Ambience, ambience, ambience! On entering Clay Dubai, you will be mesmerised by the amazing decor, which we must say is very Instagrammable. The restaurant is decked out with sleek marble table tops with rich textures, from beiges and orange velvet to plush mahogany leather and tasteful Japanese lantern light features. Walk out to the balconies to view Bluewaters and the Ain Dubai. The restaurant is spacious, with a large bar serving delicious cocktails and mocktails from Lima to Tokyo.
Clay brings fresh servings of Nikkei (Nikkei refers to the Japanese diaspora) cuisine to Dubai with signature dishes that reflect culture and creativity. Japanese-Peruvian cuisine, you may wonder? At the turn of the twentieth century, Japanese in their hundreds travelled to Peru looking for a new life. Peru was thought to be full of gold, rolling with opportunity, and blessed by rich soil and a tender-hearted climate. Peru is home to one of the largest Nikkei communities in the world. We thought we would drop that bit of history shared by the server during dinner.
The dishes are in a league of their own, infusing the fine flavours from Japan and Peru to showcase Nikkei's diversity. The menu is vast, and you can select from a range of light bites, including karaage tempura, seafood ceviche, and fresh salads. After feasting on delicious starters, move on to flavourful grills, prime wagyu steaks, superb sushi rolls and more.
Desserts are a must-try, too; you will not be let down.
The food at Clay Dubai is great, but the service is most impressive. We all know that service is king! We would go as far as saying the service provided is in the top 1% we have come across. Now that's big! However, well deserved, the server was extremely knowledgeable and attentive.
What we tried and loved:
Starters:
- Taco de Maguro - Bluefin tuna, truffle oyster sauce in a hard-shell taco - AED 65
- Prawn Tempura - Tentsuyu, Furikake, ginger, daikon, chilli and spicy mayo - AED 95
- Lobster popcorn - Tobanjan sauce, Black tobiko, chives and capsicum rings - AED 195
- Sake - salmon, passion fruit sauce, mint cream, tapioca squid ink crackers, nori powder and la yu oil - AED 88
Main:
- Wagyu Ahumado - Wagyu Striploin 9+ and smoked anticuchera - AED 210
- Chilean Sea Bass - Nikkai rice, dashi, yellow chilli and crioila salad - AED 190
- Andean Potato Chips with Haucatay mayo - AED 40
- Broccolini with Balsamic ponzu - AED 35
Miso Brulee
Dessert:
- Lucuma Lava - quinoa crumble, togarashi, cinnamon ice cream and manchego cream - AED 70
- Miso Brulée - Miso, meringue, caramel, chica morada caviar and mango spheres - AED 58
It’s a 9/10 for us
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