Distinctly different from classic culinary destinations, Dubai stands out as another intriguing, tempting and different culinary destination.
Despite the unforgiving weather, it is a kind of journey following the infinite resourcefulness of man, during which one can learn about the wonders of his mind and skills - as long as all these are backed by unlimited money and capital.
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Let's start with an ultimate food hall suitable for every pocket and every glutton.
Its name is "Time Out Market", and it is located right next to the Burj Khalifa.
The market extends over a spacious urban loft, in the center of which are long and simple communal seating tables.
Around the yeshiva complex are located 17 diverse food stalls, which are selected after a precise and strict curation process.
The context is to present in one space everything that is new and trendy in the field of food.
Time Out Market, photo: Maya Darin
The Dubai market is incredibly eclectic and delicious.
The bites offered to the audience are not expensive and intended for a rolling eating experience.
We tasted a variety of authentic Chinese dim sum, a smoked and tender beef brisket sandwich, a Vietnamese chicken dish full of exotic flavors, a Cuban sandwich, an American hamburger and an Italian pizza.
All of these tastings plus a cold beer cost us about 100 shekels per diner.
It is recommended to also pay attention to the special breakfast dishes, served on the spot during the weekends.
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Similar to vacation and business destinations like Las Vegas, Dubai is a center of attraction for the world's greatest chefs.
In huge resorts like "Atlantis" you can decide between Novo Matsuhisa and Gordon Ramsay - and I have a clear preference.
The Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen And Bar at the Atlantis experience is a user-friendly experience, not a chef restaurant experience in any sense.
It is a diner that serves as a solution for a variety of diners.
As such, it is recommended to lower expectations and settle for a cute selfie with the cartoon character of the nasty and beloved chef.
I will recommend the crispy chicken wings, and of course the well-known beef Wellington.
The restaurant is not cheap and its prices range from 70 NIS to 90 NIS for starters, from 115 NIS to 240 NIS for main dishes, and from 45 NIS to 59 NIS for desserts.
Gordon Ramsay's wings, photo: Maya Darin
"Nobu", my Japanese love from a long time ago, is already an extensive restaurant chain.
This is a multi-participant, multi-location show, with chefs aplenty.
But unlike other chains, Novo manages to maintain its high level, whether I'm in New York or Dubai.
The spectacular plates that come out of the kitchen are characterized by the perfect seasoning of refined sauces, which wrap the beautiful fish dishes in an extraordinary sensory festival.
This fall Novo will move to a new location at the top of the Atlantis Hotel.
There are whispers that the founding chef Nobu Matsuhisa himself will come to inaugurate the branch.
Meeting such a legend is an exciting and one-time privilege, from experience.
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The entry of the Michelin Guide to Dubai has already been covered.
Now I would like to divide my impression into two categories.
The first - how to turn a chef's culinary heritage into a restaurant decorated with a star - meet "Tresind Studio" (Tresind Studio).
The second - how the aspiration for Michelin defines the culinary poetics of a chef - meet "Ossiano".
Oceano, photo: Maya Darin
I will start with the second one.
The restaurant is located inside the large aquarium of the Atlantis Hotel.
In front of the restaurant's tables stands a huge glass wall, through which you can look out on a variety of magnificent water creatures.
The dishes served to the table in a fancy theatrical parade are a show in themselves.
The tasting menu is matched with wines from the best in the world.
Chef Grégoire Barja also excels in curating and brings to Dubai the best raw materials in the world, with which he creates an experience that crosses seas and continents.
A tasting menu of nine dishes accompanied by wine will cost about one thousand shekels per diner.
But the highlight of the trip is, without a doubt, Tersind Studio, which was also placed fourth in the list of the 50 best restaurants in the Middle East.
The wonderful advantage of Dubai's geographical location brings to the Levantine diner the happiness and richness of Indian cuisine, and that's great.
The young chef, Himanshu Saini, tells a private and intimate story through food.
All his memories of his homeland, his mother's kitchen, the street stalls, the tradition and the practice - he serves to the table in the form of the most personal tasting menu I have had the opportunity to taste.
A must-go destination. A 16-course tasting menu will cost 590 shekels, not including a tasting of the maddening kohls brewed on the spot.
shishabat@israelhayom.co.il
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