Looking for a special meal out this weekend? Our pick of Dubai’s Asian restaurant options will tantalize with fine dining menus, chic interiors, and stunning views.
Mott32
Famed for its luxury interpretation of Chinese cuisine via Singapore, Michelin Guide-recognized Asian restaurant and fine dining concept Mott 32 headlines on the 73rd floor of Address Beach Resort. The moody interiors turn Chinese dining stereotypes on its head, opting for luxe marble finishes and high-backed wicker and velvet seating, with an eclectic mix of Asian-inspired artworks and dynamic lighting. Ideal for the cooler months, the restaurant’s terrace is a tempting option for the remainder of the season. The elevated – literally – dining experience unfurls onto the spacious open-air terrace, with unobstructed views of the Arabian Gulf, Ain Dubai, and Palm Jumeirah. The menu boasts a modern take on Chinese flavors, served with Dubai’s luxury flair. Creative dim sum is a highlight, starring crystal prawn dumplings and delicate Wagyu buns. Peking duck fans will be indulged with Mott32’s ultra-premium duck dish, a signature of executive Chef Frankie Yang. Only available as an advance order, the duck is prepared over 48 hours with a spiced marinade and treated with a custom air-drying technique to help achieve perfectly crisp skin. Smoked with applewood in a specialty duck-roasting oven, the result is deliciously lacquered, melt-in-your-mouth skin over juicy meat. A specialty plant-based menu offers a large variety of delectable dishes for vegetarians and vegans, with the traditional vegetable plates complimented with creative meat alternatives including smoked Peking ‘duck’ bean curd roll and salt and pepper coconut meat ‘squid’.
Goldfish
After receiving a nod in the Michelin Guide and recognized as a Bib Gourmand restaurant, Goldfish Sushi and Yakitori has carved out a comfortable spot with its fresh-focused approach to Japanese dining. Based in Galleria Mall, Al Wasl Mall, Jumeirah, Michelin chef Akmal Anuar and chef Susu Chuen have created an Asian restaurant with a mouthwatering menu which celebrates the vibrant flavors of traditional Japanese cuisine, along with their own modern touches. Of course, Goldfish’s sushi headlines, with intuitive combinations celebrating the fresh seafood and vegetables that the Japanese favorite is known for, with ingredients directly sourced from the country’s coastal waters and farmland. Plump pairs of otoro and salmon nigari, and signature carpaccios are served with the more contemporary ‘rollers’ menu, featuring combinations like a fully loaded tempura lobster, tamago, aji amarillo, and flying fish roe roll. A specially imported Japanese grill is put through its paces for Goldfish’s take on yakitori, with the charcoal cooked skewers including melt-in-your-mouth Australian wagyu with wasabi salsa and onion, tangy chicken adobo with soy and vinegar, and a Thai-inspired king prawn skewer with red curry paste and pickled onions. Mains cover the traditional – satisfying claypots complete with a mushroom option – to the more trend-driven like a delicious wagyu sando and other daily market specials. The mocktails are beautifully crafted with a complex combination of flavors, and notably have options than span from refreshingly zingy to the sweeter side. With a smaller number of seatings available, service is tailored and attentive, with dishes brought out with perfect timing.
Moli by Shi
Cementing Dubai Hills rising reputation as a culinary hotspot, new Asian restaurant Moli by Shi introduces fine dining Chinese to the district. Translating to ‘jasmine’, Moli is an off-shoot of Bluewaters Island eatery, Shi. Chef Li has also curated the menu and the new sister restaurant, with customer favorites like the crispy duck salad making it further in-land, as well as an array of new dishes on offer. The delicate dim sum and appetizers menu folds in both old and new, with lobster dumplings, dragon fruit tiger prawns, and bean curd-tossed soft-shell crab all highlights. Mains are largely traditional, albeit with luxury ingredients well-used to enhance the regional flavors. Caramelized Chilean seabass with truffle and kungpao cornfed chicken tempted, and Wagyu beef stone pot satisfied, but it was the Chinese barbeque options which impressed the table. Perfectly cooked octopus paired brilliantly with classic vegetable sides like sanpei king oyster, and wok-tossed wild corn with pinenuts. Also delicious, the décor borrows heavily from traditional Chinese design with elements evoking the region’s colors and textures; think moody crimson curtains, a terracotta pot-lined bar, lighting shaped like blooming jasmine petals, and a stunning bathroom wrapped in a Chinese silk print. Ask to be seated on the central floor, where the quartz design flooring glows under your feet, illuminating the space.
Tero
Another Dubai Hills inductee, Chef Reif Othman has relocated his chef’s table concept, Tero, to newer digs. Sitting side-by-side with his other two Asian restaurant concepts, Reif Japanese Kushiyaki and Hoe Lee Kow, Tero is accessible via a secret backdoor entrance, taking guests via the kitchen, then through a lounge-turned-shrine to Japanese pop culture to set the scene. An exclusive experience, the petite restaurant can seat just 12 diners, for a truly intimate meal at the chef’s table. Choose between eight courses or the dramatic 12 courses line-up, with two seatings available at 6pm and 9:30pm, Wednesday to Saturday. In the absence of a fixed menu, Chef Reif, Chef Noor Ibrahim, and their team will unveil a modern omakase experience. Translating directly to ‘I leave it up to you’, the dishes are left up to the chef to curate for diners. At this Asian restaurant, a monthly theme will set the tone for the unfolding array of intriguing Japanese courses, with each course highlighting seasonal ingredients and imaginative flavor combinations. Classic Japanese favorites like hand-pressed nigiri, and deftly-sliced sashimi are prepared inches away from your front row seat. Opt for a fully immersive meal with a bespoke tea pairing, with specialty, hand-picked and rolled tea leaves sourced from across Japan enhancing the omakase ritual.
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