There's always a lot going on the UAE dining scene, so we've selected some first sittings worth your while
Slo
The UAE is never short of ideas when it comes to culinary concepts. Slo, which opened in Dubai in February, is taking wellness dining to the next level. Rather than leafy dishes or readily available macros, Slo is looking at food through a “microbiome-centred lens” and branding itself as an “avant-garde food lab”.
What does this mean for actual diners? The way your food is served is just as important as the dishes themselves. Before breaking bread, restaurant-goers will be offered a biombooster – a plant-based, fibre-rich starter crafted to prepare the body for digestion.
Open now; Al Quoz, Dubai
Flor
Dining collaborations are always exciting, and there’s still plenty of time to catch Alex Dilling – head chef at London’s two-Michelin-starred favourite Hotel Cafe Royal – as he teams up with Flor Dubai for a limited menu that blends his imaginative style with the restaurant’s relaxed Mediterranean vibe. Think Scottish lobster pithivier served with Thai basil and ginger jus; and Welsh rarebit English muffins with black truffle.
The four-course menu costs Dh345 per person, and there is also the option to order Dilling’s dishes a la carte.
Until May 19; The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, Dubai
Orizonta
What are the Scandinavians known for? Minimalism crossed with cosiness, a love and respect for all things nature and consistently high ratings on global happiness charts. If you want a taste of that in the coming months, make a reservation at Orizonta.
Meant to open in Jumeirah’s newest hotel, Marsa Al Arab this month, the restaurant promises to blend Scandinavian philosophy – food guided by seasonality, sustainability and a deep respect for ingredients – with global flavours.
Opening soon; Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Dubai
Lena Dubai
Brunch made soulful is what Lena Dubai is offering up at its new Sunday get-together. Guests can expect the restaurant’s famed fire-cooked classics with a Spanish twist from Michelin-lauded Andalusian chef Dani Garcia, with local musicians De Cruz Jazz Duo filling the space with their trademark sounds.
Served as a Sunday special only, the brunch offers diners pans of paella, a tribute to the traditional end-of-week treat in Spain – a time for group gathering and sharing plates with loved ones. Options include Angus tomahawk and Spanish lamb paella. Elsewhere on the curated brunch menu are exotic starters such as tuna tartare with baby green asparagus salad, as well as classic mains such as grilled sea bream with seasonal veggies.
From Dh275; St Regis Hotel, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
3Fils
3Fils has gone from being a hole-in-the-wall cafe to multistorey restaurant, earning a spot on the coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand list in the process. Its refreshed seasonal menu gives fans of the Dubai original plenty to return for, led by a gyoza lasagne that features a Wagyu-mushroom filling with ginger chicken broth and foie gras. The otoro and foie gras kamameshi pairs fatty bluefin tuna with dashi-porcini rice and nikiri sauce.
In the Abu Dhabi outpost, lobster takes centre stage – whether with zaatar or a baked tail version finished with ponzu butter and umami spice. Across both venues, the A5 Wagyu claypot, built around Wagyu chashu and dashi-porcini rice, is the dish to order. A seasonal rosemary and blueberry drink rounds off the menu, which features bold combinations that have been well executed.
Available now; Jumeirah Fishing Harbour, Dubai; The Abu Dhabi Edition, Al Bateen
Shvili and Osteria Mario
Two of the UAE’s more characterful dining institutions – Shvili, which introduced Georgian cuisine to the country, and Osteria Mario, a long-standing Italian favourite – have expanded their cooking classes to welcome adults. Sessions cover Georgian staples such as khinkali, the juicy meat or cheese dumplings, as well as khachapuri, the soft dough bread filled with cheese and topped with egg, alongside Italian classics such as pizza. Private group cooking classes are available for those who’d rather earn their dinner than simply order it.
Available now; various dates and locations across Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Hanbok
Dutch chef Matthijs Stinnissen trained in Michelin-starred kitchens across Europe – among them Hertog Jan in the Netherlands – before arriving in the UAE as sous chef at Jason Atherton’s Marina Social, followed by heading Boca DIFC. He will now move to Hanbok, which is opening soon in the capital, where he will bring his classical culinary rigour to contemporary Korean cuisine, informed by extensive research and travel through South Korea.
Opening soon; Galleria Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi
FOLLOW TN MAGAZINE