As an Arab, I'm intrigued by restaurants that create their own version of Arabic dishes even though they primarily specialise in other cuisines.
Weaving in facets of an Arabic recipe into a Japanese menu can be tricky – but Bocasu brings two of my favourite cuisines to the table by way of at least two fusion dishes.
Headed by chef Yu Hasegawa, who honed his skills in kitchens across Hong Kong and New York City before making his way to the Middle East, the restaurant has had some time to refine and perfect its culinary formula since opening in Al Quoz last summer.
First impressions
Finding Bocasu is a bit of a challenge. Contained in an elegant two-storey warehouse in Dubai's Al Quoz district, the restaurant is concealed behind a dark door that blends in with its industrial surroundings.
Upon entering, however, the blast of cool air, high ceilings and dim lighting make it feel as though I've stepped into an exclusive members-only club. That is, if said club had a whole wall stacked with gumball vending machines in a space filled to the brim with trinkets. Diners can even claim “prizes” with coins provided by staff. A stairwell leads up to the second floor, where a private dining room houses a rare anime collection.
The whimsical decor also extends to perfume displays and Japanese bonsai trees scattered across the room. But what steals the show is a breathtaking vintage black Porsche 911 from 1969 – one of the first iterations of the classic sports car – in the centre. Bocasu's partnerships with car showrooms means it displays a cool new (or, rather, old) car every other month.
As for the restaurant's all-black stone interior, it is refined and intense – quiet luxury at its best.
The menu
The meal starts with a complimentary helping of popcorn in salted seaweed and caramel cinnamon flavours. Both are unusual, and the latter reminds me of Christmas morning.
Bocasu also offers an extensive list of drinks: from coffee and matcha to hojicha, tea, mocktails and more. The food menu features handrolls, rice bowls and Bocasu's signature Jawarma (Japanese shawarma). Dessert also features a fusion tiramisu with pistachio kunafa alongside other options, including an assortment of in-house chocolates that diners can buy as a set.
We begin with a light and refreshing starter – the baby spinach salad (Dh42) with sweetcorn and edamame tempura, topped with crispy lotus-root chips and lightly drizzled with a peanut dressing.
A series of Japanese handrolls follows. The first is Bocatuna (Dh90), a rich and fatty bluefin tuna handroll with spicy mayo, avocado and pickled daikon radish. It's topped with crispy tenkasu (fried flour batter), creating a harmony of textures. In Tokyo salmon (Dh63), the seared meat is paired with cucumber and leek, and topped with spicy mayo and red salmon roe – a simple yet delicious bite served as two pieces per portion.
Next is a customisable warm ramen bowl, a chef's special called the “cappuccino” (Dh88), named for its frothy, creamy quality. The noodles are soaked in the opaque chicken and dashi broth, paired with a platter of A5 Wagyu, red onions, a soft-boiled egg and crispy chips. Other seasonings and condiments include black pepper, zesty yuzu kosho and a spicy tomato paste. It feels like an interactive taste experience, pushing me to try new flavours and spice intensities.
I chase the entrees with a sweet yet earthy strawberry matcha mocktail and a fragrant lavender mocktail, which provide cool relief before the highly anticipated signature dish.
The Jawarma comes with several options, including chicken, tofu and egg. I opt for the Wagyu yaki shabu (Dh126), which is packed with thin slices of meat, served with a sweet and savoury Japanese barbecue sauce, leek, onion, pickled radish, lettuce, carrot and purple cabbage, all coated in a sesame salad dressing. While far from a traditional Arabic shawarma, it's clearly a dish inspired by the traditional sandwich without trying to imitate it completely.
Another of the chef's specials, the A5 Japanese Wagyu steak (Dh258) is served sizzling on a hot slab of lava stone. I remove the marbled Wagyu from the heat within a few minutes at medium-rare, causing it to retain its buttery, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
For dessert, I try the shiro kaffe tiramisu (Dh53) made with an espresso-soaked vanilla sponge cake, layered with creamy mascarpone, crunchy chocolate pearls and coated in dark chocolate. It attempts to resemble the traditional tiramisu, but its flavour and texture are rather distinct. While delicious, the classic Italian recipe feels superior.
In another attempt at the widely loved dessert, Bocasu combines tiramisu with pistachio kunafa to create the yume pistakuna (Dh59). A vanilla sponge cake is soaked in pistachio coffee and layered with a thick yet airy pistachio cream and crispy kunafa. This fusion dessert with a seriously soft crumb is one I could get behind.
Finally, I sample the house-made mitsu-mi chocolates (Dh5.5 per piece). Filled with rich honey from Hatta and almonds, the 70 per cent dark chocolate encasing creates an addictive bittersweet contrast.
Standout dish
The Japanese A5 Wagyu steak, with its savoury flavour and butter-soft bite, comes out top. Yet the pistachio kunafa tiramisu is a strong competitor. It feels like a creation of its own rather than a remake of either dessert.
Save or splurge
A three-course meal at Bocasu can cost between Dh75 and Dh425. At the high end of the price spectrum are the A5 Wagyu steak (Dh258), Wagyu temaki handroll (Dh108) and yume pistakuna (Dh59).
The three most reasonable dishes across starter, main, and dessert are baby spinach salad (Dh42), small tofu rice bowl (Dh29) and a chocolate ball (Dh5.5).
The verdict
For a restaurant that specialises in Japanese cuisine, Bocasu's attempt to incorporate Arabic-style dishes into its menu is both playful and welcome. I would recommend visiting it if you're looking for a laid-back dining spot with friends, and are interested in rare anime, iconic cars or beautiful bonsai.
Contact information
Bocasu, on Al Jreena Street 45 in Al Quoz, is open from 10am to 11.30pm from Monday to Saturday, and until 10pm on Sunday. Reservations can be made by contacting 04 294 8850.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
