Extreme summer temperatures, artificial islands, infinitely large shopping malls, long taxi waits and no possibility of walking anywhere. These knocks against Dubai may seem like a deal breaker, but after a weekend in the most populous city in the UAE, I found myself oddly in love with this city. Perhaps it’s due to the outstanding cuisine, great bars and world-class hospitality. And other than the traffic, everything seems to work efficiently here. Check out below for my review of my favorite food and drink destinations. Please don’t be offended if you don’t see your favorite place here. There are some massive omissions such as Laura Marnich’s Zuma and Clap, both of which I hope to see on my next visit.

BOCA

BOCA is a Modern European restaurant in the heart of Dubai’s financial district. BOCA is strongly influenced by Spanish cuisine and is firmly committed to local sourcing. Led by trailblazing owner Omar Shihab, BOCA’s menu offers a remarkable number of delicious local ingredients given its desert milieu. BOCA is a torch bearer for the region, proving that the UAE is far from a barren land. For example, The Hajar mountains in northeastern Oman and the eastern United Arab Emirates are biologically rich habitats, while the Central region’s oases are home to modern hydroponic, organic, and traditional farms. There is also great fish from the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, and features prominently on BOCA’s menu. BOCA obtains its sustainable Hamour and Seabass from UAE’s ‘FishFarm’ 5 km off the coast of Dibba, Fujairah.

On BOCA’s latest menu, the kitchen uses only locally grown tomatoes from Pure Harvest Farms, a new aromatic native desert plant called Shih, local sea snails and even summer oysters from Dubai’s Dibba Bay. One may be surprised to find world class oysters from Dubai, but the Dibba bay variety strike the perfect balance of saltiness, acidity and sweetness. In addition to sourcing ingredients locally and supporting local farmers and fishermen, BOCA is a strong supporter of sustainable practices and even have an in-house waste officer.

Behind the cuisine at BOCA is young and talented chef Matthijs Stinnissen, winner of Head Chef of the Year at the 2020 Caterer Awards. Many of the dishes at BOCA are tapas style given the Spanish influence. One of my favorite starters was the ice-packed Manzanilla olives, pitted Spanish Manzanilla olives stuffed with lemon and calamansi, orange zest and fresh herbs. Another delicious, and highly addictive appetizer, was the tomato-infused chèvre and piementos del piquillo with Spanish Manzanilla olives, black garlic balsamic, Cantabrian anchovy fillets, and crystalized pine nuts. The most memorable main was the grilled octopus, cooked to perfection with sunchoke purée, truffle vinaigrette, caper sauce, brown miso and crispy black rice. Chef Stinnissen wowed us with his dessert Tomato & Strawberry featuring pink beef tomato, violet infused red fruit sorbet, and strawberry tartare. After dinner, treat yourself to one of the great cocktails at BOCA such as the Old Fashioned with Michter’s rye, triple sec, maple syrup, Angostura aromatic bitters, Organic rosemary and cherry.

BOCA on paper is a sure thing, with a majestically crafted fusion between Spanish cuisine and local products from a region that has been largely ignored. You can’t help but being inspired when speaking to Omar, who is on a tireless mission to champion the best of the UAE and authentic sustainable practices. But the secret of BOCA is not just its admirable mission statement, but its damn good food. From the delicious starters to succulent mains, to great wines and cocktails, BOCA was my favorite restaurant experience in Dubai.

Amazonico

Amazonico Dubai is three concepts in one. Downstairs you will find the main jungle inspired cocktail bar, where bar manager John Apostolo and his stacked bar team serve tropical style signatures. Grab a spot at the bar, if you can find one - Amazonico is always at max capacity. The DJ ensures an electric atmosphere on the ground floor, while the beautiful and high spending patrons dance and drink the night away.

Navigate past the models taking their ritual selfies on the sexy mirror-walled spiral staircase to the second floor, to access the restaurant at Amazonico. If you have deep pockets or have the power to get past the guards, take the elevator to rooftop, one of the hottest in Dubai. It was here that Francesco, Serhi and Aaliyah marveled me with some brilliantly made Daiquiris surrounded by the elite of Dubai and a stunning view of DIFC. Of course my stay wasn't complete without trying Francesco's exquisite dry martini.

Amazonico will win your heart with its great vibes, gorgeous customers and well-made cocktails.

Masti

Masti is a modern Indian restaurant bar and is one of the hottest spots in Dubai thanks to its sexy space, great crowd and a friendly bar and restaurant team executing some of the best mixology and cuisine in the city. Leading the bar and restaurant programs are Jeet Verma and Prashant Chipkar, respectively.

I started my experience at Masti at the bar with the herbal and easy drinking The Old Rhu with basil gin, old tom, pink ginger cordial and cardamom tincture. Equally enjoyable was the Driftwood with rum, sweet potato cordial, seaweed, oak and edible ash. Respect to Jeet and his team for delivering some of the best signatures I've had in recent memory. Although the drinks are accessible to most palates, there are very sophisticated preparations behind them, thanks to the advanced cocktail lab at Masti.

Many of the dishes at Masti are designed to be shared and so can be enjoyed even at the bar counter. As bar bites, a must is truffle khahra, one of chef Chipkar's signatures with wild mushroom truffle cream, chili oil, truffle caviar and fresh truffle served over a crisp cracker. Another great appetizer is the smoky chipotle paneer tikka, fresh cottage cheese marinated in chipotle spice and cooked in a tandoor, tamarind and chilli sauce.

As a main, opt for the Malabar fish for true South Indian flavors and featuring Chilean sea bass with malabar sauce and pineapple chutney. A spectacular fusion between Italian and Indian cultures is the burrata butter chicken which can be enjoyed with one of the great flatbreads at Masti like the dosa waffle or pickled onion jalapeno naan.

Masti is firing on all cylinders and it's no surprise to see it winning international acclaim. If you're in Dubai, you can't miss this experience.

The Old Rhu with basil gin, old tom, pink ginger cordial and cardamom tincture

smoky chipotle paneer tikka, fresh cottage cheese marinated in chipotle spice and cooked in a tandoor, tamarind and chilli sauce

Bulgari Dubai

No stop to Dubai is complete without visiting Dario Schiavoni at Bulgari and Niko Romito’s restaurant bar. Niko Romito's restaurant bar at Bulgari offers a stunning view of Bulgari Yacht Club on Jumeirah Bay Island.

Dario is best known for his perfect moustache but he’s actually one of the nicest people you will meet in the industry. Dario has assembled one of the best bar teams on the planet and they will wow you with their finely tuned cocktails and warm Italian hospitality.

If you have the good fortune of dining at Bulgari, opt for the ambitious food tasting menu paired with Dario’s cocktails. My favorite drink was surely the Bell Pepper (Matusalem platino, bell pepper syrup, cordial, citrus). The bell pepper and citrus notes in this twist on a daiquiri complemented perfectly the Spaghetti dish with sea urchins by Bulgari Dubai chef Giacomo Amicucci.

A can’t miss dish is the famous Bomba, a signature of Niko Romito. Chef Romito’s bomba was inspired by his father’s pastry from the 1970s. Over the years, Niko has perfected the original recipe thanks to research on kneading and frying techniques, fermentation and leavening. Niko offers two versions of the bomba: a traditional sweet one, filled with fresh custard, chocolate cream or jam. There is also a savory version, with a wide range of fillings such as buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil.

Bell pepper and Spaghetti with sea urchins

Mimi Kakushi

Located in the Four Seasons Resort, Mimi Kakushi is a Japanese restaurant with an impressive bar program run by the outgoing Manja Stankovic. The name “Mimi Kakushi” refers to the Western hairstyles that became popular in Japan in the 1920s. The name name literally means covering ears. This bob hairstyle was particularly popular among the fashionable young Moga (Modern Girls), who followed Westernized fashions and lifestyles in the period after World War I.

It’s no surprise then that Mimi Kakushi channels 1920s Japan, with an interior inspired by the Japan’s jazz age, which features hand-painted walls, beaded curtains and artisanal stained glass windows.

The menu offers creative twists to well-known Japanese classics including sashimi, sushi, tempura, gyozas and wagyu beef. The drink menu is equally impressive and my favorite was the Junbi with Nikka vodka infused with jasmine tea, sake, Sakura vermouth and frangelico liqueur. I was also treated to a memorable guest shift by Erik Lorincz on my second visit to Mimi Kakushi.

Erik Lorincz guest shift at Mimi Kakushi

Galaxy Bar

One knock against Dubai is that it’s nearly impossible to find a pure cocktail bar. Thank God for Galaxy Bar, with a beautiful interior design that will have you reminiscing about your elementary school field trips to the planetarium, while sipping a Manhattan at the bar counter. Galaxy bar first made waves in 2019, winning the Campari One to Watch Award in The World's 50 Best Bars 2020.

Galaxy Bar’s design is an ode to Athenian culture, with a spectacular marble bar counter and backbar, curtains that drape the room, and the stars on the ceiling that represent the Athens night sky. The drinks also pay homage to the heavens. Stefano Gambardella prepared “Sounds of the Galaxy” for me with Metaxa 12 stars, Nikka Taketsuru pure malt, sweet vermouth, Campari and Concerto di Amalfi, a traditional liqueur from the Amalfi coast. Exquisite.

Dubai /December 29, 2021 by shane eaton