It's been a busy November for Dubai's culinary scene, specifically building on many other developments within the city's bustling restaurant industry.
The most recent of which is global recognition of two Dubai-based chefs, Tresind Studio's Himanshu Saini and Gregoire Berger, of the underwater seafood restaurant Ossiano at Atlantis, The Palm. Both were named in the top 50 of this year's Best Chef Awards list announced last week.
It seems there is no stopping this culinary momentum, evidenced by a handful of new dining spots that opened this month. Here are some to check out.
Berenjak
Cuisine: Persian
Serving authentic Iranian dishes in London was the original motivation of chef-founder Kian Samyani when he opened Berenjak in Soho in 2018. After five years of success, the kebab house launched its first international outpost at Dar Wasl Mall in Dubai.
On the menu are traditional Persian meze, but with the chef's own inventive take. For example, the hummus is made of black chickpeas. The restaurant also avoids using yeast in its bread resulting in a crispier version of the side dish. There is kashk bademjoon, mast-o-khiar and baal-e-morgh on the menu too. The main event are the kebabs, which are from Samyani's own family recipes.
Sunday to Thursday, noon-4pm, 6pm-11.30pm; Friday to Saturday, noon-4pm, 6pm-12.30am; Dar Wasl, Al Wasl Road; 04 295 3644
Brix Cafe
Cuisine: All-day breakfast, baked goods and desserts
From the restaurant portfolio of The Lab Holding, which also oversees 3 Fils and Brix Desserts, comes another spin-off that will serve an all-day breakfast menu, as well as baked desserts.
Aside from coffee and tea, dishes include scrambled eggs and avocado on a croissant roll, sauteed Brussels sprouts topped with poached egg, as well as other morning favourites such as eggs benedict and avocado toast. There is also a yuzu bowl with yoghurt, banana, raspberries and other toppings. The dessert bar features classic carrot cake and vanilla mascarpone with lychee gel, vanilla mousse, rose and berry gel topped with a hazelnut crunch.
Open daily, 8am-10pm; Jumeirah Fishing Harbour; 04 548 4322
Moli by Shi
Cuisine: Chinese
Moli translates to Jasmine in Chinese, which in Asian culture is often associated with purity, grace and femininity. This is what the new restaurant in Dubai Hills Business Park is aiming to channel.
The interior of the space has walls adorned with traditional carvings while the ceiling is embellished with large Jasmine flowers hanging overhead. On the menu are caramelised sea bass with black truffle, sea cucumber with magi yaki sauce and cornfed chicken with morel mushroom. Guests can also sample different kinds of dim sum, from lobster and Angus beef kimchi to the popular chicken xiao long bao. The duck, which is a staple meat in Chinese cuisine, also makes an appearance on the menu.
Aside from a la carte dining, the restaurant is also planning to introduce a set lunch menu and a weekend brunch.
Sunday to Thursday, noon-1am; Friday to Saturday, 1pm-2am; Dubai Hills Business Park; 04 276 3338
Local
Cuisine: International
Meant to be a social dining spot, the restaurant is located at The First Collection Waterfront and overlooks the Business Bay canal.
The menu features dishes such as truffle burrata, veal osso bucco, Gulf tiger prawns and beef brisket nachos to name a few. A la carte dining aside, the waterfront venue hosts weekly themed social dining experiences, such as a surf and turf night every Friday.
Open daily, 6.30am-11pm; The First Collection Waterfront, Business Bay; 04 542 6630
Elia
Cuisine: Mediterranean
On the ground floor of Al Wasl's Galleria Mall is a Mediterranean restaurant spanning the cuisines of Greece, Italy and France, spotlighting coastal flavours.
The menu features an array of hot and cold tapas, pizzettas and pastas, as well as a selection of meat and seafood dishes. For starters, there's the smoked aubergine dip and the spicy melon salad, while main courses consist of cepe mushroom risotto, black Angus rib eye and a different take on the classic moussaka, served with Spanish Manchego cheese.
Dessert options include madeleines served with Chantilly cream and Greek-style choux doughnuts with rosemary and lemon cream. There is also a classic creme brulee, as well as a baked vanilla cheesecake.
Monday to Friday, noon-midnight; Saturday to Sunday, noon-1am; Galleria Mall, Al Wasl, Dubai; 052 571 1429
Xu
Cuisine: Cantonese, Southeast Asian
The Asian dining spot at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates serves Cantonese cuisine, additionally inspired by south-east Asian flavours.
Dishes include crispy lemon grass chicken, buttermilk prawn and chargrilled Wagyu beef rib eye with spicy peanut sauce for appetisers. There is also a selection of dim sum including har gow with tiger prawn and chicken siu mai with truffle and foie gras sauce. For mains, the restaurant serves dishes such as osmanthus plum baked Chilean sea bass and grilled rack of lamb with Asian-style gravy and chilli sauce. Scallops and lobster are available on request.
Xu is under Rikas Hospitality Group, which also has La Cantine, Ninive and Tagomago under its belt.
Sunday to Wednesday, 6pm-1am; Thursday to Saturday, 6pm-3am; Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates; 04 394 6252
Roadster Diner
Cuisine: American
Classic American cafe dishes, from hamburgers to chicken wings, are what's on the menu at the Mirdif City Centre restaurant.
Roadster Diner originated in Lebanon where it has 18 outlets. Customers can order barbecue or buffalo chicken wings and strips, mozzarella sticks and potato dippers. There are a variety of burgers too that include Swiss truffle burger, double crunch chicken burger and chilli shrimp avocado sandwich.
Pizzas, tacos and salads are also on the menu, with desserts including cheesecake sundae explosion, marbled mud pie and brownie temptation.
Open daily, 11.30am-midnight; Mirdif City Centre; roadsterdiner.com
