Miyabi Sushi & Bento – Trade Center Area

I’ve been a fan of Miyabi’s ever since I moved to this neighborhood almost 6 years ago and as such, this review is slightly delayed.

This branch, tucked in the back of DXB Tower on Sheikh Zayed road, is the only one I’ve dined at (although I’ve gotten delivery from the Media City branch a couple times), and I have to say their service and food have always been on point. Miyabi has a cosy outdoors dining area, although it’s already getting too hot to be seated there for lunch (but it’s only April!), and their upstairs seating has a quieter ambience. But if you like being seated right next to all the action (i.e. Sushi chefs) and don’t mind a little bit of noise with the staff frequently talking to one another, don’t bother taking the stairs up.

I walked in for lunch with a starving friend and we were greeted by smiling faces – always a delight in this country. We had a few questions, that our server was more than happy to answer for us. We started off with some good ol’ Edamame (with coarsely ground sea salt), which kept us munching while we decided which maki rolls to get. Here’s what we got:

• 1 Godzilla roll – a personal favorite; I usually always end up getting this one especially when I’m bringing new faces to Miyabi. A word of caution though: it is deep fried and hence feels heavy, but the flavors of the BBQ eel and spicy tuna blend together so well that every piece is worth it.
• 1 Lion King roll – by far, one of the best rolls I’ve had at Miyabi. I have a feeling I’ve tried this before, but they’ve worked on it since then, and wow. You really feel the creamy mix of mayo & mozarella drizzled on the baked salmon topping covering this California roll. It’s a good feeling.
• 1 Double Crunch roll – This shrimp tempura roll is pretty basic on the inside, and I just don’t think the crunch mix on top really does it, especially in terms of value for money. I wouldn’t order this one again – there are plenty of tastier ones to choose from.
• 1 Dynamite roll – This was the slightly controversial roll, as I really enjoyed it but my friend didn’t seem to like it as much. Its appearance was kind of messy; it didn’t look the most appealing out of the lot. However, I quite enjoyed the cream cheese, and the mix of sweet sauces that went with the spicy salmon inside.

The portions of their signature rolls may not look big, but they are super filling. We borderline struggled with finishing four rolls. Their staff was super friendly (without being intrusive), including the restaurant manager Christine, who came to check on us during out meal. Overall, Miyabi is a great casual dining experience and it’s high up on my list of fresh, affordable and delicious sushi in Dubai.