Sponsored: If you love Japanese cuisine, 183 options await at Miyabi.
Miyabi have been providing contemporary Japanese cuisine to hungry Dubai diners since 2012. The brand has made its mark on the city’s eclectic dining scene with an inventive yet casual approach towards Japanese food, specialising in sushi, street food, ramen, donburi, and everything in between.
Walking into the location at Palm Views East, we’re met with a laidback and cosy restaurant space offering striking views of Burj Al Arab and the sandy beaches of Palm Jumeirah.
Miyabi may be casual, but it boasts a funky edge. A pulsating dance soundtrack brings an energy that is matched only by the kinetic knife work of the sushi chefs as they slice sashimi and prepare maki rolls with the utmost precision. The sushi counter may be the focal point of the restaurant space, but the look and feel of Miyabi involves natural wood that bends before splaying out across the ceiling, providing a picturesque canopy for us to dine beneath.
A glance at the menu offers an overwhelming choice of 183 individual dishes. These range from salads, sushi, sashimi, nigiri, and poke bowls to bento boxes and even tabletop shabu shabu. To say you’ll be spoilt for choice is a vast understatement!
While it’s impossible to scratch the surface of the Miyabi dining experience during one visit, we certainly give it a good go! Ordering a selection of starters, main courses and sushi to satiate our appetite.
The beauty of dining at Miyabi comes from a winning combination of courteous service, variety of dishes and value for money. The eclectic menu features several dishes you might have spotted at some of Dubai’s upmarket Japanese restaurants, but at a fraction of the cost. We begin with the Volcano Messy Nori (AED 49), which uses nori sheets as a taco shell. Stuffed with fiery volcano shrimp, refreshing chunks of mango and cool avocado, and slathered in teriyaki sauce. It’s undeniably messy (but that’s all part of the fun) and a textural marvel that packs a flavoursome punch. It’s immediately evident why it’s a Miyabi signature.
The Crispy Tuna Tartar (AED 49) tops crispy rice with a spicy tuna mix, while the Kinoko Gyoza (AED 36) are generously stuffed with mushrooms. The latter represents just one of over thirty vegetarian choices on the menu, including a beautiful Miso Nasu N’ Cheese (AED 34), a dish of aubergine topped with mozzarella and breadcrumbs. The Instagrammable Creamy Puff Nasu (AED 27), layers crisp aubergine with creamy feta cheese and a robust truffle yuzu sauce and is another Miyabi favourite.
When it comes to sushi, Miyabi offers a selection of signature rolls, beautifully sliced sashimi and nigiri. The Cheetos Flamin Hot Roll (AED 28) takes a playful fusion approach to Japanese cuisine. The fiery flavours and contrasting textures from the shrimp tempura, crushed Cheetos and lemon cream result in a memorable dish. Miyabi also offers six rolls prepared with black rice, an ingredient that is higher in fibre than white rice and contains one of the highest anthocyanin levels in any food. Stuffed with either yellowtail, salmon, ginger, avocado or sweet potato, these rolls shouldn’t be missed when dining at Miyabi.
While the sushi has become the go-to for many ordering from Miyabi, the main courses alone (many of which cannot be ordered for delivery) warrant a dine-in visit. Choose from seafood yaki udon (AED 57), black garlic and mushroom (AED 52) or the delectable Brussels & Brisket (AED 84), which tops white rice with slow-cooked pulled beef brisket and charred Brussel sprouts.
Miyabi fills a gap in the saturated Japanese food market, offering a casual dining experience that prioritises flavoursome dishes and reasonable pricing. With six exciting locations to choose from, including upmarket DIFC and the desirable Palm Jumeirah, the only question is – when will you visit?
GO: Visit www.miyabisushidubai.com for more information.
