Amused Bouche 03
Bite-sized if not biting commentary. In this issue: a two-Michelin-starred shrug, delivery butchers, a "seven-starred" beach club, black sriracha and a members’ club with restaurants… and bedrooms?
Il Ristorante Niko Romito, Bulgari Hotel
I found myself at Niko Romito courtesy of Dina Macki, as her plus one, for an event celebrating Alois Lageder with none other than Helena Lageder. Off the bat, Helena is effortlessly charming, and I promised to visit when I’m next back in South Tyrol.
I’d heard a lot about Il Ristorante Niko Romito — one of Dubai’s three two Michelin-starred restaurants — and, frankly, little of it good, save for the views, the bar and the service. So, not the food. I wanted to get up close and, if all else failed, at least the wine and company would be exemplary.
I’ll say this: I see what people mean. Not because I agree, but because Michelin stars are not proxies for joy. While the food may be technically accomplished, there wasn’t a plate I enthusiastically finished. Some I stopped eating altogether.
(Calories. Listen, write about food long enough and eating will haunt your health. Mouthfuls are in pursuit of memories or stories. Know when you’re done.)
Some will tut and eyeroll, but at AED 1,150 a head for the dégustation — before water or wine — I want passion, fireworks, and a carnal desire to lick the plate clean.
Would I return?
Personally, I prefer Hoseki, the one-Michelin-starred omakase also inside the Bulgari Hotel. It’s an excruciatingly expensive sanctuary to sushi, but it makes me tingle down to my toes.
Neera, Habtoor City
The design brief reads: Make it John Wick 5, but inside an Emirates Business Class lounge, frothing with faux foliage.
Neera, in its own words, “offers a discreet haven of freedom”. Cough. It goes on: “a luxury private members’ club that exists to surprise, delight, and connect our community.”
Folks, there are two floors across 20,000 sq ft of restaurants, a cigar lounge, a small pseudo-nightclub, multi-functional meeting and co-working spaces and… bedrooms.
Would I return?
The downstairs cigar lounge and cocktails stood out positively. But suffice to say, the restaurant left a lot to be desired, particularly after two women in our group were accused of “working there”, if you catch my drift. And, they don’t. There are many places in Dubai that offer what Neera does and you don’t need a membership.
Malgudi All Day South Indian, Karama
My insatiable rampage through Karama’s South Indian vegetarian offerings continues unabated — and is actively encouraged by Sanjay Varman, to whom I remain grateful as both culinary sherpa and sage.
Malgudi — likely a portmanteau of two Indian towns — serves crunchy, golden benne masala dosas; viscous filter coffee pulled theatrically across brass dabarahs and tumblers; crisp medu vadas that collapse into fluffy lentil cores, dipped and retrieved sopping from crimson sambar; and rust-stained ghee podi thatte idli, a frisbee-sized fermented rice pancake bathed in clarified butter and gunpowder spice.
We followed this with fresh sugarcane juice, a spiced vada pav the size of a tennis ball with fried green chillies, and ven pongal — a creamy, soul-food porridge of rice and yellow moong dal tempered with ghee, black pepper, cumin, ginger and curry leaves. Desserts then launched us into a diabetic coma: sweet pongal and pineapple sheera, a semolina pudding with sugar and, yes, more ghee.
Would I return?
In a heartbeat. It vies with Sri Krishna Bhavan for my favourite South Indian restaurant in Dubai.
MTR (Mavalli Tiffin Rooms), Mankhool
Another weekend, another outing with Sanjay. This time with a larger group at MTR, a South Indian institution.
We ate broadly similar dishes to Malgudi (notably, the dosas), though I slightly prefer Malgudi for its atmosphere. MTR feels utilitarian, resilient to frivolity, and designed to move people along briskly. It has the feel of a prodigious restaurant that turns out hundreds of dishes a day and does not require lingering.
Would I return?
Of course. The podi masala dosa rattles around in my fondest memories, and they freshly squeezed orange juice for my son, who demolished their puri.
As you’re here… I also wrote the following write ups since Amused Bouche 02: Osip, Bruton restaurant review; Hashmi Barbecue, Dubai restaurant review; Translating Trèsind Studio; Middle Child, Dubai restaurant review and The Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurant List 2026. Do have a look.
Takahisa x Taku Sushi, Bluewaters
An invite to Takahisa is usually accepted swiftly and instinctively. Ground zero for Dubai’s frenetic collaboration machine, Takahisa hosted chef-patron Takuya Watanabe of Taku Mayfair, the one-Michelin-starred restaurant the Guide describes as “a discreet 16-seater delivering an edomae-style omakase experience.”
This special ten-course omakase peaked spectacularly with three highlights: Taraba crab topped with cauliflower mousse, white shrimp and caviar; the sweetest, creamiest uni sushi bite; and Takahisa’s own Henri Giraud Champagne. Oof!
A sublime evening.
Would I return?
We all know the answer.
Chôm Chôm, Al Barsha
Lyn Helbling Lyn Helbling is one of my Dubai North Stars for where to eat well. Our DMs are a constant barrage of “How is it?” Ask her. Lyn put me onto Chôm Chôm, a concept from a Hong Kong hospitality group that has also opened Falcone, a pizza spot, next door in Galleria Al Barsha Mall.
Immediately, the tropical modern décor and tight 20-item menu impressed with their less-is-more confidence. The food has more character than many Vietnamese places in Dubai (which I also enjoy), though I suspect Chôm Chôm gently amps flavours for a Dubai audience — something that troubles me not at all. Authenticity is often overrated.
Order the fragrant Hanoi summer rolls of pulled chicken, pickles, herbs and rice noodles; crispy crab rolls folded into butter lettuce and plunged into nuoc cham; or the hearty barramundi bánh mì, marinated in turmeric and layered with carrot and kohlrabi pickle, cucumber, coriander, dill and sriracha mayo.
Would I return?
Indeed. I wouldn’t cross town for it, but if I’m nearby — or if they delivered to me — it floats high on my list.
Black Sriracha 🔥
Where has this been all my life? I am a slut for tamarind, so this molasses-dark, tangy, tart take on sriracha leaves me breathless. It’s currently only available at Chôm Chôm (unless you know otherwise), so I may bring an empty travel-size bottle next time.
Cocina Tres, Business Bay
After an early dinner at Honeycomb HiFi next door, we bagged a table at Cocina Tres, a staggeringly popular coastal Mexican restaurant.
Standouts included the city’s best michelada; a zesty aguachile verde ringed with cucumber and piled high with red onion and coriander; a charred octopus tentacle as tender as they come; a gooey queso fundido with provoleta cheese (not my thing, but others liked it); and a toasted coconut tres leches as light as an angel’s farts.
Would I return?
Absolutely, but the bill stacks up quickly, so keep a calculator close.
Chef JKP interview with me at 10:25 (and many others!) at the 2026 MENA 50 Best Restaurants List ceremony.
Carnistore, Alserkal Avenue
I credit Dan and Fix at Carnistore with creating Dubai’s butcher home-delivery market— a concept that now seems obvious in hindsight, but was anything but at the time.
Their Alserkal Avenue opening gives customers a place to order, wait briefly, and take home excellent produce: steaks, whole chickens, sausages, marinated meats and more. There’s even bone broth on tap.
My advice?
Walk in and order first (as orders take longer to prepare than I expected), then head out for lunch somewhere I recommend. The in-store touchscreen ordering reads a little McDonald’s, but perhaps this is simply the way of the world now.
SAL, Burj Al Arab
Where the rich and the famous go for sun and splendid isolation, SAL is the beach club at the base of the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab with panoramic views of the Arabian Sea, Dubai’s coastline and the equally boujis Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab.
Speaking of splendid isolation, you should investigate the Panoramic Cabanas for special occasions poised in front of the plunge pool, private bathrooms, indoor air conditioned space for cooling down and, of course, complimentary champagne.
Lunch at SAL punches above your average pool club with lobster linguine, salt-crusted sea bass, Tomahawk Westholme wagyu, grilled lamb racks and their signature pistachio gelato made à la minute.
Would I return?
Without question.
I was invited to SAL Jumeirah Burj al Arab.
Liam is a restaurant critic, food and travel writer based in the Middle East. He co-authored The Rise of Indian Food: Recipes Reimagined by Trésind Studio, out 6 May from Phaidon Press. He owns EatGoSee and contributes to other publications. You can find Liam on Substack, Threads, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.
🥰 Thanks for the shout out. Always love to help a food lover friend with my favorites. Let me figure out how to get that black sriracha.
Happy to offer my services any time. Those dosas still appear in my dreams. I only recently started ordering from Carnistore - are there any good reasons to do in person instead of their fantastic online store?