Rüya means ‘dream’ in Turkish, and from the minute you enter the stylish new restaurant at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Dubai, you are given a glimpse into the dream-like gastronomic treat you are in for.
A carefully curated menu from executive chef Colin Clague offers big, bold flavours with traditional Turkish dishes, and, of course, interesting modern updates. Seabass is teamed with mustard, beef with pistachio butter, while the lamb shank sits happily alongside a tasty, homemade red pepper paste. An underrated, soon-to-be-flagship dish is the Zeytinyağli Ahtapot; marinated grilled octopus with chilli, borlotti beans and capers.
The eclectic menu is a good indication of the crowd that will eventually frequent here: young, successful professionals and couples on date nights. The sharing mentality of the menu and dishes also make it the perfect evening venue to catch up with friends. Each of the dishes we tried was a bold explosion of flavours that you would be hard-pressed to find in Turkey itself.
But don’t be fooled, it isn’t just brash flavours. The thought that goes into the dishes and menu recommendations is shown throughout – the rustic bread dip on entry has an explosion of lemon, salt and coriander, which is cleverly followed by a refreshing, palate-cleansing beetroot and goat cheese starter.
This is a true, rich slice of Turkey right in the heart of Dubai.
Rüya, Grosvenor House Hotel, Dubai. Sunday to Wednesday 6pm to 1am, and Thursday and Friday 6pm to 2am. Reservations can be made by visiting ruyadubai.com or calling +971 4 3999 123.
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