Hanami: Blossoming of a new culture

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Want to taste Tokyo without travelling? Head to Hanami!
Want to taste Tokyo without travelling? Head to Hanami!

Published: Tue 4 Aug 2020, 3:25 PM

Last updated: Tue 4 Aug 2020, 5:30 PM

The newest Japanese street-food restaurant is perched atop Andaz Dubai the Palm, overlooking the Burj Al Arab. As fancy as it may sound and look (yes), the restaurant brings to you the magic of Tokyo's streets to the finest centre of Dubai. It's edgy and bold - both in looks and taste.

Owing to the pandemic, the new restaurant shut down within two months of opening in the city. It's now open with sanitisation measures in place. And the bustling restaurant is a testimony to that.

The neon-lit bold ambience with clubbing tracks in the background is very cosmopolitan in nature. The dishes are a contemporary take on the cultural identity of the city and hats off to Chef Yuyaka who has kept the essence intact (literally)!

As it promises a notch up on Asian dishes, we tucked into their recommended dishes that were familiar to us.

Edamame - a staple in Japanese restaurants before entrees and mains - was char-grilled and salted to perfection. What we recommend is the Robata Edamame.

Popular for sharing platters, next on our list was the Maguro Pizza. Inspired by okonomiyaki where the meat is topped with sauce and mayonnaise, the salmon on a bed of thin crust was an explosion of flavours in our mouths. This was my first taste of Tokyo street food.

Japan means makis and nigiris. The multi-option Sushi Moriawase platter ranges from salmon to tuna and prawns on a nice bed of subtle veggies that were just perfect for a group bite-sized meal.

The gyoza was kind of run-off-the-mill. We could give this a pass next time one. Then came the salmon (sake) satay. It gave a light break from the explosive flavours that we were eating on the go, as recommended.

The menu is light and snackable but wait until you try the eggplant! Nasu Dengaku or the grilled eggplant with mochi and cheese was the cherry on the cake. If you think you can digest this like the rest, you are mistaken. This sweet and savoury mozzarella filled cheesy dish is all you need to fill up your calorie quota.

But wait! Thou cant leave without the finale. The Green Tea Tiramisu was the ideal ending to our night. We recommended it with chilled cranberry juice.

Want to taste Tokyo without travelling? Head to Hanami!

By Rhonita Patnaik

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Want to taste Tokyo without travelling? Head to Hanami!
Want to taste Tokyo without travelling? Head to Hanami!

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