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TOKO DUBAI

The Food at Toko Dubai

Toko Dubai serves contemporary Japanese, Izakaya (sharing plates) style food. Sometimes contemporary means mixed up flavours and small portions, not here though. Delicious, authentic food served in gorgeous dishes, it reminded me of the Chotto Matte’s style in London’s Soho.  We loved the soft shell crab maki rolls, crispy baby squid, spicy tuna and soft, succulent aubergines.  The only thing I wouldn’t order again were the tortilla tuna wrap rolls.

Toko_Dubai_Contemporary_japanese

The Location of Toko Dubai

Toko Dubai is located on the lower ground floor of the modern Vida hotel in the Downtown area of Dubai on Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard opposite the Qamardeen hotel. It’s great if you’re shopping at Dubai Mall or staying at either of the 2 Address hotels in the area. We came from the Arabian Ranches for a birthday lunch on a week day and it took us around 20 minutes to drive here.

The Ambience of Toko Dubai

We sat outside the Toko Dubai and unless you’re directly in the sun, at this time of year it can be a tiny bit cool for us Dubaians! A shawl or cardigan is a good idea and the hotel obliged me by producing a shawl from somewhere, thank you Toko! Despite the weak mid day sun, we still opted to sit in the lounge style arrangement and eat dish after dish in this relaxed setting.

The inside was fairly empty on the day we visited.  The ambience is elegant without being stuffy. That goes for the whole of the Vida hotel too, small but perfectly formed.

Toko_Dubai_Maki_Rolls

What’s Good to Know about Toko Dubai

Toko Dubai has a large, modern, candle lit garden area that is closed at lunch time but open during the evening. I would come back here but booking is required as this space is very popular with diners. Apparently you can also smoke shisha in some sections of the garden area.

Toko Dubai has a special deal on Tuesdays when for Dhs 225 you can have 18 pieces of sushi and drink unlimited Sake or Asahi beer!

Toko_Dubai_Garden

Our lunch didn’t include alcohol and we didn’t limit ourselves to just sushi but we paid around Dhs 200 per head including Dhs 65 for an immaculately presented chocolate birthday dessert! We will be back at Toko Dubai very soon and I will ask for a prize to share with my subscribers…

Toko-Dubai_Chocolate_Dessert

THANKYOU

Monica

Wishing you all a fabulous 2015…

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PHEW ! FUCHSIA PROPER THAI FOOD IN DUBAI

I came across this restaurant one evening,  I think my eyes were hungry, I saw a large dark pink hoarding that said something like ‘Urban Thai’. Another Massage Parlour I thought, but then realized it was an Eaterie!

Fab! But then the cynic took over, thinking hmm…..will the Pad Thai  be orangey in colour and will all the dishes taste roughly the same without an ounce of real Thai flavor; as  happens too often in Dubai.

But a family meal banished all such thoughts.

A real neighbourhood café serving authentic Thai food cooked by Thai chefs in a light, airy space that’s not part of a mall or hotel, gorgeous food, well priced.  What’s not to like?

Papaya Salad
Papaya Salad

Here’s what you need to know:

LOCATION

It’s actually in the TECOM/Greens area of Dubai, there is a large Geant on the road towards the Greens from Hessa Street on your right once you turned towards the Greens (roughly) The building itself is called ‘The Two Towers’ building in Tecom, but I didn’t see any evidence of this name, look for the Geant or the pink hoarding of Fuschia itself. Helpfully there is valet parking.

AMBIENCE

Relaxed, airy café vibe, modern with clean lines without being too bright and brash. Fine for families, but great for any age really, if it’s good food you’re after. The restaurant is on one level; the ground floor.

FOOD

Delicious, fresh and authentic – so far! We opted for staples like Papaya salad, red prawn curry and pad Thai. It was tasty with sensible portions and we loved the fish cakes too. A good sign of an authentic Thai restaurant is reflected by whether they serve Morning Glory, a kind of Thai water spinach; they do it very well here, order it and tell me what you think.

PRICE

Under Dhs 300 for 5 people, nothing more needs to be said on that score.

SPECIAL MENTION

Try the Al Ain (local) sparkling water, really good value at Dhs 16.00 for a large bottle, so refreshing with spicy food, thank goodness for locally produced sparkling water!

Local Sparkling Water
Local Sparkling Water

It’s really helpful for me and of course the restaurant if you share this article in your favourite way on your social media.

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Thank you

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KOREAN COMPETITION – now closed

Eat for Free at Sobahn

AND THE WINNERS ARE:

Announcing the winners: According to Random.Org, the winners are commenters:

Jennifer and Terry ! Well done and congratulations to you both ! I will email you your winning vouchers tomorrow, valid till the end of the month, do enjoy your meal and let me know what you thought of Sobahn !

Who said there’s no such thing as a free lunch ? Sobahn Korean Japanese restaurant has kindly offered Do in Dubai two vouchers for a buffet meal for 2 people each. Sobahn so good!

All you have to do to win one of these is to be a subscriber to Do in Dubai (just fill in your email and follow instructions) like us on Facebook and answer this easy question in the comment box below

What is Kimchee?

I’ll as usual let the Random Number Gizmo choose 2 winners at the end of next week, that’s Thursday 31st October and email them the result, that’s it, just enjoy your well made Oriental meal in great surroundings.  The hard part will be choosing who to take with you ! Thanks Monica

Click here for our review of Sobahn restaurant to whet your appetites and Thanks to Sobahn for another Great Do in Dubai Giveaway. And if you haven’t already seen it, click here for our link to Oriental Dubai.

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JAPANESE KOREAN RESTAURANT SOBAHN

EATING:

Japanese Korean  restaurant Sobahn

Sobahn means ‘good’ in Korean and the food at this  Japanese Korean Restaurant Sobahn eaterie lived up to it’s name. The atmosphere in the restaurant is similar to that of a hotel buffet (we visited on a Friday) but without the high price tags attached. Our family chose to start with generous servings of miso soup and sushi at a separate counter to the buffet style main courses.

Everything was appetizing, whilst the service was friendly and helpful. Our Korean waitress spoke excellent English and it’s always reassuring when your chosen eaterie is liberally sprinkled with expats of the said cuisine. Lot’s of Oriental families were here, some of whom come regularly from Abu Dhabi !

What do you eat when you get to a Koeran Buffet?

Kimchee of course, but it’s always best to ask a regular, here’s what she suggested:

 

If you fancy stocking up on some ingredients to whip up a Korean storm in your kitchen then go down a flight to the Oriental Supermarket downstairs on the ground floor

Click here for what you NEED TO KNOW now about getting to this restaurant and prices.

Thanks Candy for recommending it to DoinDubai.

Do you like Korean food?

TRY  KOREANA, click here for DoinDubai’s review of that restaurant.

Leave a comment once you have been to The Sobahn; let us know what you thought.

Thanks

Monica

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