The Sophisticated Stylings of Akira Back
From Professional snowboarder in Colorado to head chef of Nobu and battler of Bad Bobby Flay on Iron Chef, seems Akira Back has an interesting story.
I’ve been hoping and waiting for the W Palm to open for years, so when it finally did it didn’t take too long for me head on over and check it out. First stop - Akira Back.
To be honest, I hadn’t heard too much about Akira Back but with 11 restaurants in 10 cities all over the world I guess I just didn’t look into it deeply enough….anyway his flagship Dubai restaurant is really quite something to behold.
Upon entry from the main lobby you are greeted by an an elaborate neon gateway that ushers you in to small but beautiful looking pre-drinks bar that opens out to the robata bar which is central to the restaurant. This is where all the food is prepped and then sent out to the many tables and booths that are neatly aligned along a darkened floor lit corridor that ultimately leads to the outdoor dining area that has some great views and a floating bar.
It’s an elegant space that relies on the heavy use of concrete and wood that is minimalist in nature. At the same time there are some nice pops of color that convey a sense of fun most notably the big red doors that lead to the private dining room with its real green wall and the mother of pearl looking mosaic facade and neon sign that sits above the robata bar.
To the side of this is a full wall lighting feature made up of hanging lights that leads you out to the main dining area, where you’ll find hanging screens that ever so slightly illuminate the darkened space with a series of animated cloud projections. One really interesting touch is the inclusion of columns that feature the Japanese art form of Wabi-Sabi, where broken porcelain is made perfect again. It’s clear that with the space and the food attention to detail is important at Akira Back.
In all it’s a sophisticated destination that’s a perfect fit for the W.
There’s an extensive menu on offer that celebrates modern Japanese cuisine with a twist and runs through cold and hot apps (a lot of which sound amazing!), as well as soups and salads as you work your way towards to robata and rolls. From there it’s all sushi along with the main sharing plates and platters.
For this visit we kept things pretty simple and compact and went for some sushi which included the Unagi (AED 50) and the much vaunted Pop Rockin (AED 70). The Unagi was pretty nice but not quite as good as Morimoto’s while the polarizing Pop Rocking was a great bit of fun with its popping candy set amoungst the spicy crab and cucumber. Of the Hot Appetizers, there’s a lot going there with the Ab Tacos, Truffle Bomb, Yellowtail Jalapeno and the Miso Black Cod all looking great.
Decisions, decisions and in the end we opted for something different and as a bit of an ode to past trips to Tokyo with the Akira Back Shabu Shabu (AED 245). This isn’t exactly your run of the mill Shabu Shabu that’s for sure. This one comes with Wagyu Beef slices and Foie Gras along with a bunch of beautifully prepared vegetables that once given their little bath in the sublime and wonderfully complex dashi consume are dipped in a choice of three dipping sauces.
I love this dish for a few reasons but one of them is the ability to take your time and converse as you go about swishing your selected goods in the broth. As for the foie gras, it was something different but it’s not my favorite thing ever but a valid inclusion for a high end dish, while the wagyu was ever so thinly sliced and a definite step up from the usual frozen cuts you get at hot pot restaurants.
Rounding this out was the light and fun looking Yuzu Citrus Desert (AED 45) which was plated in a minimalist fashion and ended up being the perfect compliment to the heavy umami flavors that came before.
Bottom Line:
Overall, the service was very attentive but sometimes a little nervous but not in a detrimental way. It was great to see the head chef work the room and make a point of introducing himself and the concept to the diners too. All of these touches and the obvious attention to detail makes for a sophisticated and stylish evening that is perfect for a date night or for a VIP business dinner.
As for the items I didn’t try this time around - Akira knows I’ll be back.
