Gerbou is Dubai’s first Emirati fine-dining restaurant and the brainchild of Sheikha Lateefa bint Maktoum, founder and director of design studio, gallery and art incubator, Tashkeel, which is based next door. Little nods to the United Arab Emirates are found throughout the restaurant and its magnificent gardens, from camel leather chairs to lamps designed in the shape of henna leaves. But nowhere is it more present than on the menu. Designed by chef Ionel Catau, Gerbou’s menu is described as Emirati-inspired, working with the flavours, ingredients and techniques of traditional Emirati food, with Catau’s personal touches. Many diners will recognize the classics (sharing mezze boards, muhammara and fish mathrooba) served alongside dishes that showcase inventive twists on local dishes and ingredients, such as curried falafel, RAK tuna carpaccio and date salad. Add the corn salad, prepared fresh at the table, and chicken machboos to your must-order list. The latter is served on a plate of fragrant saffron rice studded with sweet nuts and topped with crispy shredded kale, with a finely chopped cucumber salad and spicy homemade pickled achar, served on the side. Try and save room for dessert, the selection is excellent, but if you’re looking for something spectacular, order “a taste of Gerbou.” Designed after the grand building Gerbou is housed in, the dessert’s creamy exterior holds plenty of surprises, which we won’t spoil for you, so you’ll just have to trust us on this one. —Sophie Prideaux
Manau
Neighborhood: Jumeirah 1
Price range: $$
Custom made dish: all of them: make the 11-course tasting menu.
Hidden in a simple building in Jumeirah, Manau(meaning “lime” in Thai) is a space that feels effortlessly cool: low-lit, elegantly neutral, with a central bar and open kitchen. The soundtrack leans towards house, adding to the smart yet laid-back vibe. The team moves in perfect synchronization, including one of the two masterminds behind it all: chef Abhiraj Khatwani. Raised in Dubai, Khatwani’s cooking has been shaped by years spent in Canada, Denmark, the United Kingdom and, above all, Thailand, where he found his inspiration. A few years and over a hundred recipe tests later, he has condensed his vision into a multi-course tasting menu, in collaboration with Mohamad Orfali of the ever-popular Orfali Bros. The key phrase here is Thai inspiration. You won’t find the usual suspects like pad thai or green curry. Instead, the menu is an exploration of Thai ingredients and flavors woven from the north and south of the country; tamarind in high-kombucha drinks, fresh hand-ground coconut in curries, and spice levels suited to the Southeast Asian palate. The menu includes charred cabbage stuffed with chopped shrimp, Breton oysters with orange chile and fried shallots, coconut-smoked short ribs topped with kaffir lime, and much more, but all you need to know is that it was in that first bite that we insisted Manāo be included on this list. —Zahra Surya Dharma
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