Equity Magazine April 2018

GASTRONOMY
WEEKEND DINING
An experience, nocturnal hotspot, and brunches you can’t miss this month
1
ONI
SHANGRI-LA HOTEL
The element that draws me into a
movie or TV show, apart from the
storyline, is the food they consume.
After weeks of binge-watching Korean
dramas, my cravings for bibimbap
heightened, bringing me to the newlylaunched
ONI at Shangri-La Dubai.
The Japanese-inspired menu
comprises street-style Asian dishes,
with everything from sushi and
sashimi, to ramen, rice bowls, robatta
grills, and noodles. Most diners may
recognise the venue – they have
taken over Junoon – however the
décor has undergone a makeover to
reveal an intimate, ambient space
with the only colours being hues of
red and grey, to brighten the black
surfaces. We headed for the cocktail
lounge – the venue has two bars, the
other serving sake specialties – to sip
on carefully curated cocktails by the
restaurant’s 21-year old mixologist.
Try the Sakura for a refreshing
strawberry concoction that tastes
similar to an antioxidant-packed
smoothie. We highly recommend
starting the meal with truffle tuna
tacos in a citrus dressing. Each crisp
bite of the rice taco shell reveals
chunky juicy pieces of fresh tuna with
avocado. Follow this with the
beautifully presented hamachi crudo,
comprising yellowtail, wasabi salsa
and yuzupon foam. The sliced fish,
flown in from Hokkaido complements the lemon ink on
the plate, adding in a tart flavour. Don’t miss the pan-fried
octopus balls for a hot appetiser packed with flavour.
Classic signature rolls such as California and dynamite are
available, with fresh salmon and tuna sashimi for a bite in
between courses. For mains, I had to tuck into the
Bibimbap, a rice bowl presented with egg yok in the
centre, minced meat, zucchini, and peppers on the side.
The mixture arrives in a sizzling bowl and is mixed by the
table with gochujang (chilli pepper paste) to form a
beautiful crisp rice mixture. My partner chose the ONI
ramen, a generous portion big enough for two, with a
flavour-packed broth, bone marrow, meat and noodles.
Both were eaten with skewers of tender chicken thighs
Asia on a plate
with scallion, miso marinated black cod, angus beef
tenderloin, and chicken wings, all cooked on a charcoal
robata grill. Each piece of protein was succulent, bursting
with flavour and spice. To end the meal, we shared a
scrumptious matcha green tea fondant with vanilla ice
cream, and a side of hazelnut, coconut and mango mochi
(bite-sized frozen ice cream with a soft outer coating.)
There wasn’t a single dish that disappointed. If you are a
fan of Asian food, dumplings or craving sushi, look no
further than this new hotspot.
Need to know: Contact +971 54 721 3245
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EQUITY