Ikigai — Restaurant in Dubai

Unique evening for the wrong reasons!!!!

Iku iku night at ikigai ………

Overall the venue has a nice charm, the music selection was great, conversation could be had without been overpowering.

It took 1h for the appetizer to be delivered. we choose the chefs selection sashimi and nigiri, there was no selection just salmon! Also we choose Kaisen maki, which was 4 tiny rolls. until now no one explained what it was and it’s not written on the menu.

Strangely, after we had eaten the appetizer some edamame was delivered to the table.

The main course then arrived. Miso grilled chicken, barley miso. the chicken - it’s probably the worst chicken i have been served in my life. It was literally a piece of chicken breast grilled , not marinated, no seasoning, dry, with some awful sauce (didn’t taste like miso) thrown on top! Underneath was an undercooked bed of peppers and raw sprouts with the worst fried rice ever served. It has clearly been sat already cooked for hours. It had the consistency of mash potato.

Angus strip loin, ancho sauce. Again, the meat was un seasoned, way over cooked, finished with a dash of strange sauce, under a bed of in edible vegetables and of course it was served with the fried rice. Literally, we ate 1/5 of both main courses - it was that bad!

Then the dessert came. There was dry ice and water touching the dessert! We declined it and didn’t eat any.

There is a selection of drinks included. interestingly enough, you can order vodka and coke, rum and coke etc but if you order coke alone they change you separate!

The wine is also very interesting point to mention. On the menu it states white, red and rose available. We went to the bar where all the drinks are, whilst looking at the bottles all labeled ikigai, so I asked the bartender which type of wine it was. The bartenders words were “ this is not the wine, we actually fill the bottles with the big box wine in the back!”

On this note I ordered sake which was not included. However, the one I ordered wasn’t avalible, hence they offered me an alternative for the same price. Which I said was ok. When the bill came you guessed it I was charged for the higher price bottle!

After then speaking with the manager they corrected this. Also mentioned all the other concerns as it is shockingly bad on all levels.

I would not recommend, I...

Does Dubai need another Japanese Izakaya-style restaurant? We seem to read about a new one popping up almost every other week. Well, renowned Dubai chef, Reif Othman (of Zuma, Play, Billionaire Mansion and Reif Kushiyaki fame…in case you’re from out of town…or from another planet) and the First Group seem to think so. Hence the newly opened Ikigai Restaurant and Bar on the 1st floor of the Millennium Place Hotel in Dubai Marina. It’s interesting, just a couple of days ago my friend, Bruce was telling me about this Japanese book he was reading called…Ikigai, the reason for being. And now I find myself dining at a restaurant of the same name – talk about stepping into the twilight zone – nene-nene nene-nene…

Central to its handsomely decorated interior is an uncluttered panoramic bar which sets the laid-back, chill-after-work tone of the restaurant…which is what izakaya is all about. There are high tables closer to the bar and semi-cubicles against the outer walls (where we sat) and an outdoor lounging area which, surprisingly, was still in use at this time of year. A testament to Reif’s star-power, although only a few weeks old, the place was buzzing when Yousef and I got there. So, interior and ambiance – check. But what about the food?

I’m not a fan of Reif’s Kushiyaki enterprise and came with low expectations. Perhaps that is why I enjoyed so many of the items Yousef ordered (Mashallah, he knows his Japanese cuisine). Highlights for me were the raw, thinly sliced carpaccio-style fish and meat, particularly the Tuna with Truffle Ponzi and also the Hamachi. The Spicy Tuna Tacos were good too if a little gimmicky. I regret ordering the Nigiri; they were oversized…prompting chomping rather than chewing. Next time I will stick to Sashimi. Another disappointment was the Kakiage Burger which was totally out of place. It was the only thing I did not finish. All this said, we both enjoyed our meal.

Ikigai is managed by a Romanian beauty by the name of Madalina, a veteran of other Othman enterprises, including Zuma. Her friendly personality and attentiveness made up for whatever lapses in service we encountered (excusable considering that the restaurant has only been open a couple of weeks). Yousef and I both agreed, shortcomings aside, that we would be back. Ikigai – definitely...

So here’s the thing ! I loved my meal here, I hardly do ever give five star ratings to new places cause always always there’s room for improvement. First things first booking and parking were easy, first over the phone, second the hotel has plenty of self parking spaces. Second and most importantly, the place is warm and cozy! I loved the decor and the vibe. They’ve high tables & restaurant style cubicles & a lovely outer terrace ! So it’s perfect for a quick meal/ drink or a family night out. I did see kids in the restaurant so I’m supposing they are allowed. The menu is on point not twenty pages just a simple slide for what I think is there best dishes. There’s a business lunch, there’s a tasting menu for Wednesday nights and they will be starting brunch in June. For the first two I’ve attached images apologies on the poor lighting.

So it’s licensed we ordered drinks instantly whilst we glanced on the menu drooling and deciding what we are trying today and what when we come back next. We were recommended, I do always ask for recommendations, this is my word of advice to you guys too when trying a new place ask the staff it helps.

So we ordered :-

•Kale & Avo salad •Hamachi ( raw ) •Tuna Tacos •Cucumber Pickl • Tiger Prawns • 180 gms Angus Steak • Asparagus • Fried Ramen Bowl • Cheesecake

This is practically half the menu 🤪 Everything we tried was delicious ! Again a rare occasion for a newly opened place. Hence the five stars. You can get a better idea of the dishes from my images. But I’ll briefly share my thoughts; I enjoyed the cucumber, the kale salad was a complete surprise giant portion and super crunch brillant ! The tacos are a minimum of two order and I think I wanna order like five orders next time cause they were delicious and finished way too quickly! The fried chicken is the only down item and it lacks the kick I was expecting it to have. Tiger prawns I would pass there’s many other things you can try. The steak is not to be missed off course!! Medium rare perhaps next time. The sides were asparagus and the fried ramen both very decent portions and bursting with flavor.

The cheesecake is yuzu flavor and can be...