Kimuraya Authentic Japanese Restaurant - 1st Branch Business Bay — Restaurant in Dubai

Halal? Only on special request! Muslims/pregnant women should know.

First of all. I really really loved the food at Kimuraya, so that I went during my stay in Dubai 3x to eat the All-you-can-eat-bbq-offer. But it was just yesterday that it came to my knowledge that the meat is marinated with Mirin which is a rice WINE = alcohol. Also does the yakiniku sauce contain Mirin. Before I went there for the first time I asked them twice if everything is halal or contained any Mirin (especially the Sushi!) but I was told no. But yesterday I asked again especially about the yakiniku sauce because after a long research I know for sure that it contains Mirin. So I asked the first waitress and she was confused by the question and just answered straight away that there is no alcohol. But as I still had doubts I asked another lady. She went to the kitchen to ask and came back with the answer: YES the meat and the sauce contain Mirin = alcohol. This waitress was such a sweetheart because the was so honest and concerned about my request. She immediately removed the alcoholic items and brought us just plain meat without the Mirin marinade and it was awesome and still as delicious as before. So the missing Mirin did not effect the food negatively. The japanese kitchen has many varieties of ingredients which enhance the flavors perfect, it's really not the alcohol which is making the food tasty. I really love the food at Kimuraya and know that Mirin is a very often used ingredient in the traditional cuisine but it is VERY important to label food with alcohol for your customers. Muslims, pregnant women and people with allergies are consuming alcohol without knowing. And please dont believe the myth that alcohol evaporates at 70 degree, because it does not. During cooking it forms with water a new molecule that has much higher bonding forces that require much more time and temperatures to break the bond and evaporate than pure ethylalcohol. Please please please just mark your food/sauces clearly to not unknowingly mislead customers. And also teach your staff about the fact that Mirin IS alcohol and IS in fact used at Kimuraya. Because most of them are unaware. The food would deserve 5* but unfortunately because of the missing declaration of alcoholic food and the fact that most of the staff are not briefed adequate to give valid answers I have to give...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Kamuraya Japanese Cuisine, and I must say, it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. Nestled in a cozy corner of the Anantara Hotel, this restaurant offers a delightful escape into the heart of Japanese culinary traditions.

Ambiance: As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by a warm and inviting atmosphere. The decor beautifully blends traditional Japanese elements with modern touches, creating a serene environment perfect for a relaxing meal. Soft lighting and gentle background music added to the overall charm, making it an ideal spot for both intimate dinners and casual gatherings.

Service: The service at Sakura was outstanding. Our server was attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic about the menu. They were happy to recommend dishes and even shared some insights about the ingredients and preparation methods, which added a personal touch to our dining experience.

Food: Now, let's talk about the food—everything we ordered was simply divine. We started with the edamame and a selection of sushi rolls. The edamame was perfectly steamed and lightly salted, while the sushi was fresh and beautifully presented. Each piece was a work of art, showcasing vibrant colors and a variety of flavors.

We couldn’t resist trying dessert, and the matcha green tea ice cream was the perfect ending to our meal. Creamy and refreshing, it was a delightful way to cleanse our palates.

Value: Considering the quality of the food and the level of service, I found the prices to be very reasonable. The portions were generous, and the attention to detail in every dish made it worth every penny.

Conclusion: Overall, my experience at Kimuraya Japanese Cuisine was nothing short of fantastic. From the inviting ambiance to the exceptional food and service, everything was on point. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for an authentic Japanese dining experience. I can’t wait to return and explore more...

2 stars for the exceptionally kinds waitresses of this restaurant who were very professional and very polite. Also for the amazing fries as it was the most delicious item sampled at this brunch 🤣🤣

We decided to go for brunch as it was our first time in Kimuraya and we wanted to have a good idea of the dishes so we can pick and chose from the menu next time.

Unfortunately, there will be no next time as we were very disappointed by the quality of the food for the 800 AED paid :

1. the carpaccio(s) had the cheapest slices, they were fatty and not well cleaned with some dark parts of the fish that is usually disregarded
2. the ramen was ok
3. the avocado and cream cheese salad had black/brown avocado 🤢
4. the chicken escalope was a cheap fatty cut as well
5. 3 choices of ice cream (vanilla, matcha and black sesame) for a brunch !? With no other options for dessert 😲😲
6. gyoza were ok but overcooked
7. the chicken breast and meat balls tasted funny (very strong almost not properly washed)
8. edamame were served cold and they were on the smallish side
9. the sushi rolls were super tiny (almost starved 🤣) and it tasted like cheap fast-food sushi

Based on the poor quality of food, I don’t think this should be marketed as a brunch but rather as ‘all you can eat’ in order to not disappoint the client. We were really looking for a quality brunch rather than all you can stuff yourself with kind of meal..

Overall we really didn’t enjoy our meal AT ALL. A lot of food came back to the kitchen and i did inform the waitress that the food didn’t taste good. The restaurant manager who was very attentive to other tables with Asian clients didn’t bother enquiring about it.

Also, I saw several people coming out from the kitchen and none of them was Japanese maybe it can explain why the taste and quality was off..

Oh there was also an excruciating construction noise going on at 3pm...