Located in the snow-white labyrinths of majestic Park Hyatt Dubai, NOÉPERestaurant offers breathtaking views of the Promenade — one of Dubai’s major luxury spots.
Right from the doorway with its incredibly light & airy marine interiors NOÉPE starts to impress: the sleek design and elegant simplicity in details create a feeling of relaxation and comfort like being in a small villa by the sea.
However, an amazing atmosphere of the place inspired by the views of the Cape Cod harbor is not the only thing attracting visitors.
Launched this summer new à la carte menu is a mix of coastal California cuisine with a simple laconic presentation as well as fusion of traditional Peruvian and Japanese ingredients in “Nikkei” section.
Charming and ambitious restaurant head chef Liz Nunez left the bestsellers of the menu and added bright author’s novelties with Californian accent making the menu extremely dynamic and concise.
Liz Nunez: “To be fair, there is no independent California food – it’s a big mix of different national gastronomic trends: Mexican, Argentinean, Brazilian, Asian. The Nikkei section means not a kitchen but a culinary style. However, I try to maximize the use of local products. Here the market allows this: guaranteed freshness, no freezing, especially regarding fish and seafood.”
You can start the acquaintance with NOÉPE’s cuisine from one of ceviches.“Black” (68 AED) is a mix of fresh seafood, sweet potato, coriander & fennel dressed with secret ink-color Leche de Tigre marinade which means “tiger milk” in Peruvian (popular marinade based on citrus used for ceviche).
The bar menu of the restaurant is full of juicy seasonal mixes with not only high-quality alcoholic filling but also original serveings. In addition, NOÉPE bartenders will skillfully help to select the right drink for the dish of your choice.
The bright taste of Black Ceviche is perfectly emphasized by the Drunk Monkey cocktail based on vodka with sharp notes of Tabasco, guava juice and lemongrass (75 AED).
“I always try to preserve the original taste of products without spoiling it with an excess of salt, spices or adding extra ingredients. Therefore, one of the bases of my culinary style is a philosophy of Japanese cuisine — “respect for the ingredients”, — says Liz.
Tasting could be continued with another extravagant combination of Ceviche Ponya (68 AED): fresh salmon cubes seasoned with Leche de Tigre, ripe mango, bonito and crispy seaweed.
A cocktail in an emerald “jar” with the fabulous Indian name “Pocahontas” makes an ideal pairing with the dish — mix of vodka, kiwi and basil (70 AED).
Cobb salad with lobster is something to fall in love with from the first fork. Fresh greens, ripe pulp of avocado, corn, organic eggs & garden vegetables followed by Yuzu Citrus Dressing and a giant juicy claw of lobster on top (98 AED).
Watermelon-mint flavors of Dream Catcher cocktail based on vodka (75 AED) will add a splendid freshness to fish delicacies on a sunny day.
Among hot appetizers we recommend you to try delicious grilled Langoustines with sweet-sour passion fruit & avocado salsa (88 AED).
“Born in 1919” cocktail with a smoked taste based on rum with Campari and Mancino Rosso liqueur (80 AED) will intensify your tasting feelings about this exotic dish.
“The menu of NOÉPE turned out to be small, but I have to confess that I prefer working with small menus rather than huge ones. The biggest advantage is a precise control of the dishes quality and, basing on guests’ opinions, more frequent imposition of seasonal updates and new items. I consider it important to use seasonal products and always discuss with suppliers what is expected to appear in the next three months, what’s more relevant at one time or another. I get inspiration from the ingredients that are available here and now. I like working with vegetables, fish and especially meat. I won’t hide the fact that creating new dishes for me is a laborious process as I used to work on the idea for a long time before reaching the final touch”, — says Liz.
One of the signature national dishes of Liz who originally comes from Latin America is Lomo Saltado (118 AED). Stewed Peruvian-style beef tenderloin in a thick gravy based on soy sauce with sweet bell peppers, tomatoes and onions garnished with yolk confit and fresh coriander. Served with potato rolls which Chef recommends to dip into the sauce.
Another creation by NOÉPE ‘s bartenders — Crazy Hipster (80 AED) — is one of the restaurant’s most popular cocktails. Whiskey, homemade almond syrup and cinnamon will be an excellent pair for this meat dish adding to it more piquancy.
During the evening hours the Tasting Plateau of signature snacks is very popular among restaurant guests — an excellent option for friends & cocktail parties. Assorted miniature hamburgers, crispy shrimp with mayo, brioche with avocado, salmon ceviche, crab cutlets, tartlets with French cheeses and many others.
“Cooking meat and fish on open fire is my passion,” — says Liz.“It is very popular in South America, where I was born and grew up. My mother was a professional chef and Daddy also liked to cook — so often they could be found together while creating something delicious. When I was 6 I began to help at the kitchen constantly observing various processes. My childhood was spent in a small town, and we often went to the market with my mother, bought veggies and groceries: then I always helped her to prepare dinner. Mom also often took me to different gastronomic conferences and workshops. That’s why my tastes for food expanded very early: if the food seemed to me too salted or overcooked, I refused to eat it. So gradually, step by step, my gastronomic “flair” and style began to take its shape — this is what I am extremely grateful to my family for”.
A few secrets: A new project will be opened soon in Park Hyatt Dubai and its cuisine will also be headed by Liz Nunez. The concept will be based on an open fire cooking technique: in every dish you can feel the taste of fire whether it is roasted in ash, smoked or grilled. “We are still in the process of working on the menu, but I’m really pleased to open this restaurant,” — says Liz.
And meanwhile, when dessert time is getting closer, it’s time to take a short walk along the Park Hyatt Dubai Boardwalk to enjoy the evening sunset.
Stunning harbor views with moored boats, fabulous gardens with flowering trees and enchanting snow-white shapes of the hotel “colored” with the purple rays of setting sun.
The best way to prolong the pleasure from this breathtaking picture are author’s desserts.
Start with Dulce de Leche (48 AED) — coconut ice cream, banana slices in homemade salt caramel, sprinkled with crispy chips and freshly shredded coconut. A true tropical paradise.
So-called “deconstructed” Cheesecake (48 AED) is a fresh look at traditional American dessert. Light & airy cheese texture with raspberry sauce, garnished with whipped cream and handmade gluten-free cookies.
Rice Pudding is a dessert from Liz’s childhood. “Mom used to cook this pudding and it turned out to be the most delicious in the whole world,” — she recalls. Based on a family recipe, Liz made her interpretation in sophisticated combination with white pepper ice cream, soaked apples and cotton candy as a decoration (42 AED).
If you prefer to complete your meal with a “liquid” dessert, then try the White desert: sweet & creamy cocktail based on rum, Frangelico liqueur, coconut milk and homemade walnut syrup (85 AED).
NOÉPE Park Hyatt Dubai
Address: The Promenade, Park Hyatt Dubai
Opening hours: daily 12.30—02.00
Editor-in-chief: Patricia Kolari
Technical Director: Evgeny Fedorov
Text writer: Marina Timoshevskaya Photos: EATWEEK
