“The Zagat restaurant guide is launching here now, which is just one
thing that shows Dubai has arrived as a foodie destination,” says Ajaz
Sheikh, director of operations for the Middle East for the Zuma chain of
restaurants.
“The S.Pellegrino list of
the world’s best restaurants for 2012 included two Dubai restaurants in
the top 100 (Zuma and La Petite Maison). People internationally are
definitely becoming interested in Dubai.”
Growing interest in the restaurant scene here has been sparked by a
recent influx of celebrity chefs such as Pierre Gagnaire, Gary Rhodes
and Jamie Oliver as well as the arrival of restaurant brands such as The
Ivy, Rivington Grill, Hakkasan, Gaucho, Nobu, La Petite Maison and
Zuma.
New generation
Money plays a big part in attracting those big names.
“Where there's an emerging international business hub, a culturally
diverse population, many with a high disposable income, and a relatively
under-developed restaurant scene, there are opportunities to grow a
brand,” says James Brennan, former Middle East chairman of the
S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants awards and restaurant editor of
the forthcoming Zagat Dubai guide.
It’s not just global brands. A number of homegrown restaurants have
prospered, including Table 9 By Nick and Scott, which replaced Gordon
Ramsay’s Verre -- Dubai’s first celebrity chef restaurant -- when it
closed after a decade in 2011.
“There’s still room for big names, but the world of food has moved on
since Gordon Ramsay and Gary Rhodes opened their restaurants here, and I
can see a new generation of international chefs opening in Dubai in the
future," says Nick Alvis, one of the young chefs behind Table 9 By Nick
and Scott.
“The local restaurant scene has arrived, but only just. I'd compare
its most recent phase to adolescence -- it has sought self-assurance in
big-name brands and chefs from more established markets.
"But now it's showing signs of growing up, and it's gradually finding
the confidence to go out into the world and do its own thing. It's
beginning to show us its real personality through homegrown concepts."
With such a potent mix of celebrity chefs, global names and homegrown
brands, it’s no easy matter choosing where to dine in Dubai.
Unless you have some help. Here are among the best restaurants in Dubai:
1. La Petite Maison, French
The most sought-after food in Dubai is the fresh plates of Niçoise cuisine served at the city’s most popular restaurant, La Petite Maison.
LPM, as it's commonly known, is the Dubai outpost of a three-restaurant global group. Its reservations book is always full.
The kitchen turns out un-fussy dishes such as peas, basil and
tomatoes, razor clams with an herb crust and a justly popular
cheesecake, all made with high-quality seasonal produce.
Prices start at 1,000 dirhams (US$272) for two.
La Petite Maison, Gate Village 8, Dubai International Financial
Centre, Dubai; +971 4 439 0505; open daily, noon-3:30 p.m. and 7-11:30
p.m.; bar 1 p.m.-midnight; lpmdubai.ae
2. Zuma, Japanese
Beautiful people love beautiful food. And other beautiful people. This is where they all come together to admire each other.
The Dubai outlet of chef Rainer Becker’s six-strong chain of
izakaya-style Japanese restaurants serves inventive small-plates of
Japanese cuisine in a bright downstairs restaurant and strong cocktails
in a dimly lit upstairs lounge bar.
Prices start at 1,000 dirhams (US$272) for two.
Zuma, Gate Village 6, Dubai International Financial Centre,
Dubai; +971 4 425 5660; open daily 12:30-3 p.m. and 7 p.m.-midnight; zumarestaurant.com
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3. Table 9 By Nick and Scott, Fusion
Who would have thought Gordon Ramsay's departure would be a good thing for the Dubai restaurant scene? Well, it was.
Thirty-something chef duo Scott Price and Nick Alvis came to Dubai to
head up the celebrity chef’s Verre, but when Ramsay departed the city
in 2011 the pair stayed.
They turned his European fine dining establishment into Table 9 and
introduced a chef’s table, local artwork, a more laid-back style and one
of the most exciting and creative menus in the city.
Prices start at 900 dirhams (US$245) for two.
Table 9 by Nick and Scott, Hilton Dubai Creek, Deira, Dubai; +971 4 227 1111; open daily 7 p.m.-midnight; table9dubai.com
4. Okku, Japanese
In a city dominated by global brands and international chefs, Okku is a rarity.
The brainchild of resident entrepreneurs Markus Thesleff and Ramzy
Abdul Majeed, this sultry, subterranean nightspot serving sushi and
imaginative Japanese dishes and excellent cocktails plays on the same
field as the big boys.
Prices start at 700 dirhams (US$190) for two.
Okku, The H Hotel, 1 Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai; +971 4 501 8777; open daily 7 p.m.-2 a.m.; okkudubai.com
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5. Rhodes Mezzanine, British
British chef Gary Rhodes loves Dubai so much that he recently packed his
bags, hopped on a plane from London and became a full-time resident of
the city.
As a result, you can often find the energetic chef at his eponymous fine dining establishment.
At Mezzanine, he oversees one of the most skilled kitchen brigades in
the city, ensuring that his “British classics with French flair” are
prepared and presented perfectly.
Prices start at 800 dirhams (US$217) for two.
Rhodes Mezzanine, Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina, Dubai; +971 4 399 8888; open Monday-Saturday 7-11:30 p.m.; grosvenorhouse-dubai.com
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6. Reflets Par Pierre Gagnaire, French
If a thin line separates madness from genius, multi-Michelin-starred French master Pierre Gagnaire appears to walk it.
The camp magenta carpets and chandeliers are just about doolally enough
to do justice to the avant-garde contemporary French cuisine turned out
by the superstar chef’s talented kitchen staff.
Prices start at 1,000 dirhams (US$272) for two.
Reflets Par Pierre Gagnaire, InterContinental Dubai Festival City, Dubai; +971 4 701 1128; open Sunday-Friday 7-11:30 p.m.; www.ichotelsgroup.com
7. Roberto’s, Italian
The vigorous Italian Roberto Rella was once famed as the manager of BiCE, where he was instrumental in taking one of the city’s favorite Italian restaurants to the status of culinary institution.
His job done, he sought out an impressive property right at the heart of
Dubai International Financial Centre, amid the biggest names in the
restaurant industry.
Here, he opened his own place, modestly naming it after himself.
Retaining the Italian classics that continue to make BiCE such a
success, and adding an impressive raw bar selection and cocktails,
Roberto’s is just as popular as its owner.
Prices start at 600 dirhams (US$163) for two.
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