Reif Othman
, who is the former head chef of Zuma and PLAY has opened his own restaurant in Dubai, and serves authentic Japanese food.
Reif Japanese Kushiyaki in Dar Wasl Mall in Jumeirah opened its doors to the public on Monday September 9. The Singaporean chef feels thrilled since he always wanted his own restaurant and was looking for a space in Dubai. Reif Japanese Kushiyaki can accommodate just 29 diners, with a terrace with room for 30 will open for winter. They also have an open-plan kitchen with a chef’s table – a counter bar with four seats for a more private and intimate experience.
The new restaurant keeps is affordable and since the dining scene is changing and people are not spending now, Reif has consciously watched the prices and planned the menu. The team want to keep it affordable so people can come in and enjoy a sumptuous meal at a decent price. The menu is laid out into a tick-box style system with seven sections, and expect some authentic, affordable street food.
Kushiyaki are 
bamboo skewers common in Japanese and Singaporean street food. And while yakitori actually refers to chicken skewers in a teriyaki sauce, kushiyaki covers more, and there are 13 types found on Othman’s menu. Kushi katsu includes crispy baby squid and rock shrimp with chipotle mayo are delicious. Other kushi includes various cuts of chicken – thigh, wings, skin, heart, neck et al to minimise food wastage – along with Angus beef with a choice of sauce and vegitables including cauliflower with black sesame sauce, mushrooms with wafu sauce and baby sweet corn with chilli herbs. Their menu focuses is on kusiyaki so diners can find beef, chicken, katsu seafood. They also serve dishes such as claypot rice, ramen and more. Diners must try molten cake with peanut butter praline and salted cashews for dessert.
Along with minimising food wastage, the first bottle of filtered water is free for diners, they do not serve single-use plastic straws and staff wear t-shirts and aprons made from recycled plastic bottles. 
This new, home-grown eatery is owned and operated by Othman. Diners can see chef behind the stove, at the restaurant and overseeing operations. The restaurant will be closed every Monday, to ensure staff have a well-deserved rest, while it’s open for both lunch and dinner the rest of the week. REIF offers beautifully unconventional Japanese cuisine. This family-style, home-grown neighborhood restaurant combines the highest level of service by the chefs themselves; serve quality ingredients and signature mocktails all served in a serenely designed and welcoming interior.
Hours:
Sat, Sun, Tue, Wed: 12:00 – 23:00
Thurs – Fri: 12:00 – 24:00
Contact:
Reif Japanese Kushiyaki
Dar Wasl Mall – Al Wasl Rd
Jumeirah
Dubai – United Arab Emirates.
Tel.: +971 4 345 0761
e-mail: info@reifkushiyaki.com
Web: www.reifkushiyaki.com
Photo courtesy: www.reifkushiyaki.com
Location:
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