I’ve only been to Tokyo once, for a whistle-stop 48 hours, so not long enough to immerse myself in its wild after-dark dining culture – a city that comes alive once sun sets in a riotous explosion of colours, flavours, sights and shows. But there’s a new restaurant experience in town (Dubai town, that is) on a mission to give guests a sample of what a night out in Tokyo could taste/look like.
From the creative minds behind Asia Asia, STK and Karma Café, Koyo Dubai is a slick new spin on the ‘dinner and a show’ concept, elevating the experience to embrace the sights and sounds of the Japanese high-life. It’s a heady mix of contemporary fine-dining and traditional kabuki-style entertainment (a classical form of Japanese dance-drama) that accosts the senses on every level.
Located in the basement of the InterContinental Dubai Marina, marked by a neon red laser tunnel, the interiors hit you with a metaphoric mic drop. First up, there’s a tattoo parlour, for those inking-inclined (henna, I should say) and hundreds of framed Asian artworks for some visual mise-en-scène. Inside, a homage to Japan is everywhere: from the pillars covered in Japanese script to the flower displays tumbling from the ceiling – the latter a nod to ‘koyo’, the traditional annual celebration of Autumn’s colours, as the leaves change to deep reds, oranges and yellows. Red and purple lighting warm the dark wood from floor to table, while a pulsating soundtrack keeps energy levels high.
Tonight, we try the new ‘Taste of Koyo’ experience – a four-course chef-selected walk-through of the main menu. It starts with deep-fried tofu – a dish often served under-seasoned and soggy, but here, it’s light and crispy, with eggplant, mushroom and a vibrant dashi sauce. For my fish-eating friend, the Hamachi tiradito trio comes with ponzu sauce, caviar, yuzu jelly and a green leaves emulsion. It’s super-light and full of flavour, with lavender flower petals adding the pretty. Vegan avocado sushi comes wrapped in grated carrot strips adding crunch to the sticky rice.
The second course kicks off with a radish salad with carrot dressing, and a spicy teriyaki tiger prawn. The only complaint here is that one prawn isn’t enough – more, please! A chicken katsu sando – ‘katsu’ referring to Japanese-style chicken coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried until golden – is like an upmarket club sandwich. Small enough to be eaten with chopsticks but filled with flavour. Grilled asparagus skewers, blackened just enough to give them a smokey flavour, prove that less is often more.
Next, a robata grill trio of salmon, baby chicken and kaz beef prime sirloin is served on a slate scribed with Japanese symbols. The tastes are simple and whilst the dish doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it’s all cooked perfectly. My bowl of steaming udon noodles is exactly what I wanted without knowing it – a humble dish that’s more street-food than five-star and all the better for it.
To end, there’s a gloriously simple dessert of chocolate miso fondant and wasabi ice cream that I’m told is balanced just right – rich, oozing chocolate with a little kick of wasabi spice.
There’s no show the night we go, but Koyo’s new Kabuki Friday brunch brings everything full-circle and I’m told it hits all the right notes. And whilst those with a hearty appetite or with vegan/vegetarian tendencies might fare better with the à la carte menu, Taste of Koyo definitely lets curious diners dip a metaphorical toe into Tokyo’s culinary scene one bite at a time.
RESTAURANT:
WHAT: Koyo Dubai
WHERE: InterContinental Dubai Marina, Dubai
TEL: +971 4 566 4088