A well-kept culinary secret. That’s the first thought that comes to mind when dining at Moonrise, an Omakase restaurant nestled on the rooftop of a residential building in Dubai.
Having launched in September 2021, the home-grown concept only serves eight customers at a time, with two sittings per night. The multi-course menu is inspired by the flavours of Japan and the Middle East, and is expertly crafted and presented by Dubai-born chef-founder Solemann Haddad, 26.
What to expect and where to sit
One of the reasons behind the restaurant’s allure is its location. Moonrise is located on the rooftop of Eden House in Al Satwa, so it’s not a location you stumble upon, but rather seek out.
It’s worth the effort, though. When the lift doors open, you’re rewarded with panoramic views of the Moon over Dubai’s glittering skyline, which in part inspired the restaurant’s name.
The dining space itself is sleek and stylish, and capitalises on the view with glass walls. The restaurant features high chairs facing an open kitchen area where the chef and his team prepare the dishes in front of their party of eight. But chances are, you’re not going to pay much attention to the vista for long because the food is what takes centre stage.
The menu
This is an Omakase dining experience and the menu changes seasonally, with new dishes introduced every two months. Each meal comprises eight dishes, from bite-sized appetisers to decadent desserts, each of which is lovingly explained before you can dig in.
Syrian-French chef Haddad is a self-proclaimed “true-blue Dubai kid” and went to culinary school in London and Japan. His menu is a reflection of this diverse background: expect Japanese and Middle Eastern flavours and cooking techniques, with a hint of Europe thrown into the mix for good measure.
You’ll find plenty of dishes that pay tribute to the region and its flavours. Case in point, our first dish of the evening: foie gras puri. Inspired by pani puri (“that’s almost as Dubai as it is Indian” says the chef), this bite-sized portion comes with foie gras, saffron and pineapple chutney, plus Sichuan chilli oil. It’s a delicious mouthful, the smooth texture of the foie gras contrasting with the crispiness of the puri, with the sauces delivering a sweet-and-spicy flavour punch.
It also provides insight into the attention to detail you can expect from the rest of the dishes. This includes gunkan — a Japanese handroll, with chutoro or fatty tuna belly, glazed with a sauce made from local honey and date syrup; and spicy Hamachi, the chef’s take on Dubai’s penchant for spicy tuna, made with Hamachi tartare, a fermented chilli from the Levantine and a crispy seaweed tempura.
It's clear there’s a lot of prep that goes on behind the scenes, but dishes are given the final flamboyant touches in front of guests, who are also advised on the best way to eat it (“right away”, “scoop up the sauce”, “don’t worry about getting your hands dirty”). So you can see the naan being charcoal-roasted before being served with a muhammara (made with hazelnuts, walnuts and miso) and stracciatella dip, and also watch the A5 Tsukune being garnished.
The two dessert courses being served in March and April are a caramelised white chocolate sorbet over milk crumble and olive oil powder, which is crafted to bring a touch of nostalgia with its breakfast-cereal-style flavours; and a tart mango and passion fruit cheesecake with more white Valrhona chocolate.
Standout dish
Ceviche has become a staple on Dubai’s culinary scene, but props have to be given to the version served at Moonrise. The smooth texture of Hamachi is perfectly complemented by a creamy sumac-infused labneh. The dish is also topped with fresh zaatar and zaatar oil, giving it an intriguing flavour.
For those who want something meatier to sink their teeth into, the A5 Tsukune — a Japanese meatball — is the only dish on the menu that encourages guests to focus on the flavour of one ingredient alone: the beef. The reason? This A5 Wagyu is imported from a farm in Hokkaido, where the cows are fed only pineapple and sugar cane grain. This melt-in-your-mouth main can be polished off in but two or three bites, but it leaves behind a lingering umami flavour.
A chat with the chef
The man behind the project, Haddad, is no stranger to experimentative menus. Formerly with Warehouse 61, which did pop-up dinner experiences in Alserkal Avenue and Inked Dubai, he knows his way around creating never-heard-of-before food combinations.
Since it’s a seasonal menu, it’s hard to predict what will be on the table a few months from now, but Haddad says all dishes have to align with the restaurant’s sustainability and minimal waste policy.
“We’re currently in the process of creating a scallop dish that utilises the Hamachi fish bones by turning them into a stock,” he says. Also on the cards is a labneh sorbet with earl grey and honey from Ras Al Khaimah.
“We don’t change the whole menu at the same time, but rather do it dish by dish, again to avoid food waste.”
Value for money and contact information
The eight-course tasting menu (the restaurant is currently unlicensed) is priced at Dh475 per person, with all bookings and payments done in advance. Due to the nature of the concept, the team do not cater to dietary restrictions.
Reservations are mandatory, and can be made at www.moon-rise.xyz
This review was conducted at the restaurant’s invitation
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
UAE Tour 2020
Stage 1: The Pointe Palm Jumeirah - Dubai Silicon Oasis, 148km
Stage 2: Hatta - Hatta Dam, 168km
Stage 3: Al Qudra Cycle Track - Jebel Hafeet, 184km
Stage 4: Zabeel Park - Dubai City Walk, 173km
Stage 5: Al Ain - Jebel Hafeet, 162km
Stage 6: Al Ruwais - Al Mirfa, 158km
Stage 7: Al Maryah Island - Abu Dhabi Breakwater, 127km
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
