Category Dining

Strawfire, Mandarin Oriental Abu Dhabi Review and Exclusive Interview with Chef Ross Shonhan

I recently visited Strawfire, the restaurant by Chef Ross Shonhan, which opened in 2024 at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Abu Dhabi.
Strawfire takes its name and philosophy from warayaki, a style of Japanese cooking over straw flames. Chef Ross first came across the method during his travels to Shikoku Island in southern Japan, where rice straw is used to infuse a distinctive campfire flavour. Traditionally reserved for a few regional dishes, Strawfire takes the technique further, using it to bring out character in a wider range of ingredients.

Review: Konjiki Hototogisu at Palm Jumeirah Mall 

Konjiki Hototogisu, the Michelin-starred ramen house from Tokyo, has opened its second branch in the UAE at the Palm Jumeirah Mall (formerly Nakheel Mall). The Mall of the Emirates outlet already holds a Bib Gourmand, along with garnering rave reviews. I wanted to see how the new location would measure up. (Spoiler: it absolutely did).

Review: The Chef’s Brunch 2.0 at Giornotte The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi

I had the chance to attend the opening of The Chef’s Brunch 2.0 at The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal and if there’s ever been a definition of being spoilt for choice, this is it. With 39 different stations, including 18 new concepts, it’s not the kind of brunch you can breeze through in an hour. My best advice? Arrive on time and stay until the end, it’s the only way to pace yourself and properly enjoy everything on offer.