Fridays at Momotaro are Much More Than Sushi
Want to do something different for a Friday brunch? Head on down to Momotaro for ‘innovative Japanese cuisine’. So I did, with a girl friend, to enjoy bubbly and a good chin wag!
Momotaro is an intimate yet funky Japanese restaurant hidden in the labyrinth that is Souk Bahar. It is easy to find in the Arabic souk, although you may not have realised it was there, as the entrance is almost concealed at a rather bizarre angle. If you have any problems just look at the store guide or for Left Bank, as it is just next door! When you find it, you almost can’t understand that you did not notice it sooner! And even better, when you eventually stumble out looking for your next venue, there are a couple of bars to choose from for a sun-downer.
You enter through an impressive mosaic archway and are immediately met with the open, live cooking station, where your authentic Japanese chef is busy, preparing the feast that awaits you. The appearance of the restaurant is chic and dynamic with strong shots of red, black and white everywhere. It is indicative of the Japanese flag. The staff were courteous, knowledgeable and welcoming. Our waiter clearly explained the format of the brunch and quickly poured the bubbles! Yay!
Not personally being a sushi or seafood fan, I was a little sceptical of how much of the food I would actually enjoy. But I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised and am almost a sushi convert! Better than many brunch venues, you can perpetually order baby-sized dishes from the brunch menu. The chef’s and waitering staff and are so quick and efficient, that you really do not have to wait a long time between eatings! Our waiter was so confident in the product, that he often pre-empt our order and treated us to a range of starters and nibbles, before we even asked!
As two Libran foodies (super-indecisive food addicts!), we rather naughtily tried almost all of the savoury dishes on the menu! Shocking I know, but Momotaro anticipate this and cleverly serve small portions, so that you can try out lots of different things without getting the stuffed turkey feeling that we all equate with a good old brunch! Amongst our favourites were the Ebi Tempura (battered prawns), Gyuniku Kushiyaki (chargrilled beef skewers), Sake Robata (grilled salmon), Spicey Kamo (cooked duck and leek sushi-type roll) and the most amazing, delicately flavoured Tori No Asuparagasu Yaki (yummy chicken wrapped asparagus spears). Divine! I did order a chicken fried rice dish and I was sadly served udon noodles, which I wouldn’t normally order. But I was very brave and tried them! Again, I have been converted at Momotaro! They were so fat and juicy, almost like pasta, that I ate the lot! And it was fun too! I went back to my childhood, slurping up the noodles, wiping sauce from my chin! He he he!
Upon recommendation of the staff, I chose Ginger Ice-cream Tempura and my friend chose Fruit Chawan Mushi (traditional chilled egg custard with fruit). It was quite tasty!
I have already vowed to take my husband back to this good venue and I will be recommending it to my friends!
Momotaro
Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Burj Khalifa
For reservations, call +971 4 4257976.
