Can east meet west at Morimoto Dubai?
When I see that my favourite dish of all time, bouillabaisse, is on the menu at a new restaurant in Dubai by chef Masaharu Morimoto, I am intrigued and excited to see if parity can be achieved. Morimoto Dubai spans the 23rd and 24th floor of the Renaissance Downtown Hotel and is easily accessible via a dedicated street entrance. Chef Morimoto is famed for fusing Western ingredients and cooking styles with traditional Japanese culinary techniques.
A Thursday night reservation in hand and I approach my experience with an open mind and high expectations. Morimoto is an impressive venue with much to choose from – the terrace bar with a great view of Burj Khalifa; a 24-seater sushi bar; private dining areas; live teppanyaki stations; and stylish long tables for larger parties. The décor is best described as industrial chic mixed with Japanese artistic flair. We enjoy a pre-dinner drink on the bar terrace to the back drop of a spectacular light show from the Burj, although photos are slightly ruined by the inevitable cranes as Dubai continues to build and develop. The cocktail menu is properly grown-up and certainly one for lovers of strong flavours.
We are booked to dine at one of two teppanyaki stations and the smooth service is immediately evident with the use of a luxury container for my guest to put her handbag in, underneath the chair. It really is the little touches that can make a difference. A wonderful feature of live teppanyaki stations is getting to watch what other diners are eating before committing, especially since the choice of starters is limited. The lamb cutlet with a demi-glace sauce is prepared almost like a schnitzel but the sticky sauce is the key to making this dish enjoyable and Japanesque. The dish of the night comes in the form of oyster foie gras as a well-sized portion of foie gras is cooked and served with two oysters, topped with sea urchin and a deep, rich, soy-based sauce. I could eat these all night as bar snacks.
The wine list is interestingly varied and seeing as I plan to eat my favourite main course, I opt for one of my favourite wines; an aromatic 2013 Bargylus blanc from the Syrian vineyards of the Saade brothers. Heavily marked up, of course, but definitely one to try if you get the chance as the sweet, yet strong notes pair brilliantly with green vegetables and fish. As seemingly always in Dubai, imported water is the only one on offer at AED30 per bottle.
Now, for main courses. I have been observing the 250g Australian “kiwami” Wagyu striploin for the past ten minutes and the marbling is enticing evidence of potentially how good this dish is going to be. Served alongside four different sauces, cooked to perfection and presented artfully, the Wagyu is everything you want from your meat and highly-recommended despite being expensive. What about the bouillabaisse, I hear you ask? It is fun to watch as different crab meats, lobsters, prawns, scallops, mussels and vegetables are cooked on the teppanyaki grill before being added to a plastic wrapper and topped with miso-based broth. This is then tied with a pretty bow and left to simmer on the grill, satisfying at least half of the literal translation of bouillabaisse. The bag is cut open and served inside a bowl which makes consumption somewhat cumbersome. The bouillabaisse looks fun, tastes great and has a spicy kick but there is not enough seafood – plus I would like to see more traditional, possibly even regional fish used, rather than the ‘big’ names of lobster and scallops. As someone who has travelled to the home of the bouillabaisse, Marseille, the ‘true’ herbs and flavours are not evident. I can see the inspiration, but should one call it a bouillabaisse? I do not think so. The deep, rich broth is the key to Morimoto’s bouillabaisse and as this is prepared in advance, it detracts from the illusion of the live teppanyaki station.
A pleasing touch follows, as we are moved to more relaxed, lounge seating for our desserts. Or perhaps they have bookings for the teppanyaki table? The desserts are where the Western influences are definitely a winner. Choosing from the list is tough but eventually we go for the fiery chocolate tart and Black Forest. Both dishes are brimming with theatre; the chocolate tart is beautifully plated and contains a chocolate sphere that is melted by flambéed rum, whilst the cherry dashes of the Black Forest are bespattered from within a chocolate cylinder. Unfortunately, the cherry sauce does splash onto us so the idea needs refining as other diners might not be as ameniable as we are. Both desserts taste stunning and the Black Forest is as good as a deconstructed chocolate gateau could be. The fiery tart is a massive portion and I would recommend sharing that between two.
Morimoto boasts a fantastic location and houses an inimitable style. The music is a bit too club-like and loud but is not distracting, and table conversation between us and the teppanyaki chef is manageable. The food generally tastes good but definite areas for refinement are clear. Service is Morimoto’s strength and the charming team is well drilled in its knowledge of the food. The price point of AED460 per person without alcohol is prohibitively expensive though. The question that hangs awkwardly is whether we would eat at Zuma for Japanese excellence or enjoy the playfulness of Morimoto? I believe Zuma leads the way in modern Japanese fine dining, but if Morimoto can make a few tweaks, there may be competition in the future. Overall, Morimoto scores a respectable FooDiva rating of 3.5 knives and I will visit again, but at that price, for a special occasion only.
Can ‘classics’ be successful when cooked differently? Are you a stickler for tradition, or a fan of innovation and novelty?
Matt Broderick.
Who is guest reviewer Matt? A married man with an obsession for French wine and food, he loves nothing more than trying new restaurants and dishes with his wife and friends. Travel plans are always made around food and he can remember what he was doing on any given day by recalling the meal that he ate. His favourite chefs are Michel Roux Jr., Michael Bremner and Tom Kitchin. You can follow him on Instagram @finediningmatt
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