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Food + Drink

Is this the best Fine Dining in Dubai?

Where can you find original fine dining in Dubai? Does such a thing even exist?

I’m here to advise you that yes, not every single fine dining venue is the project of a celebrity chef in another country here in the UAE. To be fair, many of the best restaurants in the city are the idea or offshoot of an established chef, but we’re fortunate to have a growing number of local places that Dubai can proudly claim as their own.

Let’s get one thing straight; I love fine dining. When I travel to a new city, my first plan is to scour different blogs and review sites to find the best restaurants. I’ve been fortunate this year to eat at some of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and Michelin establishments. After a recent visit, I can honestly say that The Experience by Reif Othman stands in this category.

UAE residents will recognize Chef Reif Othman, a known culinary threat from Singapore and winner of numerous awards in the city, including Restaurant of the Year by Time Out Magazine 2017 and Innovative Chef of the Year by ProChef 2016, just to name a few.  He’s also one of the most approachable and enthusiastic chefs I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.

Before we go much further, I’ll admit that I had purposely been saving this venue for a special occasion.  Knowing I was in for something unique, I specifically avoided dining at The Experience by Reif Othman until I had something suitable on the calendar.  If Hub’s 40th birthday wasn’t a good enough excuse, I’m not sure what else would qualify.

For those not acquainted with the restaurant, The Experience is located on the 37th floor of the H Hotel, home to numerous food & beverage outlets, including Chef Reif’s upmarket lounge bistro, Play, which is located a floor below The Experience.  Elevator doors open directly into a lobby that doubles as the smoking area (not always the best thing to walk into).  Pass through a set of panelled doors and passing the iconic signage, guests walk into one of the most unique restaurants in Dubai.  Part kitchen, part dining room, part lounge, part chef’s table, part private dining space – there really is nothing like it in the country.

As the best restaurants in the world tend to ‘own’ their guests from the moment they enter, The Experience places itself in the same category as the other global greats. A team of personable, professional servers is instantly on hand to welcome guests — in our case, with a glass of champagne, compliments of the chef.  Waiting for the rest of our party, we entered the restaurant and made our way towards one of the velvet upholstered couches, to relax, enjoy our bubbles, and take in views of the Dubai skyline.  What I love about this concept is that while a reservation might begin at a particular time, the meal itself can start when the group is ready. The nature of letting diners not be confined to a formalized experience makes this restaurant immediately stand out.  Furthermore, with multiple parties present that evening, I never once felt that our group had a moment’s less attention than any of the other groups (although, it’s worth mentioning that the entire venue seats a maximum of 20 people).  At the same time, I also had the sense of having the place to ourselves, which was the exact experience I wanted for my friends and the guest of honour.

As much as I loved the interior, to me, the hero of the visit was definitely the food.  The best part?  Each version of the meal is different.  As in, no one is ever going to have exactly the same set of dishes cooked in exactly the same way.  To that point, menus are handwritten (a first for me this year, rare for someone who dines out three times a week).  While almost every dish was a hit with me, here are my most memorable from the evening.

Photo Credit: Passmethedimsum

Photo Credit: Passmethedimsum

Reif Caviar + Cauliflower

Creamy and luxurious with just the right amount of texture, this was an absolutely brilliant start to the evening.  The caviar is created especially for Chef Reif, so it cannot be purchased elsewhere.  This is the kind of bold dish that lets the diner know they are in for a fantastic meal.  And yes, the below photo is after a bite or three.

Zucchini Flower Tempura

Another bit of wow factor here in the third course.  Light in texture and stuffed with a bit of seafood goodness, it is not only the taste of this dish that succeeds, it’s the incredible technicality that also shines.  10/10, I would happily eat this for just about any meal.  As with the caviar, the restraint and portion sizes allow guests for a beautiful plate, without overburdening diners with too much in one course.  This balance is something I see lacking in just about every other venue in Dubai.

Wagyu Nigiri

If I had to pick Dubai on a plate, this dish would be near the top.  Deluxe cut of beef?  Check.  Gold leaf?  Check.  Something with fusion and over the top?  Also, check.  I’d glimpsed this dish a few nights previous (when I was attending the Six Hands event), and it was once again delivered.  I believe a version of this might be available at Play, and I would strongly encourage you to try it, should the opportunity present itself.

The price point for an evening at The Experience starts at AED750 per person (including a welcome drinks).  With alcohol, guests can expect to pay close to AED1,000 per person.  Sure, that’s expensive.  But go anywhere close to the sophistication of this meal, and you’ll be paying the same amount. Why not enjoy a collection of impressive, original courses in this stunning venue?

It is also worth mentioning that the pacing and service at The Experience far exceed what many others are trying to accomplish, especially in the UAE.  I never once had to alert the kitchen we were ready for the next course – they appeared exactly as needed, without rush or question.  Similarly, our servers had a great read on the group and were more than capable of letting us enjoy our evening (even if we insisted on them joining us for a post-dinner digestif with the group).  Also, depending on the timing of your visit, Chef Reif will most likely be on hand to personally deliver and explain the dishes – another small touch that sends the venue over and above what anyone else is doing.

Would I return?  Yes.  The Experience by Reif Othman is currently my number one restaurant venue in Dubai for delivering on creativity, fine dining, service, and overall experience.  The price is not cheap, but I think it is reasonable for a memorable date or special occasion. I wouldn’t hesitate to return for a celebration or recommend this restaurant to visiting international foodies.

 

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