According to Dubai’s newest Japanese restaurant, Kisaku, executive chef Takahashi began his culinary career toiling in one of the best restaurants in Tokyo. There he spent a decade mastering the art of Nihon-style food preparation, including learning the tricky techniques required to slice, roll and present perfect sushi and sashimi. And then, for the next 27 years or so, he took his expertise on the road and introduced his food to the Middle East. At his latest venture, Kisaku, the maki-maestro can be spotted manning the sushi counter that dominates the restaurant’s back wall, elbow-deep in a bowl of vinegared sticky rice or applying a lime green glob of wasabi to an unsuspecting sliver of raw salmon, all the while chatting amiably to guests and supervising his young staff.
As my friend and I walked into the overly bright eatery, Takahashi-sama was all smiles and nods. And it was no wonder – from his vantage point the chef had an uninterrupted view of tables packed with his compatriots. Although the restaurant had only been open for a few weeks, it appears word, among Dubai’s Japanese community at least, has spread. We, as the only gai-jin present, were a welcome oddity.
The menu, an all-embracing volume, had us choosing all sorts of bits and pieces to share. The asparagus with soya bean sauce was the first to arrive. As we crunched and slurped our way through the tasty spears, the other dishes began to cascade in front of us – each plate containing a new delicacy, distracting us from the previous.
The tempura moriawase, a mix of crunchy vegetables, fish and prawns deep-fried in a batter as fluffy as a blow-dried bunny, tripped over our tongues, as did the breaded shrimp and vegetables of the kushi moriawase.
We split a large plate of glutinous udon noodles, which had been stir fried with vegetables and slivers of pork, and squabbled over the expertly sliced shards of salmon, tuna, squid and rolled omelette that lay prone over a bowl of sticky rice for the chirashi don. Things weren’t quite as contentious with the agedashi tofu – the matchbox size chunks disintegrated at the mere suggestion of a chopstick and the gravy was a little on the insipid side – a minor glitch.
The meal ended on a high with two scoops of goma ice cream, rendered gunmetal grey as a result of the crushed black sesame seeds that had been used to flavour the dessert. The semi-sweet trio of goey mochi (pummelled rice cakes sprinkled with kinako – a gold-coloured soya-bean powder) were also a treat. All that’s left to add is our apologies to Kisaku’s regular visitors, because now they might need to reserve a table in advance. The greater masses needed to know about the fine food at this establishment. The secret’s out.
Al Khaleej Palace Hotel (04 223 1000). Open daily 12 noon-2.30pm, 7pm-11pm. All major credit cards accepted.
The bill(for two)
Chirashi don Dhs65
Asparagus and soya bean paste Dhs25
Yaki udon Dhs45
Kushi moriawase Dhs35
Tempura moriawase Dhs60
Agedashi tofu Dhs25
Kinakomochi Dhs20
Goma ice cream Dhs25
Total (including service) Dhs300
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