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Restaurant Review: Girl & the Goose is a Nicaraguan love letter to Dubai
Who dares to take a side hustle and transform it into Dubai’s most authentic Central American restaurant? The answer, quite simply, is someone with the vision of a true culinary artist
- PUBLISHED: Fri 5 Sept 2025, 3:07 PM UPDATED: Fri 5 Sept 2025, 3:11 PM
Picture, if you will, a most extraordinary transformation — from the intimate confines of a Dubai apartment to the gleaming professional kitchen of Anantara Downtown Dubai. This is the remarkable journey of chef Gabriela Chamorro and her utterly beguiling Girl & the Goose.
Who dares to take a side hustle and transform it into Dubai’s most authentic Central American restaurant? The answer, quite simply, is someone with the vision of a true culinary artist and the tenacity of a seasoned entrepreneur. Gabriela’s story begins in the most unlikely of places, serving meals at 30,000 feet while harbouring dreams of serving the soul-stirring cuisine of her Nicaraguan grandmother. Picture weekend evenings in a modest apartment, friends gathered around makeshift tables, experiencing flavours that transport them directly to the bustling markets of Managua. Over five years, she served 5,000 guests.
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Her current partnership with Rosy Hospitality in Dubai represents a marriage of vision and expertise that is, quite frankly, masterful. Rather than diluting her authentic voice, together they’ve provided the perfect stage upon which her culinary theatre can unfold. Watching her command her all-female brigade with the confidence of someone who has been doing this for decades is musical; every dish that leaves her pass bears her personal touch, her exacting standards; impressive culinary choreography of the highest order.
The menu itself is inspired. Guacamole pani puri that marries subcontinental technique with Central American soul. Ceviche elevated with lychee ice cream is a combination that sounds audacious but tastes like pure poetry. Each dish tells a story, and Gabriela still tells every single one with the passion of someone sharing family secrets in an atmosphere that captures the intimacy of those original apartment gatherings whilst embracing the sophistication demanded by a luxury hotel setting, understanding too that hospitality is not always about following rules but making people feel really at home. But who has coconut lychee kingfish at home? Guatemalan-style ceviche with fresh local kingfish, served in an aromatic green coconut pipian sauce with a zesty touch of kaffir lime. Topped with a refreshing homemade lychee sorbet… it will bring you back there…
The cultural significance cannot be overstated. Dubai is saturated with concepts from every corner of the globe, Central American cuisine remains refreshingly under explored. Gabriela is creating a bridge between cultures, one perfectly seasoned smile by smile.
It should not be underestimated to fulfil the scale of what Gabriela has done; scaling an intimate supper club to full restaurant operation, but if you’ve met her, you’ll know that she’s someone who refuses to compromise on the very elements that made her special in the first place, the storytelling, the personal touch, the genuine warmth that transforms strangers into friends.
Do not leave if you haven’t sat at the chef’s pass and enjoyed Gabriela’s mille feuille — layers of crispy, golden pastry with tangy soft cheese white chocolate ganache, drizzled with South American homemade papaya sorbet.
This is a restaurant that proves the most compelling dining experiences emerge from passionate individuals who cook with their hearts on their sleeves and their grandmother’s recipes in their souls.