There’s no shortage of culinary gems and quirky hotspots in Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue, but the arrival of Japanese restaurant Kokoro has the ultra-cool district more bustling than ever. The UAE’s first handroll bar, Kokoro is an intimate space anchored around a central sushi bar where chefs let diners into the behind-the-scenes magic of each creation. While there are tables in the dining room, perch at the bar for an up-close experience where you'll be handed your handroll by the chefs themselves, as if participating in some sort of delightful sushi relay race where the handroll is the baton.
The menu is concise and features nine expertly crafted handrolls (though, if you’re lucky, there may be special, secret-menu handrolls available on the day) made from the freshest ingredients, wrapped in crunchy nori seaweed and brushed with a delicate combination of seasonings. True to Dubai’s unwavering adoration of spicy tuna, the spicy tuna handroll is the best-seller at Kokoro, however the salmon, yellowtail and Japanese amberjack handrolls (the latter dressed in a jalapeno aioli) are not to be missed. Can’t quite choose? Opt for the handroll set menu, which sees sets of three, four or five handrolls per person arrive at the table.
Handrolls are the headliner, but Kokoro’s other dishes by no means play second fiddle. Kick off the meal with the sunomono salad (a refreshing, zingy combination of pickled cucumber, tomato, crispy garlic and shallots) before leading into an array of ultra-thin crudo - the scallop is a stand-out thanks to accompanying orange slices and bright ponzu sauce. While you’re on a roll, complete your evening with a selection of nigiri and sashimi. The A5 Wagyu nigiri, served torched, melts in the mouth and is made all the more decadent with the addition of uni and caviar, while bluefin otoro and hamachi are order-it-twice delicious.
Although it has only been open for mere months, Kokoro is packed day and night with repeat customers and newbies following the buzz. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations so a queue is par for the course, but the quick service and speedy dining style mean guests are often in and out in as little as thirty minutes. Learn more
