The DIFC area is Dubai’s glitzy restaurant hotspot, so naturally, it’s always exciting when a new restaurant opens. The latest addition is Alaya, a new concept by pioneering Dubai restauranteur Evgeny Kuzin and star chef Izu Ani blending Mediterranean with Middle Eastern cuisine. The restaurant itself is gorgeous, with marble design touches, a coved ceiling, wall tapestries and parquet floors: the work of design firm Richard Saunders & Sagrada. As delightful as the interiors, dishes – largely prime meat and seafood – are flavourful and packed with ingredients like pine nuts, pistachios, almonds, sesame and fresh herbs and spices like cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and sumac.
Gate Village 6 DIFC, alaya-dubai.com, @alayadubai
