Gerbou is Dubai’s first fine dining Emirati restaurant and the brainchild of Sheikha Lateefa bint Maktoum, founder and director of the design studio, gallery, and art incubator, Tashkeel, that’s headquartered next door. Little nods to the UAE are found throughout the restaurant and its gorgeous gardens—from camel leather chairs to light fixtures designed in the shape of henna leaves. But nowhere is it more present than on the menu. Designed by chef Ionel Catau, Gerbou’s menu is described as Emirati-inspired, working with the flavors, ingredients, and techniques of traditional Emirati food, with Catau’s own personal touches. Many diners will recognize the classics—sharing mezze boards, muhammara, and fish mathrooba—served alongside courses showcasing inventive twists on local dishes and ingredients, such as falafel curry, RAK tuna carpaccio, and date salad. Add the corn-on-corn salad, prepared fresh at the table, and the chicken machboos to your must-order list. The latter comes served on a plate of fragrant saffron rice studded with sweet dried fruits and topped with shredded crispy kale, with a finely chopped cucumber salad and spicy home-pickled house achar, served on the side. Try and save room for dessert, the selection is great, but if you are looking for the showstopper, order “a taste of Gerbou.” Designed in the image of the grand building in which Gerbou sits, the dessert’s creamy exterior houses a host of surprises, which we won’t ruin for you, so you’ll just have to trust us on this one. —Sophie Prideaux
Manāo
Neighborhood: Jumeirah 1
Price range: $$
Dish to order: all of them—do the 11-course tasting menu
Tucked away in an unassuming building in Jumeirah, Manāo—meaning “lime” in Thai—is a space that’s effortlessly cool—dimly lit, sleekly neutral, with a center bar and an open kitchen. The soundtrack leans toward house, adding to the smart yet laid-back vibe. The team moves in perfect sync, including one of two masterminds behind it all—chef Abhiraj Khatwani. Raised in Dubai, Khatwani’s cooking has been shaped by years spent in Canada, Denmark, the UK, and most notably, Thailand, where he found his inspiration. Fast forward a few years and over a hundred recipe trials later, he’s condensed his vision into a multi-course tasting menu, in collaboration with Mohamad Orfali of the ever-popular Orfali Bros. Thai-inspired is the key phrase here. You won’t find the usual suspects like pad Thai or green curry. Instead, the menu is an exploration of Thai ingredients and flavors woven across the country’s north and south; tamarind in the kombucha-heavy drinks, hand-milled fresh coconut in curries, and spice levels suited for the Southeast Asian palate. The menu features charred cabbage stuffed with minced shrimp, Brittany oysters with orange chili and fried shallots, coconut-smoked short ribs topped with kaffir lime, and so much more, but all there is to know is that it was in that first bite that we insisted Manāo be put on this list. —Zahra Surya Darma
