REIF JAPANESE KUSHIYAKI

While a mall in Dubai certainly seems a strange place for some of the best casual Japanese gourmet food outside of Japan, location is not the only misleading thing about this gem of a modern Japanese restaurant. The name is, as well. But in the most beautiful of ways. Kushiyaki in Japanese cuisine is generally an umbrella term referring to skewered meats or vegetables that are grilled fast and hot and served as popular street food items. Yet, Reif Japanese Kushiyaki is much more than merely skewers and considerably more upscale than would be applied by the street food terms moniker. Without ever losing its casual down-to-earth charm and street food vibe.

Reif Kushiyaki is the brainchild of star chef, Reif Othman, formerly of Burj Al Arab and Zuma Dubai, amongst others, but it is also a far more down to earth place than many of his earlier merits. It is, as he calls it, a mid-range establishment that serves fine dining flavors in a casual setting.

Japanese French fusion in a buzzing setting

The relatively small, yet somehow not cramped, L-shaped space is packed with seats. Most of them always full and many of them overlooking the steamy, fiery kitchen where chefs churn out re-invented Japanese classics at breakneck speed. The service is fast but attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. And to first time visitors who may not be too familiar with Japanese cuisine, this is a major plus. The menu covers a plethora of Japanese styles and dishes, from sashimi to sushi over kushiyaki and ramen to the absolute star of the show, the Wagyu tonkatsu sandwich, and hearty rice or noodle dishes.

The dishes are classically Japanese in nature, but playfully reinvented with a dash of Reif Othman genius and a slight French twist to make them appeal more to westernized palates. And they are all good.

If you are not certain what to order from the plethora of choices, go with the signature choice: Chef Reif’s cheeky signature Wagyu tonkatsu sandwich, featuring crunchy, breaded slices of melt in your mouth Wagyu beef, dripping with peppery tonkatsu sauce sandwiched between slices of bread smeared lightly with mayo to cool things down.

Read also: Reif Othman - Memories come and go. Legacy is forever.

It is an absolutely outrageous, incredibly flavorful and very Dubai-like creation that should, of course, be sampled. But it is also easily the most expensive item on the menu, clocking in at 45 AED above the second most expensive item. It is a dish worth trying and a dish worthy of sharing, though. It is that rich, filling and decadent. If you are more of a budget diner, the real value for money at Reif Japanese Kushiyaki lies, probably, in the smaller plates and the kushiyaki. They offer great variety at a price where two or three will set you down the same amount as a heartier main course. And they are great for sharing.

Sharing is caring

In fact, sharing may well be caring. Even at this beautifully unconventional, down-to-earth dining spot. It is as if the plethora of smaller dishes and bigger, more substantial portions beckon to be ordered in numbers and shared family style in this lush, yet packed and busy setting. And there is plenty to go around.

The menu has its classics that will please regulars and visitors alike, but always something new and exciting to entice returning visitors. If you are still unsure what to order, ask the knowledgeable staff or heck, ask the locals. They are, after all, experts and the space is loud and chatty for a reason. People talk and exchange opinions and favorites. 

If chatting is not your thing, try the Kushiyaki, perhaps the perfectly tender yet crispy baby squid, breaded in panko and fried to perfection only to be slathered in yuzu mayo. Or the melt in your mouth chicken wings with warming Japanese Shichimi chili powder. The gyozas, too, are phenomenal. Whether you chose the chicken and prawn duo or the beef version featuring saucy, soupy yet crispy fried gyoza draped in sexy slices of raw Angus beef and swimming in a sea of prettiness. At 45 AED for four, they are an absolute bargain.

What keeps Yeswefood.com coming back, you ask? Hands down another Reif Othman signature: The mushroom claypot rice, featuring sauteed mushrooms, tempura mushrooms, rice and truffle oil cooked in a clay pot to create the most intense, umami-laden bowl of steaming comfort food, you have probably ever had. It is hearty yet not overly filling and a great expression of flavors and talent. Heck, it is even vegetarian. It is hardly the most flashy dish on the menu, nor the most instagrammed. But it is a great testament to the quality of an eatery when even the perhaps somewhat overlooked options are this incredible.

All in all, Reif Japanese Kushiyaki is an absolute must visit on any trip to Dubai for its high-class yet beautifully simple and snob-free Japanese street food. Actually, it is the sort of place you would want to have on every street corner. Something we may actually live to see in the future as Reif Othman explains in an exclusive Yeswefood.com interview.

Chef Reif’s personality and innovative spirit shines through in the menu which can in a few parting words be summed up as Japanese food in Dubai done almost better than the Japanese would in Japan. With a twist of French technique and Reif Othman creativity that should fit palates of all nationalities.