Straight from the ‘creators’ of Buddha Bar, the sister
restaurant, Karma Kafe overlooks the Dubai Fountains in Downtown Dubs and is a
firm favorite of Dubai hipsters and socialists. From the outside, there is a
mysterious touch to the place, and I was chomping at the bit to get in while we
were waiting for the hostess to find our table. Finally we entered to be
greeted by the hustle and bustle of the trendy Dubai crowd settling down to
cocktails and nibbles on low tables, tightly packed together, lit up with
fuschia lanterns and colourful boho style cushions – a feast for the eyes.
After a quick passion fruit martini at
the bar we were whisked out to the terrace – a somewhat brighter space,
overlooking the far end of the fountain display – mirroring the buzzy and close
atmosphere for inside, I was happy to be sat on the terrace - for one, it was
definitely easier to read the menu!
The menu is Asian-Californian
fusion-inspired and mixes traditional dishes, such as sushi and sashimi, with
Central American and European flavours. When picking your dishes, be
adventurous and go for the fusion themed plates. Greedily, we ordered an array
of dishes varying between hot and cold and shared. It is definitely worth
skipping the normal pan-Asian standards to make room for the more unique dishes
on offer. Favourites of mine include the sashimi tacos with wasabi guacamole
and tomato relish, blackmore wagyu and seared foie gras with edemame rice, the
angry chicken, broccillini with goma shabu sauce, and miso black cod. To
accompany, I would always suggest partnering these dishes with a cocktail of
your choice – they offer a vast selection! Also to note, there are plenty of
veggie options available for the herbivores among you.
After feasting on dish after dish we decide to skip pudding
– the selection didn’t quite have the same imagination which ran through the
rest of the menu.
The Karma Kafe is definitely full of pleasant surprises and
even though food has always been a bit of an afterthought at Buddha Bar, it
takes centre stage at this trendy downtown eatery. There is nothing stuffy
about this place, even though you are tightly packed in and the staff are
attentive and welcoming and produce a quick and efficient service, and,
depending on what night you visit, there could be a celeb DJ on the decks too!
