You can almost taste it in the air – the UAE's much coveted cooler months and all the hustle and bustle they bring. Also available to taste this month are no fewer than nine new restaurants serving everything from haute Japanese cuisine to dishes inspired by the mountains of India.
Here's what to expect from the latest crop of eateries.
Blue Box Cafe
Cuisine: French, international
Jewellery house Tiffany & Co's Blue Box Cafe opened its first Middle East outpost in Dubai Mall this month. Helmed by French chef Marion Lefebvre, the cafe serves afternoon tea, lunch and dinner, although “breakfast at Tiffany's” remains a sought-after proposition, with a set menu priced at Dh260.
On the menu are caviar Benedict, pancakes, avocado toast and a range of croissants for breakfast; plus an all-day menu with shrimp iceberg salad, crispy langoustine, carpaccio, Wagyu tenderloin and roasted cauliflower.
Read our taste test of chef-recommended dishes here.
Daily, 10am-midnight; Dubai Mall; 04 250 4935
Chef's
Cuisine: Steak and smokehouse
Smoked cooking is all the rage at the moment, with restaurants boasting sophisticated grills, imported woods and chargrilled flavours, and Chef's is the latest player to fire up its grill.
Wagyu ribs, briskets and burgers are all on the menu, plus smoked BBQ sandwiches; and beef bacon fries with sauces such as smoked maple sriracha and smoked cherry.
Daily, noon-1am; Al Badaa Street, Al Satwa; 04 298 8994
Rohini
Cuisine: Indian
The sister property of Michelin-lauded restaurant Little Miss India in Fairmont The Palm, Rohini opened in foodie hub JLT last week.
On the menu are succulent kebabs and rich curries, mainly from North India and royal Mughlai cuisine - think khasta palak, paya yakhni shorba and raan-e-Musallam. Saffron-infused shahi tukda, fried bread doused with scented sugar syrup and served with rabdi, is a must-try dessert on cheat days.
Daily, noon-1am; Movenpick Jumeirah Lakes Towers; 04 438 0064
Limonata
Cuisine: Italian
Dubai's latest beach club comes from the team behind February 30, Black Flamingo and The Theatre. Limonata at Club Vista Mare is inspired by the Italian Riviera in the 1960s by way of its citrus interior and plush sun beds, including mini loungers for children.
On the menu are Italian classics such as sea bass crudo, burrata salad, calamari fritti and bruschetta pomodorini, plus a range of pasta and pizza, while the chef recommends getting the tagliatelle al limone and Nutella calzone.
Daily, noon-2am; Palm Jumeirah; 058 140 5777
Pahadi
Cuisine: Indian
As its name suggests, Pahadi is inspired by the cuisine of mountain dwellers and serves dishes from north and north-east India, including Kashmir, Manali, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Shillong.
Its rustic interior is designed to resemble an alpine chalet, while dishes include saffron rice, yak meat, river trout, black daal and fermented vegetables with rhododendron honey, all flavoured with pahadi spices and home-made ghee.
Perhaps best of all, this Bur Dubai restaurant is open 24/7.
Daily, open 24/7; Majestic Premier Hotel Bur Dubai; 052 326 9781
Social House
Cuisine: International
The Dubai Mall restaurant reopened this month after a massive refurb, and now includes a pizza bar, chef's sushi table and cafe.
The menu is suitably expansive and represents cuisines from both East and West, from fresh fish sashimi to authentic Italian wood-fire pizzas. Other dishes include tonnarelli carbonara, nasi goreng, baked truffle chicken, crispy salmon rice, bone marrow pie, crock pot truffle chicken and miso Wagyu donburi.
Open 9am-midnight from Sunday to Thursday; 9am-1am on Friday and Saturday; Dubai Mall; 052 972 5541
Uchi
Cuisine: Japanese
Helmed by Lebanese restaurateur Carole Moawad, this fine-dining Japanese restaurant and bar in Dubai International Financial Centre offers a range of handcrafted seafood and meat dishes, including a premium Wagyu selection.
On the menu are small bites such as shishito pepper, unagi foie gras maki and various types of tempura; seafood delicacies including truffle lobster, Hokkaido scallops and king crab; plus that aforementioned Wagyu selection with gyoza, tartare and brisket on offer.
The handful of vegetarian options include avocado saykio miso, asparagus truffle maki and Masu garden salad with goma dressing.
Open noon-1am from Sunday to Thursday; noon-2am on Friday and Saturday; DIFC; 04 298 5044
Creme London
Cuisines: Cookies, dessert
OK, so it's not strictly a restaurant, but anywhere that serves miso and white chocolate cookies, s’mores hot chocolate and banana toast latte is worth visiting in our opinion.
The bakery from London is located at Dar Wasl mall, and serves a range of drinks and desserts including soft-serve ice cream. The dulce milk chocolate cookies are a fan favourite.
Daily, 9am-11pm; Al Wasl; 04 352 9708
Eva’s Fusion
Cuisine: Indian
The Millennium Place restaurant offers both traditional and fusion dishes inspired by the rather expansive Indian cuisine, and puts a creative spin on signature items from the country's north, south and east.
On the menu are one-off items such as butter chicken soup, Indo-Mexican nachos and mustard-infused salmon tikka; plus authentic Indian fare such as daal makhani, lamb roganjosh and coconut shrimp curry.
Daily, noon-2am; Barsha Heights; 04 875 0115
