We visited Dubai’s renowned OKKU Japanese restaurant recently to sample executive chef Hugh Jackson’s new, spring ‘O’ Makase sharing menu, a selection of small plates, large plates and sushi plates designed to take the effort out of a la carte selection.
It was my first visit to the venue, and we were growing mildly peckish as the ubiquitous SZR traffic meant we were a little late arriving. This turned out to be something of a blessing in disguise, however, as our dining companions who lived closer by were already happily settled into the lounge bar when we arrived, and we were actually glad to have the opportunity to take in this separate section, with chilled beats and relaxing neon jellyfish floating round in an aquarium on the wall providing a serene spot to start the evening. We could easily have lazed around there for hours, which many seemed intent on doing, but there was food to be sampled, so we wisely tore ourselves away to get started in the chic, dark wood, dining area downstairs before inertia set in.
The menu is best sampled by groups of four, we were advised in advance, so that’s exactly what we did. Given that OKKU is often touted as Dubai’s best Japanese restaurant, it’s no surprise that seafood is an ever-present on the menu, and the spicy tuna salad and Kanpachi Sashimi with jalapeno were real stand outs among the small plates – all deliciously fresh (the finest catches from Japan and around the world are delivered to the restaurant daily) and delicately, but tangibly spiced to taste. The grilled Canadian lobster main was equally fresh and tasty, and handily cut into four portions to avoid the messy business of liberating the crustacean from its shell, and the sushi options took in seabass and scallop nigiri style and a spicy lobster maki, served Japanese-style as the final course of the evening.
Of course, it wasn’t all about seafood. OKKU may not be a vegetarian’s first choice, but the traditional shishito pepper and a delicious garlic mushroom stir fry would keep the herbivorous from starving, while a tender, juicy wagyu nigiri was a surprise fish-free, albeit not veggie, sushi highlight. The ‘O’ style short ribs split our group – meat eaters tend to fall into two categories, exemplified in the nursery rhyme about Jack Spratt and his wife. While all were in agreement that the ginger-soy marinade was a winner, those on Mr Spratt’s, eating no fat, side of the fence felt there was a little too much for the liking. The opposite camp, on the other hand, were pleased to polish off the extra portion.
With a sommelier always on hand to offer pairing tips for each course too, the menu offers a great option for a splash out meal. You might not want to visit too far after pay day though – this is high end dining, after all, and to sample the full sharing menu for four you’d be looking at almost 500aed per person before drinks. Luckily, the entire sharing menu is offered a la carte, and the more wallet-conscious could easily pick a couple of small plates, a main to share and a sushi plate for about the same price for all four, which is frankly a bargain for this level of quality and service.
*The National was the guest of the venue. Call +971 4 501 8777 or visit www.okku.com for reservations.