How often do we taste a country in another country? Very rarely. But, to our surprise, a little discovery lead us to 'arguably' the most authentic tasting Japanese restaurant in Dubai, Kimura-Ya.
One Friday afternoon, our Editor-in-Chief Josh M. Yugen and team from XPEDITION visited the restaurant to taste the buzz. Open daily from noon until midnight at The Oberoi Hotel in Business Bay, our team were greeted by a Japanese phrase, I guess it has something to do with 'welcome!', then we waited for split seconds before we were seated. Since it is a Friday, it is jam-packed! A lot of Asian-looking guests and few expats (I assume). For me, this is a good sign that the restaurants are being visited by Asian looking people, it must taste authentic.
We were given a huge menu with an array of selections from salad, to small bites, bento plates and their specialty, hotpot.
We dive straight to hotpot and we are definitely not wrong. The soup has an umami flavor and the flavor enhances as you put different kinds of vegetables and meats as you progress. By your third or fourth bowl of soup, it is already exploding with complex flavors.
We also tried Yakiniku or barbecue which for me is one of the best and a must-try. Their Chicken Yakiniku is out-of-this-world.
We ended up our culinary journey with, of course, a sweet ending, we chose green tea ice cream to clean our palate, which is relaxing and satisfying at the same time.
KImura-Ya is a gem waiting to be discovered or maybe already been?
Can’t get enough of it all? Good news, as Kimura-Ya also has a brunch every Friday and Saturday, with three hours of unlimited food and drinks anytime between noon and 9pm. And, prices start from an affordable Dhs199, with the house beverages package at Dhs399. Ready for a slice of Japan? You can book yourself a spot by calling 04 444 1455 or email kiumra-ya@kimuraya-dubai.com.
Welcome to Japan, Dubai. Open daily noon-midnight. The Oberoi Hotel, Al A’amal Street, Business Bay (04 444 1455).
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