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Jordan Times
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Jordan Times
Dubai's culinary icons: Must-try dishes from MENA's 50 Best Restaurants
AMMAN — MENA's 50 Best Restaurants was recently unveiled, and Dubai restaurants once again dominated the list. Nineteen restaurants in Dubai were included on the Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants list for 2025 – up from 18 in 2024. Dubai restaurants take the top three spots, and six of the top 10. Recognising the best of the best in the gastronomy sector across the region, this achievement highlights Dubai's commitment to culinary excellence and extraordinary dining experiences. Every visit to these restaurants is an absolute feast for the taste buds and it is tempting to try everything from the menu. If you are still undecided on what to order on your next dining experience, here are the recommended dishes from the menu: Orfali Bros For the third year in a row, Orfali Bros. Bistro retains its number one spot. Three brothers, one dream. At Orfali Bros 'bistronomy' the brothers are proud to serve up dishes that reflect their shared culinary passion. What to order: It's especially challenging to choose a dish from their menu as everything seems unique, which means doing a repeat visit to the restaurant. For first timers, try the favourites such as the shish barak a la sgyoza (beef dumplings with a Middle Eastern twist), salmon with miso and creamy tahini, and OB cheeseburger. Tresind Studio Retaining its second-place position is the ever-popular Trèsind Studio. Chef Himanshu Saini weaves stories with the intricately-plated and expertly-spiced degustation menus at this modern Indian fine dining spot. Found in St. Regis Gardens, this insider haunt seats just 20 at a time and presents a multi-hour extravaganza that unfolds with theatrical flourish. What to order: Tresind Studio offers a degustation menu. A standout dish from a truly top tier selection is the turbot. At the heart of the dish is a slow-cooked turbot, complemented by a silky pâté of caramelized cauliflower. Delicate raw cauliflower shavings and an earthy black truffle thokku help bring balance. The dish is finished with cauliflower varuval, which is created with fragrant spices, creating a curry of golden perfection and evoking the breezy coastline and the region's rich culinary heritage. Kinoya Neha Mishra has been successfully spearheading her own Japanese restaurant since 2021. Loyal fans flock to Kinoya for a taste of her take on izakaya. Taking the everyday ramen and transforming it to a foodie revelation, everything here – right down to the noodles – is handmade with love, following closely-guarded recipes. What to order: Try theChef Special Ramen, a slow-cooked clear chicken broth with dashi, seared chicken, katsuboshi salt, and burnt garlic oil drizzled on top. Ossiano A rite of passage for the culinary crowd,Ossiano at Atlantis The Palm qserves up an immersive, multi-course degustation offering in a grand gold and blue-hued setting, with floor-to-ceiling aquatic views. Specialising in seafood, the plates are as astounding as the surroundings. What to order: Kokotxas, an emblematic fishermen and sailor dish of the Iberic peninsula, using the 'bacalhau' – Portuguese for codfish. The crew of Vasco de Gama themselves relies on bacalhau while they make their way to India around Africa, all the way from Lisbon. The dish is glazed with a black sesame and black garlic sauce, enriched with smoked Bordier butter from Brittany. It is garnished with roasted teardrop peas, sea grapes and Kristal caviar. Jun's Drawing on celebrity chef Kelvin Cheung's French training, Canadian roots and Asian heritage, Downtown Dubai-based Jun's has a prime location and proven pedigree. Expect North American comfort food, combined with Asian flavours, served up in an upmarket, chic setting. What to order: Try thebutter poached lobstertossed with a fragrant Macanese curry sauce served in a crispy pani puri shell and filled with an agua de chile tableside. Macanese curry is a staple in the Hong Kong cafe culture and was one of the Cheung family's favourites to make in North America to bring back a taste of home. It gives the Pani Puri, inspired by Chef Kelvin's favourite snack from the bustling streets of Bombay, a delightful explosion of flavours, from China and Portugal, that continuously evolve with a mix of acidity, gentle heat and sweetness. Take note, this is meant to be eaten in one bite! Moonrise Set at the summit of the luxurious apartment complex Eden House, twelve-seater Moonrise is a feast for all the senses as the restaurant itself is a sleek glass box with views of the city at all a set multi-course degustation menu, with no exceptions or tweaks to the order of service, chef Soleman Haddad heads up a young, dynamic team whose passion shows on the plate and is the reason behind their position. What to order: One of top dishes on the set menu is Moonrise's Grilled Cheese. This dish pays homage to the very first thing Chef Solemann ever cooked at 4 years of age, the humble grilled cheese sandwich. Made from locally baked Hokkaido milk bread, a sauce crafted from 36 month aged parmesan, a little Thai black garlic for sweetness and finally, topped with a slice of truffle for texture. BOCA Boasting Mediterranean flavours and local ingredients, this cool European restaurant in DIFC is known for super-creative dishes with a big emphasis on sustainability. The interiors of this award-winning restaurant are minimal and chic and extend a modern vibe to the space. The ingredient combinations are exciting and inventive, and there's a strong push on vegan food too. What to order: One of the recommended dishes at BOCA is the raw kingfish served with pure harvest tomato gazpacho, with broad beans, corns, salicorna, and cucumber. It tastes as good as it looks! 3Fils This homegrown favourite has long-charmed Dubai's foodies. The chic yet casual dining experience, coupled with calming harbour-side views and no-reservations policy, makes this one of Dubai's most unassumingly spectacular dining hotspots. You'll find a variety of tantalising dishes on the menu featuring modern Asian cuisine with a Japanese influence. What to order: You can't go wrong with the good ol' sure to try the mouthwatering Wagyu sando, made of A5 Wagyu tenderloin, Japanese bread, mustard, and onion puree. Bait Maryam Starting as a collection of recipes handed down through generations, Bait Maryam has quickly transformed into a staple choice for unpretentious and authentic Middle Eastern meals. To chef Salam, the venue serves a slice of home, as it is named after her mother and inspired by many dishes and keepsakes from her childhood. What to order: Kabab Hamoudi is a heartfelt recipe created by Chef Salam's son, lovingly n icknamed Hamoudi. The dish features tender kebab rolled in homemade bread, served with smoky moutabbal and a slow-cooked tomato sauce. As one of the restaurant's best-selling dishes, it preserves the rich culinary traditions of their ancestors while embracing the creativity of the current generation.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Yahoo
Where to eat in Dubai
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). The food scene in Dubai is much like its skyline: ever-changing. Chefs constantly add new flavours to menus that represent the multitude of nationalities that call the emirate home. And while it's known for its opulent fine dining and pull-out-all-the-stops brunches, there are places to suit even more modest budgets, from homely holes-in-the-wall to Michelin Bib Gourmand-recommended restaurants. Chef Reif Othman's well-priced, artfully presented dishes have earned this relaxed neighbourhood spot a Michelin Bib Gourmand for three years running. And devout carnivores will love the hearty Wagyu katsu sando. Between perfectly toasted slices of milk bread, you'll find Australian Wagyu tenderloin coated with charcoal panko breadcrumbs, deep-fried as you like (or to a recommended medium-rare). Layered with another beef slice, it's smothered in tonkatsu sauce and honey-mustard mayo. The main draw of this small grocery store, on a quiet lane in the Jumeirah neighbourhood, is its regag — a thin, crepe-like flatbread made with a batter of unleavened wheat flour. The magic is in the toppings: order it with eggs, cheese and a drizzle of chilli sauce or mahyawa, a fermented fish sauce. The optional addition of crushed and sprinkled Chips Oman crisps really makes the dish — or you can go for the sweet chocolate filling instead. Served on a paper plate, handed to you through a hatch in the window, it's best eaten right there on the pavement. Kunafa is a beloved Arabic dessert of molten cheese concealed under shredded filo pastry and drenched in a sugary syrup. Find it fresh and hot in large trays and cut into hefty golden slabs at Feras Aldiyafa Sweets. The dessert varies regionally — Dubai has many different versions, while the Egyptian recipe calls for a base of clotted cream — and here it's the Palestinian style that steals the show. Made with white brined nabulsi cheese, each bite of kunafa kheshna nabulsi is a mix of sweet and savoury, crispy and gooey. Run by three Syrian brothers, whose food pays homage to their roots, Orfali Bros is an unpretentious, light-filled bistro with a two-storey open kitchen at its heart. It's won a number of accolades, including its first Michelin star earlier this year. The standout dish is a bite-sized caviar bun; delicate and fluffy as a beignet, it comes filled with sour cream and topped with kaluga caviar. Be sure to save space for dessert, though. The Aleppo pistachio cake is a homage to the brothers' hometown, with cake, mousse and praline all held together by a raspberry compote. Head chef Kameel Rasyid's experimental approach to baking has gained a strong following, with queues forming for tables at Bkry, in the Alserkal Avenue arts centre, seven days a week. Everything is house-made, including jams and spreads; even the flour is milled on site. Warm, flaky croissants are made with Tanzanian chocolate or caramelised miso paste, but the rye-flour cinnamon rolls are a true highlight, served with a dollop of cream cheese, toasted pecans and a garnish of orange zest. Fine-dining restaurant Avatara's modern, playful and artistic interpretations of vegetables made it the world's first vegetarian Indian restaurant to earn a Michelin star. The set menu takes diners on a culinary journey across India via local, seasonal produce — and the karuvelvilas (bitter gourd) is the dish to try. The humble vegetable is rarely seen on restaurant menus, and here it's been elevated by roasting with ghee and serving with mango gelato and crispy latticed rice and lentil dosa. Published in Issue 26 (winter 2024) of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
21-02-2025
- National Geographic
Where to eat in Dubai
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). The food scene in Dubai is much like its skyline: ever-changing. Chefs constantly add new flavours to menus that represent the multitude of nationalities that call the emirate home. And while it's known for its opulent fine dining and pull-out-all-the-stops brunches, there are places to suit even more modest budgets, from homely holes-in-the-wall to Michelin Bib Gourmand-recommended restaurants. 1. Wagyu katsu sando, REIF Japanese Kushiyaki Chef Reif Othman's well-priced, artfully presented dishes have earned this relaxed neighbourhood spot a Michelin Bib Gourmand for three years running. And devout carnivores will love the hearty Wagyu katsu sando. Between perfectly toasted slices of milk bread, you'll find Australian Wagyu tenderloin coated with charcoal panko breadcrumbs, deep-fried as you like (or to a recommended medium-rare). Layered with another beef slice, it's smothered in tonkatsu sauce and honey-mustard mayo. 2. Chips Oman Regag, Al Labeeb Grocery The main draw of this small grocery store, on a quiet lane in the Jumeirah neighbourhood, is its regag — a thin, crepe-like flatbread made with a batter of unleavened wheat flour. The magic is in the toppings: order it with eggs, cheese and a drizzle of chilli sauce or mahyawa, a fermented fish sauce. The optional addition of crushed and sprinkled Chips Oman crisps really makes the dish — or you can go for the sweet chocolate filling instead. Served on a paper plate, handed to you through a hatch in the window, it's best eaten right there on the pavement. 3. Kunafa Kheshna Nabulsi, Feras Aldiyafa Sweets Kunafa is a beloved Arabic dessert of molten cheese concealed under shredded filo pastry and drenched in a sugary syrup. Find it fresh and hot in large trays and cut into hefty golden slabs at Feras Aldiyafa Sweets. The dessert varies regionally — Dubai has many different versions, while the Egyptian recipe calls for a base of clotted cream — and here it's the Palestinian style that steals the show. Made with white brined nabulsi cheese, each bite of kunafa kheshna nabulsi is a mix of sweet and savoury, crispy and gooey. 4. Caviar bun, Orfali Bros Run by three Syrian brothers, whose food pays homage to their roots, Orfali Bros is an unpretentious, light-filled bistro with a two-storey open kitchen at its heart. It's won a number of accolades, including its first Michelin star earlier this year. The standout dish is a bite-sized caviar bun; delicate and fluffy as a beignet, it comes filled with sour cream and topped with kaluga caviar. Be sure to save space for dessert, though. The Aleppo pistachio cake is a homage to the brothers' hometown, with cake, mousse and praline all held together by a raspberry compote. 5. Cinnamon roll, Bkry Head chef Kameel Rasyid's experimental approach to baking has gained a strong following, with queues forming for tables at Bkry, in the Alserkal Avenue arts centre, seven days a week. Everything is house-made, including jams and spreads; even the flour is milled on site. Warm, flaky croissants are made with Tanzanian chocolate or caramelised miso paste, but the rye-flour cinnamon rolls are a true highlight, served with a dollop of cream cheese, toasted pecans and a garnish of orange zest. 6. Karuvelvilas, Avatara Fine-dining restaurant Avatara's modern, playful and artistic interpretations of vegetables made it the world's first vegetarian Indian restaurant to earn a Michelin star. The set menu takes diners on a culinary journey across India via local, seasonal produce — and the karuvelvilas (bitter gourd) is the dish to try. The humble vegetable is rarely seen on restaurant menus, and here it's been elevated by roasting with ghee and serving with mango gelato and crispy latticed rice and lentil dosa. Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click Published in Issue 26 (winter 2024) of(UK).To subscribe to(UK) magazine click here . (Available in select countries only).
What's On
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- What's On
Review: Manāo is not a culinary tide and that's the best thing about it
A personal affair… We come to Manāo on a weeknight, a curious mind laced with the hunger of anticipation in tow. A lot has been said about the new concept, names of weight and worth whispered in quiet concentration, punctuated by desires expressed, calendars blocked and dinners planned in the distant future, and for all the megaphonic-microscopic noise, it is quite the opposite of that. Let me explain. 3 of 12 Manāo is big and small, grand and simple, a monument and a murmur, all at the same time, and that shouldn't really have surprised us. The heart and soul of this venture are Abhiraj Katwani of Yellow Monkey fame, and Mohamed Orfali of Orfali Bros, one of the most recognisable figures in Dubai's culinary community. Manāo's compact space, minimal, bare-Earth interiors and the absence of foam, fizz, smoke, leaf of various precious metals, caviar, demonstrations, installations, dust from the moon, water from Mars and fire from the sun means there is only one thing in focus – the food. This is a flavour-driven, chef-driven restaurant, a loud and long echo of the legacy of both the captains. If you've ever been to Orafli Bros, you'll know. The ambiance The primary colour palette of the space is brown – shades of brown all around, from the wooden furniture to the chalk cushions, and the ceramic elephants to the abstract pottery. It looks and feels very homely, which we attribute to the sandy curtains, floor to ceiling and drawn tightly, and the many shelves with stacks of plates out in the open. Greenery sits in corners tucked away. Biggie's face peers out from behind a record player. A sense of intimacy prevails. One sweep and you've looked at everything there is to see; it's astoundingly simple. The food Like the look of the space, the food is also free from distractions. They call it Thai-inspired cuisine, and that's all it is, but when you take the first bite you understand what all the local chefs and gastronomy enthusiasts paying visits by the droves are talking about. Everyone we know and their mother has been to Manāo and the raving praise doesn't seem so superficially performative anymore. We are presented with a special tasting menu, a collection of 11 courses and five beverage pairings (all non-alcoholic, fermented options) – a mammoth to conquer, but we're full of spirit. Every single course is delicious, packed with flavour, texture, heat, salt and sweet, but of course, there are some highlights. The gillardeau oyster is a cold citrus bomb, bright and tart, served with orange chilli nam jim and an expected twist of texture with fried shallots. You eat it all in one go, and it slaps you in the face with flavour, in the best way possible. The sticky rice roti is a Thai taco of sorts with coconut smoked short ribs, kaffir lime relish and a little chewy flatbread made of rice. The beef is sweet, salty and rich, and the fat is cut perfectly by the acidity of the lime. In similar territory, the duck mochi evokes adjacent feelings, but in a different packaging. The star of this course is the hot and sour broth, another tribute to the power of texture. You take a bite, you take a sip, and you repeat. The khanom jeen is a welcome break from the mostly sweet and spicy palate so far – fermented rice noodles with cashew nut sauce and Alaskan king crab. The sauce provides a bodied bite to the otherwise light noodles, and everything is very rich and earthy, as nut sauces are. The sour curry of beef reminds me of things we eat back home, steeped in tamarind, chilli and pepper, and served on a bed of short-grain rice. Out of the two dessert courses, I prefer the thai banoffee – a sort of profiterole filled with banana ice cream, topped with caramel and a piece of candied banana – a burst of subtle banana flavours. By the end of the meal, we're about to kiss the chef's hands, and also request him to reduce the size of the menu; 11 courses is a tad bit much to digest in one sitting. What's On Verdict: We get it. Manāo, Wasl Vita, Jumeirah, daily, 7pm to 11pm, closed on Mon, Tel: (0) 4 272 2389, @manao_dubai Images: Supplied
The National
08-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Manao review: Orfali Bros chef brings Thai zest to Dubai
Manao has lived up to its name, which is Thai for lime or lemon, and added zest to Dubai's dining scene since opening in December in Wasl Vita, Jumeirah 1. It is the brainchild of Mohamad Orfali, founder of Orfali Bros, recently ranked as Mena's best restaurant, and head chef Abhiraj Khatwan. Manao bills itself as a restaurant that reimagines Thai cuisine by blending the best flavours from the south-east Asian country with food concepts already loved in Dubai. As one of the world's food capitals, Dubai's gastronomy scene is competitive, and opening a Thai restaurant in the emirate is far from novel. Do not be fooled into thinking there is anything generic about Manao, though. Manao can be found nestled in Wasl Vita Mall. Far from ostentatious, it is quite easy to miss with its minimalist exterior. But the simple brown entrance door conveys a modern yet homely feel. Once inside, that homely atmosphere continues, which is unusual for a restaurant in a mall. Opening at 7pm, it is clearly an evening venue – and this is reflected in the decor. The lighting is dimmed, there is a central bar area and the kitchen is open-plan so you can see the chefs in action. Small, intimate tables line the restaurant, making Manao a good venue for a catch-up with a close friend or partner, and there are also bigger, more sociable tables in the centre for larger groups. The restaurant is sophisticatedly minimalist, yet also welcoming. On our visit, Orfali is walking the room to mingle with diners and make sure their experience is good. It is against this backdrop that my dining partner and I take our seats at a table tucked in a corner, which gives us a wonderful view of the restaurant, bar area and kitchen. Manao only offers a 11-course tasting menu (Dh450 per person) with no a la carte option, which does make it a rigid concept. For less adventurous diners, or those in a hurry, Manao is not the restaurant for you. Nor is it the restaurant for those with food allergies. This is addressed early on by our server, and there are alternative options but, inevitably, if you were to take this route, you would not get the full experience designed by the chef. My advice is similar for vegans and vegetarians. Manao is a restaurant that does exactly what it says on the tin. Any step away from this dilutes the concept and defeats the point of going. My dining partner and I face no such problems, though, and we happily try all 11 courses – which are loosely meant to map Thailand, by dish, from north to south as the evening progresses. We also opt for the accompanying kombucha drinks pairing (Dh100). First up comes miang – charred cabbage with sour relish and cashew nuts – which, like most of the dishes served at Manao, we eat with our hands. This is an immediately striking dish, with the texture of the cashew working nicely with the cabbage, but the sour relish is the real star, leaving a tangy, spicy aftertaste. Next is a Gillardeau oyster served with orange chilli nam jim and fried shallots. This has the classic sophistication you would expect from an oyster dish, particularly in the UAE, but the chilli gives it a bit of oomph and a Thai feel, while fried shallots add crunch. Lobster khanom krok – grilled lobster tail with fermented rice custard and coriander flowers – is the third course. It looks as beautiful as it tastes, with the accompanying rice and coriander adding just enough flavour while not overpowering the magnificence of the lobster. These dishes are separated by mangosteen chamomile kombucha, which acts as a palate-cleanser to ensure you savour every flavour. Pomelo salad with crispy fried Sakura ebi and young ginger is served next, bridging the divide between the lobster and the meat course to come. The fifth course is a sticky rice roti with coconut-smoked short ribs and kaffir lime relish, which is presented as rice-based tacos. My dining partner and I delight in devouring them, but be warned if you are wearing white clothes, as this can be a messy course. Next up is khanom jeen – fermented rice noodles with aromatic cashew nut sauce and Alaskan king crab – which is served after a roasted black rice and rose tepache drink to cleanse the palate. This, our server tells us, is the most authentically Thai dish on the menu and originates from a recipe found in a local newspaper. Its simplicity does it for me, as the nut sauce is delicate, meaning we can truly enjoy the crab. Duck mochi – rice dumplings with smoked duck and hot-and-sour broth – follows, and we are told to eat one bite of dumpling, followed by a serving of broth separately, to maximise flavour but also to avoid overpowering the palate. We then try strawberry kombucha with makwen spice juice to prepare for the final two savoury dishes of the evening. The first of these is gai yang – slow-grilled chicken served with turmeric, soy and tamarind dipping sauce. This is exactly as it sounds: beautifully cooked chicken on a skewer, which we dip into the traditional Thai sauce for added flavour. It is spicy, fun and delicious. The final savoury dish is a traditional rice-trader staple in southern Thailand; a sour curry of beef served with trader's rice, tamarind leaves, smoked chillies and long pepper. Before we hit the desserts, we are given jackfruit kvass that takes away the spiciness of the previous two dishes and prepares us for the sweet flavours to come. Sticky rice skewers served with palm sugar and coconut ice cream are the 10th course of the evening. The idea is to dip the skewers into the ice cream but perhaps they are not for everyone. This is an incredibly sweet dish with lashings of sugar. The final dish is Thai banoffee – banana ice cream with palm sugar caramel and cashew nuts – which you are supposed to eat with your hands in two bites. It's delicious, not overly heavy or sweet, and a wonderfully unusual (and tasty) end to the evening. A roasted barley and coffee tepache serves as a sweeter version of the traditional digestif served after a meal. While there is no a la carte menu at Manao, the standout dish for my dining partner and I was the rice roti. It combined all three factors – sticky fermented rice, coconut-smoked short ribs and kaffir lime – to create an exceptional taste. It is clearly inspired by Thai cuisine but is also brilliantly curated for the UAE market. The other sticky rice dish, or rather dessert, was the most disappointing offering, but those with a sweeter tooth than me may well enjoy it. Head chef Abhiraj Khatwan was in the heat of the action on our visit, so I sat down with owner Mohamed Orfali instead. He emphasised that the menu is inspired by all things Thai, but is also intended to settle into its new home in the UAE, combining influences and flavours accordingly. 'Aside from the map, coconut and rice are the keys to this menu,' he says. 'Every dish, or nearly every dish, is steeped with these two core ingredients, which are two of our favourites.' Orfali also says a core concept at Manao is its no-wastage structure. The tasting menu means dishes can be curated for a specific number of diners and there is no risk of ingredients being in stock for dishes that are not ordered. Manao, in Wasl Vita, Jumeirah 1, Dubai, is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 7pm to 11pm. For reservations, call 04 272 2389. This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
