An absolutely delicious experience, but on the rather pricey side: Restaurant TABŪ (23. March 2023)
The Tabu is conveniently located on the top of The St. Regis Downtown, Dubai – even though you cannot access it directly from there, but you have to walk around it. The place was relatively empty for a Thursday evening, which might have been largely related to the fact that it’s Ramadan and people tend to go out less. In any case, we decided to go for the “Tabu Tasting Menu” (600 AED) with the respective “Wine and Sake Pairing” (375 AED). The evening started with a “beef pillow”, which was definitely a very nice and intriguing way to get your palate started.
The “otoro tartare, sesame cones, avo-yuzu kosho, caviar” was equally nice, although really on the smaller side of things when it comes to size of the dish.
Apparently, the “hamachi nigiri, aju sauce, shisho” is one of their signature dishes, and I must say it was surprisingly refreshing and lovely.
The “salmon usuzukuri style, avo-yuzu, passion fruit, nama shichimi” did not only look pretty the way it was served, but it was actually also quite nice, since it was somehow curated, and had, hence, a much more intense flavour.
The “seabass ceviche, aji, tiger’s milk, crispy corn” was nice as well. The chunks were a bit big, but still very much on the enjoyable side of things. The speed in which the food was served was a bit at the upper end of the acceptable, but other than that, it was absolutely enjoyable.
What I really liked was the “black cod croquette, fresh truffle, aji, miso truffle mayo, tobiko” and the”Patagonian toothfish skewers, sweet miso, chives”. I mean, the black cod croquette was a very small bite, but the flavour was actually super nice. The toothfish was equally nice, and when putting some lime over it, it really made it a great dish.
The “wagyu beef kushiyaki, foie gras, anticucho sauce, chives, crispy garlic” were as nice as the “jumbo prawn, coriander emulsion, nanami butter, tobiko”. Honestly, for three people, the jumbo prawn was a bit of a small dish, since it was ultimately just one tiny bite, but given the total number of dishes was more than enough, it was still okay.
The next course was prepared at the table – or at least, it was finalised at your table.
And of course, the fact that it was covered in smoke had the desired effect of catching your attention.
The “‘black’ black cod, black miso-gomae sauce, quinoa, caviar”, which was basically black cod with sepia did maybe not look too appealing, but it was definitely delicious. The smoothness of the cod in combination with the intensity of the sepia really worked well together.
The “50-hr slow braised Wagyu beef short rib, yakiniku, crispy garlic” was nice as well. The bite was relatively small, but it was quite tasty. The rice wasn’t all too bad either. Definitely a solid main course.
The small lamb joints with dip were nice as well and definitely rounded up the main course.
I must say, I absolutely liked the dessert – not necessarily because I’m a bit fan of dessert, but because it looked so pretty. So, the first dessert was a “Japanese pear (pear compote, pear mousse, raspberry powder, chocolate guajillo)”, which was basically a fake pear, which you had to smash to eat it. And I must say, it was much better than expected, and it was actually super refreshing.
The “vegan tres leches (mix of plant-based milk, rose petals)” was quite lovely as well …
… as well as the very last dessert. Besides the fact that it was quite tasty, it was also rather a lot. So, towards the end fo the dinner, I didn’t really feel like eating anymore.
So, it was time for drinks like the “Sweet Lies (coconut fat washed Botanist gin, toasted neri goma infused Campari, Mancino sweet vermouth)” (99.00 AED), which was nice, and cmae with a sesame icecream. Now, I like the idea of getting a nibble on the side, but frankly, if you don’t want to start with the sesame icecream but rather with something else, then I would highly recommend you to get something else, as the thing melts quite quickly.
Secondly, I went for the “Okimasu (Haku vodka, hazelnut-praline butter washed coffee liquor, cold brew coffee, hazelnut syrup)” (99.00 AED), which was nice, but is probably not the best idea at 2am, since it’s quite heavy on coffee.
What I absolutely liked is the way they served “double apple shisa”. It’s basically put on a plate which has led lights – and if you blow the smoke of the shisha into these lights, then you get a nice light-pattern. Super unnecessary, but also super lovely.
All in all, I really liked the Tabu, since the place is nice, offers good food for relatively decent prices, and last but not least, has exquisite service. They also have some furries, which are playing around, and I must say that I do not really find that all too cool. I mean, yeah, sure, it’s cool to get some entertainment, but when you’re talking to each other and they just stand there to interrupt you and put their shoes on the sofa, then I find that more disturbing than anything.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant TABŪ
23rd Floor, St Regis Downtown
Business Bay
Dubai (UAE)
Tel.: +971 52 950 1309
E-Mail: reservations@tabudubai.com
Homepage: http://www.tabudubai.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. 
