharged seasoning have been liberally sprinkled across Aussie WhatsApp groups, as news spread that Bondi-born burger chain Oporto was opening in Dubai Festival City Mall.

That Oporto would bring its legendary Bondi burger was a nobrainer, but for homesick expats it was the thought of chickensalt-dusted hot chips that really had us chomping at the bit. Upon opening weekend, phones started pinging with messages about the umami-pumping salt. First, came the devastating news that the chips came sans chicken salt. Next came the jubilation, as we learnt there was a stash behind the counter (you just had to ask for it). Needless to say, the Aussie contingent flocked to Festival City like a pack of hungry seagulls.

It’s not all about that fiendishly yellow salt, however. From its birthplace on the sun-kissed shores of Bondi Beach, this Portuguese-inspired eatery has built an empire off the back of flamegrilled chicken burgers doused in a signature chilli sauce. Inspired by the flavour-packed sauces of his Portuguese homeland, Oporto founder Antonio Cerqueira created his first batch in Sydney back in 1986, a zesty combination of chilli, ginger, lemon and garlic loosely bound with oil. Now, in a bright and airy eatery on the other side of the world, it’s having the same nostalgic effects as when Antonio stirred up his first pot. Hot off the grill (which you can spy from the dining room), not only does our double Bondi burger (Dhs29) taste as good as we remember, somehow it tastes even better.

The formula is simple: two slender chicken breast fillets (also available as single or triple), shredded iceberg, cheese, mayonnaise and a liberal dose of that slow-burn chilli sauce.

We wager you’ll want more sauce, so order it slathered over flame-grilled chicken (Dhs65 for a half a chicken). Our smoky, juicy bird comes with sides of Portuguese rice and chargrilled corn, as well as a Middle East-appropriate serve of pita, crunchy pickles and garlic sauce.

In fact, the whole menu has been beefed up for its Dubai debut, with breakfast burgers, salad bowls and even a textbook-perfect lamington for dessert (Dhs18) – and if that doesn’t cure your homesickness, nothing will. a Dubai Festival City Mall, Level 1, daily 8am to 10pm. oportome.com

RATING

Food �������������������������������������������������������������� B+ Atmosphere ������������������������������������������������ Price ��������������������������������������������������������������

WAWA DINING

An unassuming, authentic Japanese eatery in Barsha…

ou’d be forgiven if the recent

Yopening of Wawa Dining flew under your radar. Unlike its flashy competitors, Japanese restaurant Wawa chose a more modest launch approach. This, along with its paired-back interiors, is what attracted us to the concept in the first place.

Found in Golden Tulip Al Barsha, guests will face geisha printed curtains and a small dark passageway before entering the venue. It’s an izakaya (a casual Japanese bar), making it a fun afterwork hangout spot.

There aren’t too many other guests on our visit, but the ones that are there are Japanese – a sure fire sign of authenticity.

The menu splits between starters, sushi, noodles, seafood and signature dishes. Most of the plates are small and ideal for sharing. We’re intrigued by the deep fried tofu (Dhs47). Five parcels of batter filled with creamy tofu arrive with a fresh sweet chili jam on top. They’re tasty and nicely combine both crispy and soft textures.

We’re told the salmon carpaccio (Dhs56) is a must try and gladly oblige. It’s a refreshing dish, with orange segments and truffle ponzu. Gyoza is usually a winner in any Japanese restaurant but Wawa’s is exceptional enough to tempt us for a second helping. It’s filled with Osaka beef (Dhs56) and drizzled in teriyaki sauce before being topped with thin and crispy onion strips.

We order the volcano maki (Dhs53) on the promise that it’s ‘not too spicy’, but we would’ve enjoyed its fiery sauce on the side as the rolls were completely coated in spicy aioli, overpowering everything else.

Currently the only option for dessert is flavoured mochi ice cream, so we opted for another gyoza instead.

Each dish is beautifully presented in a fine-dining style you’d expect in any contemporary DIFC bar, which is surprising given its casual vibe. Price wise, the dishes aren’t too far off it’s fine-dining competitors, but if casual, unpretentious dining is what you’re looking for, then follow Dubai’s Japanese crowd and head to Wawa. a Wawa, Golden Tulip, Al Barsha, daily 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 12am. Tel: (0)4 501 6189. @wawadining

RATING

Food ���������������������������������������������������������������AAtmosphere ���������������������������������������������������� Price ���������������������������������������������������������