The location
Following in the footsteps of larger, glitzier venues such as Clé Dubai and Sass Café, Dusty’s is among latest eateries to open in DIFC’s serious-sounding Al Fattan Currency House. However, despite the stuffy locale, this relaxed, 70-capacity bar/restaurant space is a world away from those venues’s pervading mood and ethos.
The atmosphere
Hitching a ride on the ever-edgy bandwagon, Dusty’s conjures a cool and casual vibe with a mix of quaintly jarring elements; corrugated crates butt heads with hanging mirrored discs and cosy leather armchairs. Retro classics sound on the speakers while soft amber light shines. Kooky “This Side Up” messages are stamped on the tables, while our tissue box was decorated with hand-pasted old movies stills.
Best off all is the impressive wall murals by Palestinian artist Jeffar Khaldi. And don’t fear – despite the slightly beguiling moniker, there’s nothing dirty or dusty about the place; the venue is named after its owner.
The food
The international menu is wilfully, and typically, diverse, with notable stopes in Italy and Japan. The goat cheese and onion crostinis are a tasty place to start, while serving the burrata with roasted peppers, rather than tomatoes, was a nice touch. The lobster tacos were an enjoyably sloppy, overloaded mess, perhaps a little too tangy for its own good.
Strong tastes also overpowered the black cod, which was tenderly cooked but slathered with a sweet marinade. However the wild mushroom fettuccine was as good as it gets, while the side of truffle fries was delightfully naughty-but-nice.
Who’s it best for?
Open for breakfast on weekdays, and serving right through to midnight, the prime DIFC location has already seen Dusty’s a popular choice for suits on working lunches and business meets. However this place has enough charm to attract more than just a passing clientele.
The verdict
Edgy, East London-esque after-hours hangouts may not be the Dubai novelty they were just a few years back, but Dusty’s definitely deserves a seat at the table.
• Dusty's is open Sunday-Thursday 7.30am-midnight; Friday 7pm-midnight (closed Saturday). Level 1, Al Fattan Currency House, DIFC, Dubai, dustysdubai.com (04 354 5435).
The National was a guest of the venue.
rgarratt@thenational.ae
