A chic new hotspot that transports guests on a culinary journey, Editor Nina Catt discovers the newly opened outpost...
There’s a significant sense of arrival in the air when you reach Mott 32, the new Chinese restaurant situated on the 73rd floor of Address Beach Hotel in Dubai. Partly due to the journey up to the location’s soaring height, but more so, because the highly acclaimed design team at Joyce Wang Studio have created an impressive East-meets-West space that flawlessly fuses a distinguished New York industrial vibe with the illustrious city scape mood of Hong Kong. “I’m glad I dressed up,” I thought to myself as I was ushered inside to take a seat at the bar.
Gliding my hand across the sleek marble-topped bar, the elegance of the restaurant became apparent. Radiating opulence with a cool and contemporary approach, the aesthetics here are a design aficionados dream come true. The experts behind the ambiance are also applaudably on-point with the mood lighting’s romantic disposition allowing each meticulously curated decorative accent to shine. The soft illuminations also draw attention to the incredible sweeping view across the Arabian Gulf and Bluewaters Island. Arrive at sunset to witness the magnificence of the sky changing from orange to pink as the sun melts into the ocean – guaranteed to impress your dinner date.
Wandering through the expansive space with its plush furnishings, the vibe here is intimate, warm and welcoming. It’s the perfect spot for a date night but also lends itself to sophisticated soirees with friends, evident by the mixed array of guests that were blissfully settling in for their Saturday night as I wove my way through the various areas of the restaurant, noting the chic design ethos that flows onto the spectacular outdoor terrace.
The food menu is fabulously flamboyant. Helmed by Executive Chef, Frankie Yang Tao, under the impeccably skilled leadership of Mott 32’s Group Chinese Executive Chef, Lee Man Sing (the highly respected Cantonese chef who has earned numerous accolades and Michelin stars), many of the dishes remain loyal to the restaurant’s award-winning sister locations.
Paying homage to culinary creativity, signature dishes include the jasmine flower smoked black cod and the famed Mott 32 apple wood roasted peaking duck (requiring pre-ordering and taking 48 hours to prepare). But I am here for the extensive plant-based offerings I’ve heard so much about.
As my knowledgeable waiter reeled off a number of vegan-friendly dishes I couldn’t hide the excitement from creeping across my face. Learning about the salt and pepper coconut meat “squid”, crispy mock Szechuan “chicken” and star of the show, the smoked peaking “duck” created from bean curd, carrots and shiitake mushrooms, my eyes widened by the second. As each dish was delivered and devoured, I made a mental note of when I’d be returning to the restaurant for round two.
Other highlights from the plant-based menu include the braised chili and garlic eggplant, Ma Po tofu, wild mushrooms in lettuce cups and a magical medley of mouth-watering dim sum. Mott 32 impressively pushes the boundaries for herbivores and the mock duck wrapped in pancakes with plum sauce has been dancing through my mind ever since.
Beautifully complimenting the gastronomic delights, signature cocktails and mocktails elevate the experience via cleverly crafted concoctions that reflect the restaurant’s very essence. Try the Forbidden Rose or the Hong Kong Iced Tea – both a symphony for the tastebuds.
Oozing laid-back sophistication, mirroring its sister locations in Hong Kong, Las Vegas Vancouver, Singapore, Bangkok, Cebu and Seoul, Mott 32 Dubai’s majestic character soars – much like its location in the sky where magic is delivered as culinary works of art.
Visit Mott32dubai.com and follow @Mott32dubai on Instagram.
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Restaurant images courtesy of Mott 32. Outfit images courtesy of brands.
