Sho Cho - Dubai Marine Club

This place really comes to life in the cooler months, housing the young and fabulous not only for dinner but also for drinks which go on into the wee hours of the morning where the pretty play and pose. Sophisticated, classy and trendy, Sho Cho offers up Japanese cuisine, delicious cocktails and of course, sake to its diners. Comprising both indoor and outdoor seating, the selling point to Sho Cho is the outdoor terrace which looks out over the Arabian Gulf  offering up stunning views throughout the day and night. Even though dining is available inside, its more of a lounge area, covered in large white sofas, low lighting and pumping tunes - a place to unwind or gear up, depending on mood.

When the sushi goes away, the lights come down and international and local DJs hit the decks and breathe a new lease of life into Sho Cho. Just a word of warning, if you are planning on going over the weekend or Sunday and Tuesday, be sure to book in advance as tables get snapped up quickly. Its safe to say, Sho Cho do what they do extremely well.. enjoy!

TOMO - Raffles Hotel, Near Wafi Mall, Dubai

Set on the 35th Floor of The Raffles Hotel sits TOMO which brings Dubai authentic food straight from the heart of Japan. TOMO - meaning 'lifelong friend' - encourages people to come, eat splendid food, share memorable occasions and is a place where the staff and chef want the diners to feel at home (which is very apparent through the attentive and friendly servers).

Split into bar and restaurant, it is easy enough to pop in for a drink as it is to go for dinner with large, spacious rooms inside as well as two expansive balconies which wrap around each side of the top floor offering up amazing views of the extensive sandpit skyline and down town Dubai.

TOMO surprised me in a few ways. Firstly, being out of the center of the 'city that never sleeps', there was a lot of life in this hotel with people bustling around the hotel, the glam pack heading to People by Crystal or Qbara, or shoppers hitting up the Wafi Mall. Secondly, the views were incredible, giving you a full on view of the sun set with barely any obstructions (try and ignore the odd crane that crops up). And thirdly, the extensive, unique menu and healthy light cocktail choice.

They offer happy hour until 7pm every night with a selection of BOGOF offers (including cocktails!). Try either Cucumber or Noshi Martini - light and (reasonably) healthy as far as cocktails go.
When it came to ordering food we decided to be slightly adventurous (as the menu is quite wild and wacky compared to other Japanese menus i have seen) and got a selection of hot and cold dishes to share. It was the first time I had also seen a variety of 'tuna' on the menu. Not only was there normal tuna, there was also a fatty tuna, a very fatty tuna and a medium fatty tuna... to be honest, i didn't really see the difference until we tried the fatty tuna maki rolls - so delicious - i'd like to know what they feed these fish!!

Other dishes to try would be the tempura Gobi fish, the rice porridge with egg and salmon and the pickled octopus. As far as sushi restaurants go I wouldn't choose it over Sake No Hana, however it is the best all round Japanese restaurant I have been to and well worth a visit.

Note: even though it is a great spot to visit throughout the year, in order to dine outside with the views, go in the cooler months as the terrace is closed for dinner during the summer months.

 

ZUMA - DIFC Dubai

There is nothing better than treating yourself to a 'business lunch' at DIFCs trendiest Japanese joint... for a mere 130aed, Zuma offers up a 4 course meal which will make your mouth water.
The light, open and contemporary interiors add to the experience, with the restaurant spread out on two levels with a sophisticated bar and lounge area taking over the majority of the top floor.

The menu is extensive, full of Japanese favorites and sushi specials - the main issue is that everything sounds so good the main challenge is choosing dishes off the menu. The great thing about the business lunch menu is that you only have to pick between 3 or 4 options, and if you go with a few people you can get one of each and share - sharing is caring after all and is mandatory when visiting this downtown eatery.

If you are a cocktail lover (which I most certainly am!), you will not be let down.. each cocktail is more tasty and more exotic than the last making it impossible to know when to stop.

The staff are attentive and friendly which is refreshing in a city where service is 9/10 relatively poor, and you can see that attention to detail really is key at Zuma - whether is be the delightful food, to the supremely tasting cocktails, to the deco.

To note: Zuma offers brunch on a Friday starting around 400aed, and if you are a DIFC dude or doll, head down for a scrumptious cocktail after work.

Sakenohana - Souk Al Bahar Dubai

This hot spot is probably one of my favorite Japanese eateries in Dubai.. The venue is situated in the perfect location, right in the action at Souk Al Bahar with views of the infamous Dubai Fountains. With options to dine inside, where the music is pumping and the interiors sophisticated and chic and also to dine al fresco, this restaurant has a table to fit everyone's needs.

The cocktail menu is extensive, as is the sake selection which is on offer, and every beverage i sampled was just as unique and delicious as the last.

The food, authentic and typically Japanese definitely overexcited my taste buds! Be sure to try the iron pot black cod rice and accompany anything you order with the sesame spinach - i assure you you won't be disappointed.

To Note: On Monday Sakenohana offers a deal of all you can eat sushi for a remarkable 199aed, and on a Tuesday night, in true Dubai fashion, head down for free cocktails and sample the selection they have to offer.