Indie is the latest spot to land in DIFC’s vibrant Gate Village 5, settled above old favourite, Gaucho.
The second of two Indies in existence (the first opened in Beirut two years ago), the Dubai branch’s interior is an amalgamation of quirky artefacts, from the ‘PEACE’ sign hanging up on one wall to the antique suitcases, books and model cars shelved amongst other aesthetic pieces. A mix of low and high chairs run throughout the space, combining wood with colourful fabrics. Bare bulbs hang inside glass bubbles in a grand circle on the ceiling, similar to the bulbs that some of the drinks are served in.
All in all, it’s a warm, comfortable space — which is exactly what they were going for, according to the manager, Natissa Bouhezila-Teton, who relocated to Dubai in 2008 after working in Greece and China. She brings experience working with Buddha Bar and Nasimi Beach, amongst other spots around the city.
“The concept of Indie is a kitchen lounge, where you can have any kind of ambience that you’re looking for. So basically, if you want to have dinner, or you just want to have drinks with friends, or something quieter... It’s everything you want to experience at night,” she said, giving tabloid! a tour of the spot just days before opening.
Who is the ideal client?
Anyone who will not really pay attention to where they’re going, just who they’re with. Anyone can come to Indie, we don’t have one specific category. I just think that ‘indie’ comes from ‘independent’. You can be pretentious or not be pretentious at indie — so this, I think, is everyone in Dubai.
Why now?
It’s missing in DIFC. If you look around DIFC, they’re all either a restaurant or a lounge. They’re always split. And Indie in Beirut is very popular, so why not bring it to Dubai?
What kind of food will be served?
It’s cuisines coming from everywhere, where we are trying to bring the best of each different part [of the world]. It’s food that you can have along with drinking, or you can have it as a proper dinner where the food will come in a bigger portion.
Do your prices compete with other places in DIFC?
I don’t like the word competing — we all work together. We share the work, we share the guests, we share the passion. We don’t look at other people. What we want is that people when they come here, they feel like home. Obviously in a restaurant, you have to pay at the end of the night, but I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable because you didn’t feel the value.
What will the music be like?
We open at 5pm, so from 5-8pm [there] will be more loungey music, where you can have a cup of coffee, maybe an early bite or an after-work drink. Moving forward in the evening, we’re going to have more background music, so you will still feel comfortable to talk to the person you’re dining with. By the later stage, 11pm, you can expect old-school songs, like Michael Jackson, for example. It’s like you’re ready to go to the nightclub, but you’re not going to dance here.
Are there going to be any DJs?
We do have our DJ every day, who is Bruce Hills. We’re having a live band every Wednesday.
*Indie is open daily from 5pm to 2am. For information and reservations, contact 055-4556106 or reserve@indiedubai.com.
