Success of restaurants, especially in a crowded market like Dubai with its well-heeled, well-travelled dwellers, rests as much on the quality of its culinary offerings as it does on its ambiance. From Michelin Star chefs to appointing some of the best interior designers to realise their vision, restaurateurs are pulling out all the stops to ensure the venues become the talk of town. Here’s our choice of the chicest new restaurants in town that are as tantalising to the eye as they are to our palates.
Art deco deluxe
Play Restaurant and Lounge, the most talked about F&B venture of the year made big news acquiring Zuma legend, Chef Reif Othman – yes he delivers and how. But can we please take a moment and give a standing ovation to hospitality design guru Gregory Gatserelia. It wouldn’t have been an easy task designing a space that stands up to Chef Othman’s gastronomic delights, but with a bow to the Great Gatsby era, Play conjures a sensory journey through a rich palette of interior finishes. Lovely brown marbles, subtle hints of matte brass and plush velvet upholstery takes us back to the decadent times of Great Gatsby. Gatserelia’s mastery is evident in his use of sleek, contemporary design elements that complement the breath-taking city views that the floor to ceiling windows at the 36th floor of the H Hotel afford the site. Add to on-trend, a gold-hued timber floor, a faceted suspended ceiling design and some larger than life, bespoke light features – including a vast back-lit grid – the space seamlessly plays between a lounge atmosphere and a fine-dining venue. We can’t think of a better first-date venue than Play. It promises to impress and even the most seasoned of high society movers and shakers will be.
Design on the crossroads
In the past few years, automotive genius Lexus has been hard at work establishing a legacy of a different kind. It’s sponsored mega-watt design awards and hosted documentary film festivals. With Intersect, the brand stepped into the hospitality sector with a view of create a ‘third’ place for mankind – one between office and home, which would offer a curated view of the good life. Masamichi Katayama, founder of the award-winning interior design firm Wonderwall, is the vision behind the development of both the Tokyo and Dubai concepts. Using muted colour palettes, industrial pieces, geometric shapes and sleek lines, the DIFC venue captures both the vibrant life of Dubai and the understated luxury of Lexus. Subtle hints of the brand are evident in design gestures across the two-level space as the designer screens the external windows of the dining area with an intricate floor-to-ceiling bamboo mesh inspired by the double-layered spindle grille design of Lexus cars. Leather used in the brands luxury sports car anoint the plush booths while the entire anatomy of a Lexus car is laid bare – painted in white – under a beautifully lit glass floor at the lower level. Katayama pays homage to the automotive industry with a wonder wall of an installation composed from more than 1,400 miniature car models. As much as Intersect is an attempt to present the car brand as a lifestyle, the venue pays homage to its location, Dubai, with a bespoke large black and white mural by Ryu Itadani, titled Lexus City, hanging above the barista counter. Mimicking the fluidity of sand dunes, a ribbed off-white ceiling tops this venue where bankers, socialites and the hip crowd will all feel at home.
Party under the stars
If you like the Dubai skyline, you are in for a treat at the Tree House at the Taj Dubai hotel in Business Bay. This spanking new roof-top destination is an oasis of calm with views of the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountains you’d die for. Elements of the design intent – to turn a chic beachside house inside out – are evident and successfully realised in a deft use of timber decked floors, high and low seating and a flurry of beautifully lit plants that are best described as mini-trees creating cosy nooks around booths laid out akin a plush lounge at home. The renaissance inspired décor elements seem out of place, but provide transition between the outdoors and the Indian restaurant inside. Quirky elements like a faux fireplace and monkey-shaped lamps add to the ‘at home’ feel. A relaxed, sleek venue for after work catch up or a fun night under the stars, Tree House wins by keeping things simple.
Colonial charm at its best
Peruvian is not a theme we see often in Dubai, and surely not in interiors; so it was a pleasant surprise when Tobias Gibreel, founder of the Dubai-based hospitality concept consultancy firm Pico, decided to compliment head chef Christian Motte (from London’s critically acclaimed restaurant Ceviche) and his modern take on South American food with understated colonial charm. Think coffee plantations and the bungalows – that is exactly what you get at Inka at Sofitel Hotel in Downtown Dubai. Seductively dark marble floors lushly complement deep leather sofas and amber light fittings in the lounge area that seem inspired by the gentlemen’s dens in royal homes. The dining area offers a refined take on a colonial dining room, with thoughtful Amazonian flourishes such as artworks by Tamara de Lempicka and Juan Gris and large palm plants. A bespoke, fringed installation of light piece that is as playful as it is commanding lends a soft, romantic glow. Chocolate leather panelling, dark wood accents and sleek furniture add a modern edge to the venue.
Gastro chic
Located in the loading dock of the DoubleTree by Hilton, in the most accessible part of JBR, the Maine Oyster Bar & Grill couldn’t have asked for a more ideal location. As an expression of their North American roots, Montreal gastropreneur Joey Ghazal and head chef Liam Breen serve satisfying brasserie dishes at their new seafront venue. The loading docks set the tone for a design palette that is a cross between an American brasserie and a European bistro, with dollops of industrial luxe thrown in. The trussed ceiling structures beautifully complement the monochromatic setting featuring peeled-off plaster brick walls, cement floors and fluted wall panels in ivory. Tan leather seats and hand-made shell chandeliers underscore the culinary wonders on offer. Ghazal adds touches of nautical glam with hand-painted wall-mounted mirror menus, as well as classic blue and ivory crockery. Chef Breen wanted his food to be comforting, accessible and relaxed. The interiors reflect the intent beautifully. This is the perfect seaside dining spot if you’re in the mood for a chilled out evening.
— Pratyush Sarup is design manager at one of the UAE’s premium interiors firms.
