Eat, drink, sleep, repeat: Foodie delights in Dubai
Martin Williams is one of the judges for our first Toast the City awards. Here he tells us about his recent trip to the gastronomic paradise of ever-sunny Dubai.
The Serpentine Summer Party never disappoints. After a wonderful lunch at Petrus, I found myself enjoying Mujen Sochu Cocktails, created by the bar legend Tato Giovannoni, who took residency this month at The Emory alongside fellow restaurateur Richard Caring, actor Minnie Driver, musician Skepta, Vogue editor Edward Enninful and East End artist Shem.
Breaking news: we will also be serving Mujen Bombs in our new ‘Freak Scene x 100 Wardour Street’ collab with Scott Hallsworth (Nobu, Kurobuta), which opens bookings today for a 22 July opening. Promising to be one of the hotspots of the summer, it’s not to miss.
A Dubai food odyssey
Time flies as a restaurateur – last week I took a trip to Dubai, my first in a number of years. The unapologetic ambition and scale of the Emirate over the past decade has been phenomenal and provides inspiration for the hospitality sector, both in terms of offering and growth. It also comes with plenty of opportunities. The city is a natural home for European- and UK-founded restaurants such as LPM, Zuma, Sexy Fish and The Arts Club, and potentially the London-born brands I oversee as chief exec of the Evolv Collection: Bluebird, Quaglino’s, Chophouse and Sartoria would do very well there.
J1 Beach
A 72 hour culinary odyssey began at Sirene by Gaia, an overpriced pastiche of its mother brand. Focusing in this case on Aegean cuisine with a twist of general Mediterranean. Wallet busting (as is the Piccadilly sister venue), it even makes Milos feel like good value. If you’re going Greek in London, head for the (newly Michelin listed) Krokodilos in Kensington, which I reviewed earlier in the year.
A much better option on the J1 strip, is the brilliant boutique beach club Gitano; a restaurant which was created in and draws inspiration from Tulum. Kick off with a Mezcal Martini or a signature Margarita and watch Dubai’s very own ‘Love Island’ episode unfold poolside as you enjoy your sundowners.
Despite the bling surroundings, food is taken seriously here: dishes use the highest quality ingredients and come from authentic origins, reimagined, often with a modern, tongue-in-cheek twist. A watermelon salad was sublime, hamachi and king crab tostadas were excellent and a tuna botana was tantalising. We were then treated to a Flintstone’s sized Australian Wagyu tomahawk, perfectly cooked over coal, the fat rendered down and bursting with smokey flavours, which were enhanced by a jalapeno chimichurri on the side.
Bluewaters Island
I remember staying at the Delano in Miami around 20 years ago: The Ian Schrager and Phillipe Starck project blew my mind. Their signature Rose Bar and Blue Door have been transported across the Atlantic, as have key design features including the oversized Alice in wonderland chess pieces, impressive topiary, wrought iron tables and triple height voile drapes that line the corridors – it all makes you feel like you’re in a dream. Now operated by Ennismore, who also own the Gleneagles and Hoxton Hotels, the service is elevated and excellent throughout.
The Blue Door restaurant is Turkish; not my go to cuisine but a delightful surprise. We began with fava and urfa alongside an outstanding wood-baked pide, which was topped with a filthy, unspecified cheese and stuffed with beef – perfect holiday fare. Next up were sublime sumac pirzola (lamb cutlets) with pomegranate and tahini, followed by flame grilled karides (prawns). We went Greek on wine, too, with Sigalas Kavalieros Assyrtiko (£130), which is worth a try if one must steer away from Burgundy.
A final restaurant worth going out your way for is the Michelin starred Takahisa in the Banyan Tree resort. The work of two chef geniuses who split responsibilities – Takashi Namekata is the sushi master, Hisao Ueda is the Wagyu man – the tasting menu curated for my wife and I was one to remember. It was enhanced by an exceptional flight of wines selected by sommeliers Ram Khadka (who specialises in sake), and Thomas Domingues), who started us off with Ruinart Blanc de Blanc and threw in a curveball port with a wagyu dish. It worked, as did the entire experience.
Dubai is often derided and frequently misunderstood. But if you know where to spend your money – and bring lots of it – it is a real playground for food lovers.