Moonrise — Restaurant in Dubai

60 bites and every one of them incredible. I want to say I have been to arguably the best restaurant in Dubai this weekend. Only 12 seats and sat on top of a residential building in DIFC this experience blew my mind. It was almost like having a Mitchelin star chef cook privately for you. Every dish served was flavorful, rich and prepared to perfection and paired with wine. Right in front of you. Each dish explained, the inspiration behind it and the source of the ingredients. The atmosphere was perfect, the service was impeccable, and the food—oh, the food. A journey of taste that you never want to end. The staff learn your name and they go above and beyond to make your evening unforgettable. You're not just tasting food; you're experiencing a carefully curated masterpiece, one bite at a time. The artist behind this experience is Solemann Haddad a 26 year old university drop out, he is self-taught and set the restaurant up at the age of 24. Moonrise is two years old and already winning major awards and a Michelin star. My favorite dish from the evening would be the posh grilled cheese sandwich. Made from Hokkaido Milk Bread sourced from a local Japanese bakery, a carpaccio of single clove Thai black garlic and an emulsion made with black pepper and a 30-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano. It was so good when I joked I wanted another one, they made another one up for me within minutes. Dubai is a melting pot of cultures, yet sometimes I hear Dubai has no culture, it is soulless. That is not fair or true. Dubai has grown up fast, it is a city that has a vision and a goal and it people like Haddad prove how unique...

Overall a fantastic experience.

Food. The chef goes for bold flavours but without overpowering other ingredients in the dish. It’s rare that you go to a fine-dining restaurant and find the food actually “yummy” but it really was. Every time you have something you think to yourself “I could have 2 more of this!”. Particularly loved the use of local ingredients and spices but with a refined touch.

Service. It was excellent across the board. My wife had very specific dietary requirements and they were kind enough to cater to her, with every dish tasting amazing. The food came out relatively quickly but we were never rushed to finish, it was a very pleasant experience.

Drinks/Wine. The cocktails were simple and really well balanced. The wine pairings worked really well across the board. The first few were more of a palate cleanser but given the strong flavours, it was actually needed. The pairing with the dessert was the highlight of the evening.

Ambiance. The general vibe was cozy, homy and unstuffy. It’s rare that a michelin-star restaurant makes you feel at home as they can often seem a bit pretentious and “dry” but this was almost like having dinner at your friend’s house.

Really wonderful team of people, great food, great service, great drinks. Give it a try and see...

6 out of 5. Dubai’s youngest awarded chef 28 year old Soloman Haddad (AUS graduate for all those who studied here) takes you from a 3 piece prologue to a 9 piece course menu “that lasts approximately 60 bites” as he recalls the food journey he went through growing up in the UAE. With each course theres a post card explaining what you’re eating & its background story. Some have 50 ingredients. Pure chemistry. He combined ingredients from various parts of the world to deliver the amazing dishes: fish from Spains Galicia, zaatar from Aleppo, tomatoes from Al Ain, etc. Such intricate detail. The restaurant is on the roof top, book a month in advance. There is only 12 seats at the counter facing the kitchen making this a personal affair where you interact with both staff and other guests. Farhan does an amazing job explaining when the Chef does not. You start at 6 and end by 8:40ish. Then the second group comes in. Views from the top at sunset are amazing too. Wont say much more. Its a must. For any Dubaian for any tourist. You will miss out if you do not try this. I’ve been here 32 years and never tasted anything like it. Proud of a fellow AUS graduate having a 4th best restaurant in the MENA region. Onwards and upwards...