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FACT
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- FACT
Bâoli Dubai Review: Where Glamour, gastronomy and golden hour collide
The Cannes creation includes a restaurant, a secret speakeasy and a beautiful beachfront. As the final piece of the J1 Beach jigsaw puzzle falls into place, Dubai's latest beachfront destination is complete. This stretch of carefully curated coastline has become the talk of the town, its allure built on an enviable collection of beach clubs imported from Cannes, St. Tropez, and Tulum. While each venue along this coveted strip has its own personality and price point, Bâoli Dubai promises leisure, luxury and sun-drenched hedonism. Bâoli's allure extends far beyond its iconic name. Backed by Sunset Hospitality Group, the team behind FACT Award-winning AURA Skypool, Mott 32, and Signor Sassi, the Bâoli brand is bolstered by a designer Prada boutique on-site and what is, without question, the largest swimming pool on this glittering strip. Designed by Barcelona's acclaimed Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio, this waterfront wonder channels the chic charisma of the original Cannes location while creating a setting that is distinctly Dubai. Bâoli offers a blend of coastal cool and Asian mystique, with natural stone, light wood, ornamental textures and cascading greenery lending an immersive edge to every corner, from the petal-shaped Sun Deck to the serene indoor-outdoor dining room. Executive chef Omar Basiony has worked wonders, ensuring the legacy of the Bâoli brand runs through the culinary offering without carrying one dish over from the flagship venue in Cannes. The result is a menu of Mediterranean fare kissed with Japanese precision. A prime example of this approach is the French Sea Bream Carpaccio. Its spiralling ribbons of flesh arranged like petals and dressed with wasabi, spicy miso, and mandarin. The fish hails from a farm off the coast of the original Bâoli in Cannes, paying tribute to the brand's birthplace. Just as striking is the Tomato Carpaccio (AED 80), where chunky Uzbek Couer de Boeuf tomatoes mingle with a delicate yuzu crème fraîche, tomato vinaigrette, and crispy tanuki crumbs. The raw and robata dishes are where the menu excels. The Spicy Tuna Maki (AED 125) pops with crispy quinoa and red tobiko, while the show-stealing Hamachi Crunch (AED 130) delivers a touch of texture and sweetness with its fried exterior, sweet potato purée, and a delicate hamachi tartare. Luxurious ingredients elevate classic Japanese favourites. The Otoro Nigiri, crowned with caviar, is a beautiful bite, while the Toro Uni Bowl, paired with a textured cracker, brings silky, briny intensity in every bite. From the robata, the 300g MB10 Pure Blood Wagyu Striploin (AED 750) is unapologetically indulgent. Charred shishito peppers sit beside slices of perfectly tender beef, each bite layered with umami and smoke. For seafood lovers, the Taraba King Crab (AED 320), grilled whole and slathered in yuzu kosho butter, is decadent and deeply satisfying. However, it's the 12-hour Short Rib (AED 180) that steals the show. Slow-cooked sous vide style and then skewered and charred on the grill, it's a textural triumph paired with tarragon mustard. Desserts are no less theatrical. Glace à Gogo (AED 120) arrives in a cloud of dry ice, a deconstructed sundae featuring Taiyaki-shaped Madeleines glazed in vanilla and brown butter, providing moreish morsels to dip into the sharing portion of velvety crème fraiche gelato. Visiting on a Sunday, we discovered the party-ready polish of Bâoli Dubai. A cosmopolitan crowd soaking up the sun, live percussion and a soundtrack that veers from Drake to Kanye West via Middle Eastern melodies. Framed by towering palms and frangipani trees in full bloom, the central pool is a glistening blue canvas surrounded by pristine daybeds and private cabanas. As the daylight dims, the energy shifts and attention turns to the Moon Room, an elegant speakeasy designed for intimate evenings and crafted cocktails. Bâoli has long been a celebrity magnet with Eva Mendes, Naomi Watts, Jay-Z and Sienna Miller among its loyal Cannes clientele. Its Dubai outpost seems set on continuing the tradition, with French Montana spotted poolside. We even peeped Anthony Joshua as we exited the venue. This heady mix of refined design and A-list energy makes Bâoli Dubai more than just another beach club. Anchored around a marvellous menu and picture-perfect pool, Bâoli guarantees a memorable meal whether you're tanning and having a night out on the tiles. GO: Visit for more information.
The National
08-03-2025
- The National
Dubai chefs are getting creative with matcha, but is it a recipe for success?
Originating in China in the 14th century before finding its way to Japan in the 16th century – where the bulk of it is still produced today – matcha has become a coffee shop staple around the world over the last 10 years. But more recently, especially in Dubai's creative cafes and restaurants, the caffeine-dense ingredient has been integrated into a multitude of different sweet and savoury dishes. Its earthy flavour often prompts a love or hate reaction. It is often sweetened in latte, so that those looking for its antioxidant properties can still reap its health benefits. The vibrant green colour of matcha is also part of the appeal, especially for experimental chefs. Here, The National taste tests some of the unique flavour combinations featured around Dubai. This Emirati-owned restaurant is known for its creative combinations of Nashville-style chicken burgers across five emirates. The menu has been boldened by a new addition – the matcha bundle. The bundle consists of a matcha beef Wagyu burger (Dh39) and matcha chicken fries ( a side of crinkle cut fries with fried chicken drizzled with matcha garlic sauce. The subtly sweet matcha paired with salty beef is a nice combination. The sauce has the earthy matcha flavour with an underlying taste of garlic, which formed an flavourful pairing with the melted cheese and tangy pickles. The sauce with the chicken and fries was unusual, the taste of matcha somehow felt more prominent, overruling any hint of garlic in the sauce, which can be an acquired taste. Verdict: It's an interesting take on the trend, but perhaps matcha pairs best with either a sweet taste profile to balance its earthiness or a distinctly salty one to bring out its sweetness. Various locations across the UAE Inspired by the city of Isfahan in Iran, executive chef Omar Basiony has created a complex flavour profile with this Isfahan rose cake and culinary-grade Japanese matcha (Dh70), combining Mediterranean and East Asian flavours. The dessert consists of a rose spongy milk cake with a cold scoop of lychee sorbet, topped with a foam-like matcha mousse and a crunchy meringue. 'What's difficult is that it's very defined and its flavour stands out in most dishes,' Chef Basiony told The National. 'It's exciting to experiment with matcha beyond its traditional uses.' The cold sensation is the first thing that jumps out. The creamy rose milk cake pairs well with the sharp yet sweet lychee sorbet, the floral and fruity flavours harmonising well with the earthy matcha. Verdict: This dessert is akin to having a cold, refreshing drink on a hot summer's day. The milky cake, cold sorbet and soft mousse melt together with every bite. This creative combination is a joyful adventure from beginning to end. J1 Beach, Dubai Nala cafe's culinary director and chef, Jill Okkers, chose to have a mild mix of both savoury and sweet matcha in her Pistachio Bostock (Dh45). It is soft French brioche bread layered with raspberry jam and pistachio, coated in batter and baked like a cookie. Once baked, the pastry is topped with a vanilla matcha mascarpone and more raspberry jam. 'It's like having a cookie for your breakfast,' said general manager and chef Sangiwe Khumalo. 'The matcha mascarpone goes well with pistachio and it's not too powerful. It doesn't overpower the pistachio, so all the flavours just come together.' Nala also has a pistachio matcha latte (Dh32). It's a creamy and sweet treat and great with the Bostock. Verdict: The two flavours most apparent in the Pistachio Bostock were the tart raspberry jam and the creamy matcha mascarpone, a bittersweet interplay of ingredients. This treat is for those who prefer their breakfast on the sweeter end. Al Quoz, Dubai For a twist on the traditional matcha latte, Bkry's iced coconut mango matcha (Dh42) and iced matcha with blueberry lavender cloud foam (Dh39) are ideal summer coolers. The tropical coconut and mango flavours bring out matcha's sweetness, which was a nice take on the ingredient. Blueberry and lavender weren't quite as overpowering, but a nice flavour combination nonetheless. Verdict: Both drinks were a welcome addition to the well-established matcha latte, elevating its taste without erasing its essence. However, the coconut mango matcha was the game-changer to be added to the regular orders. Al Quoz, Dubai Sweetness is often needed to offset matcha's naturally bitter taste and the Japanese pancakes (Dh50) at this Dubai cafe manage to do this without being too sweet. A milky matcha sauce flows over the stack of thick, fluffy pancakes with a texture that's akin to jelly, finished with a dusting of matcha powder. The dish is so picture-perfect, it's almost painful to cut through. Verdict: Lightly sweet and filling, it's the perfect combination of sweet and savoury. It's filling, so perhaps best served for breakfast rather than dessert. Although, there is a 40-minute wait time for this dish, it is worth the wait. Al Quoz, Dubai
