Where else can you find authentic, fresh, and delicious Turkish food while overlooking the glittery skyline of Dubai? At Dokuz, where Chef Ismail— who hails from an entire family of chefs—and his team have nailed down the most superlative menu set amidst a lounge style ambiance on the rooftop of the Fairmont Hotel in Dubai.

After our welcome drink, we sipped on special Turkish mocktails while our mezze was served along with freshly baked Turkish bread. The cold dishes included a creamy concoction of beetroot yogurt and garlic which was perfect with the bread. We also nibbled on kisir—small round patties made from bulghur and tomato paste, drizzled over with pomegranate syrup. One of my favorite mezze dishes is dolma and here, onions were encased with seasoned rice and baked in the oven to create a deliciously unique take on dolma. Then the Turkish labneh—this was a salty cheesy version with onion and lemon juice as well as a dish made of three kinds of peppers, tomatoes, parsley, and walnuts. We also loved the smoked tomato salad with sweet and sour flavors.

Our hot mezze included Borek—tiny, tightly rolled pastries filled with potato, garlic, and cheese accompanied with yogurt dipping sauce. And the Turkish Ishte kofte—very similar to Lebanese kibbeh— was beef meatballs with a bulgur coating served atop onions and parsley.

The piece de resistance however, was the main dish—sea bass coated and cooked in rock salt and egg to give it a hard coating. It was set on fire and pried open by the chef to reveal a tender and superbly cooked dish. Also, the Dokuz kebobs were loaded in flavor and cooked until tender.

Who can resist Turkish sweets? We tucked into Kunafa—soft, cheesy, and warm, served with a dollop of Turkish ice-cream. Then the special pumpkin dish which is considered to be a celebratory dish in Turkey, made from pumpkin, small crispy rounds that are very soft on the inside. Then was my favorite—Katmir; a fried crepe stuffed with pistachios, semolina, then baked to a crispy perfection, also served with Turkish ice-cream.

The Verdict: The ambiance here is luxurious, but relaxing at the same time with al fresco skyline views of Dubai. The service is extremely attentive, and the food by Chef Ismail is next level delicious.

https://www.fairmont.com/dubai/dining/dokuz/