An absolutely delicious, dry experience in The World’s 50 Best MENA number 1: Restaurant Orfali Bros Bistro (4. February 2023)
And it was finally time for number 1 on the list of The World’s 50 Best MENA! The Orfali Bros Bistro! I was surprised that they hadn’t called in advance to re-confirm the reservation, but they worked according to the bookings, and since the place is rather small, I would highly recommend you to book your table well in advance! Another thing, worth mentioning: Orfali Bros Bistro is a dry place (no alcohol licence). Which isn’t a loss really, but it is worth knowing.
We were recommended a few different dishes to make sure we get the full experience, and frankly, I would have ordered more, if the waiter hadn’t advised us otherwise. However, it was more than enough. We started with the “Umami Éclair (porcini emulsion and marmite, cacao nibs, fermented quince, beef prosciutto)” (33.00 AED) which was an incredibly intense flavour profile – and definitely one right down my alley!
The “corn bomb (all about corn, 36 months Parmigiano Reggiano)” (29.00 AED) was basically a Mexican style tostada with all different kinds of corn, and the cheese on top! And it was damn yummy! Definitely a dish you can, and should, enjoy!
Then, we went for the “Orfali Bayildi (aubergine, makdous muhammara, tarator, walnut, verjuice)” (47.00 AED), which had a lot of elements in its description I had never heard of before. The combination was rather on the intense side of ingredients, however, the ingredients actually worked quite well together.
Then, it was time for the “Shish Barak a la gyoza (wagyu beef dumplings, garlic yogurt, sujuk oil, pine nuts)” (47.00 AED), which were basically wagyu gyoza. Despite the fact that ‘wagyu’ is considered ‘so good’ all the time, I was not really impressed with it and found it the weakest course that evening.
The “come with me to Aleppo (wagyu beef kebab, sour cherry, parsley, pine nuts, cinnamon)” (66.00 AED) was a typical combination of beef with cherry. A nice combination of savoury beef and the sweetness of the cherries.
The “Korean Diavola pide (sourdough, ssamjang chicken, kimchi, beef salami, kimchi mayo, sesame)” (85.00 AED) didn’t look too big, but actually turned out to be quite a portion. Somewhat like a pizza, but then again very different. All in all, though, it was a tasty ending to the savoury journey.
Usually, I would not go for dessert, but given the little things were there in front of us the whole evening, I figured, it wouldn’t harm to try!
We went for the “Karaz (sour cherry with chocolate)” (50.00 AED), which was nice, but very dominant on the chocolate part!
The “Japanese Square (sesame with yuzu)” (50.00 AED) was a bit lighter, but still quite intense in terms of flavour profile and density.
All in all, the experience at the Orfali Bros Bistro is a memorable one – you get great dishes, which all come with some kind of edge or surprise. The place is lovely, quite crowded (since it’s small), so booking in advance is a must. And the service is actually excellent. As usually in the region, they rush through the dishes, but when we asked them to take it a bit slower after the first two, they adapted immediately, which was highly appreciated. To sum it up, I get why the Orfali Bros Bistro is number 1 of The World’s 50 Best MENA! Worth visiting!
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Orfali Bros Bistro
wasl 51 Building D
D92 – Jumeirah – Jumeirah 1
Dubai (UAE)
Tel.: +971 4 259 2477
Homepage: http://www.orfalibros.com
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
