Namu is quickly becoming one of my favourite spots in Dubai for a number of reasons. Their brand of Korean-Japanese mashup cuisine is delicious, for starters. There is the 31st floor view of the Dubai Water Canal, which is breathtaking at night. And the servers, each clad in funky jumpsuits and high-tops with nifty dog tag chains, are also on top of their game in a way that’s hard to find.
Namu’s Dubai Restaurant Week tasting menu standout is the teriyaki salmon on a bed of puréed daikon, topped with a fried shishito pepper I was too scared to try. The LAX to DXB roll (crab, avocado, sesame and tobiko, or fish roe) was fresh and delicious, as was the selection of sashimi. I stuck to salmon and tuna, as I find sea bream a bit of a mouthful. And although I was excited to finally try sea urchin, that fishy, mealy concoction was washed down quickly with some mineral water — never to be tried again.
The free-range spatchcock with braised aubergine and spiced taro was the perfect amount of sweet and spicy, although I thought it could have used half the amount of sauce; the platter of seasonal “shrooms” were delightfully chewy in a truffle broth with garlic chives. The hot belly — milked veal belly with onion purée and savoury gochujang sauce (made from red chilli, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans and salt) — was a bit rich for my tastes, but my dinner companion was a huge fan. The standout on the chef’s dessert tasting platter, which also featured basil jivara chocolate (a sort of mousse-layer cake) and ginseng white tea granite, was a tiny little homemade “Oreo” cookie.
Namu at W Dubai in Al Habtoor City is one of 15 restaurants serving special menus for just Dh199 per person during Dubai Restaurant Week. There are two seatings nightly — 7.30pm and 9.30pm — through March 4. To book, visit www.roundmenu.com/dubai/restaurant-week
amcqueen@thenational.ae
