When it comes to eating out I always seem to gravitate toward the more obscure, offbeat or underground kind of places. In doing so, I’d like to think- sometimes falsely, that the experience will be more genuine and the food and service more honest.

In a city that’s mostly about bigger is better, the idea of smaller local hangouts is becoming much more prevalent which is neatly underscored by the emergence of a humble, homegrown dining scene. Independent operators are beginning to pop up all over the place bringing with them their own unique vibe and in the process delivering a much more robust neighborhood dining dynamic.

From burgers to bars and on to fine dining, this local movement is gaining pace and hopefully as many have pointed out, landlords see the value in collaborating with these creative concepts for the long haul. If they needed any inspiration then they need not look any further than the lovely Lowe quietly tucked away on the ground floor of the KOA Canvas Hotel, which is next to the much more famous Al Barari, all the way out on Emirates Road.

Yeah it’s a hike to get there but if there was ever a spot that was worth the drive, then this is it. 

Once you walk in, its fairly clear that a lot of thought has gone into the styling of the restaurant which suits the hotel and the destination offer perfectly. It’s pared back concrete walls and floors are nicely punctuated by wooden table tops and chairs offering a sense of Scandinavian warmth. The overall simplicity of the interior design acts as the perfect canvas for the food which along with the open kitchen takes center stage here at Lowe.

The produce led, sharing menu has been wonderfully conceived to deliver a host of creative dishes that at face value sound quite straightforward but once each plate hits the table, it becomes immediately obvious that you’re in for a meal with a few twists and turns. 

For this lunchtime visit after downing a coffee and some complimentary sweet potato chips, we started off with the Natural Oysters (AED 48), their green yuzu vinegar offering just enough acid to contrast with the oyster in an interesting yet subtle way.

Keeping the seaside picks going, we then delved into the Raw Sea Bream (AED 62). This play on a ceviche was presented beautifully and was simply sublime with the apple dashi and horse radish combining with the sweet ginger to deliver a standout plate that was light and refreshing - leaving you wanting more.

While we were still waxing lyrical about the sea bream, the Local Clam Orzo (AED 62) arrived rounding out our ocean based choices. This original take on a Vongole was clever and creative and turned out to be light yet bold with its clean fresh ingredients that was a pleasure to eat. While the format was completely unexpected the flavors were spot on, delivering the expected combination of salty clams, parsley, lemon and pasta.

With the starters done, we turned our attention to our land based choices and the impending arrival of the Ricotta Agnolotti (AED 63) along with the House Aged Beef (AED 149), which reminded me in a good way of the wonderful Flank Steak at Pots, Pans and Boards. When the former landed, it admittedly looked like a slightly unappetizing dome of cream but digging down revealed a soft and tender braised capretto along with the chard leaves that surrounded the home made agnolotti. It was of course very earthy, but the aged parmigiano skillfully elevated the dish from being a monotone gloop to a mutli-faceted, moreish mess.

Sitting along side this was the Aged Beef, which was juicy and tender and everything you want in a perfectly cooked steak. For those curious or interested, you can actually see the vast array of steaks faithfully aging away if you make your way to the main lobby of the hotel and then head down the Akira Backesque wooden framed walk way to the washrooms.

The steak is dusted with salt and offered with a quenelle of both broccoli béarnaise and wasabi tarragon, and with that, there’s probably not much more you could ask for.

Bust ask we did by letting our eyes instead of our stomachs order and the wonderful steak came with a side of the Heritage Tomato Salad (AED 50) which was a completely unnecessary but triumphant mix of earthy, acidic and spicy with its plump tomatoes, aged feta, yuzukosho & watermelon vinaigrette. It was extremely flavorful and acted as the perfect foil to the steak.

By this point we were on the verge of having to be escorted out in wheel barrows, or potentially airlifted by helicopter but those darn freshly baked madeleines with passionfruit curd sounded like a great idea….and they were.

What a way to end an epic lunch.

From the immaculate and personable service to the interior style, along with the plates and plating, through to the beats in the background, Lowe comes across as a well oiled machine full of creative culinary flair and not a fresh debutante to Dubai’s dining scene.

With ample attention to detail and a well crafted menu, this is one neighborhood hangout full of flavor to savour.