What to eat at Novikov Dubai with Chef Shane Macneill
From Mayfair to Sheikh Zayed Road, Novikov Restaurant & Bar is the second Novikov restaurant to leave its home base in London. Now in Dubai, the Asian restaurant is making its mark with one of its main attractions - an internationally sourced seafood market. The unique centerpiece, facing an open kitchen managed by Head Chef Shane Macneill, is one of the secrets behind keeping their extensively eclectic menu exciting.
Learn about the top 5 must try dishes at Novikov according to Head Chef Shane below.
1) Wagyu Tacos
The first of the dishes is our top seller the "Wagyu Tacos". We use the highest grade of full blooded Japanese wagyu beef and painstakingly dice it to a fine cube - or brunoise as it is called in our professional field. After that we add a ripened chili pepper which has been smoked, onions, a pinch of salt and a dab of our secret Novikov sauce. It is then left to marinade so the spices and sauce are absorbed by the meat and wagyu fat.
It is quickly sautéed and added to a corn taco shell with homemade guacamole, chipotle salsa and tomato salsa. It is a one bite explosion of completeness,the textures and flavours take immediate effect and the whole experience lets you know the work and thought that has been put into the preparation of this winning dish.
2) Miso Baby Chicken
Secondly for me, as the chef, is our "Miso Baby Chicken". Less than 28 days old and weighing no more than 500 grams it is succulent, very tender, lean, sweet and preferred by many chefs these days as opposed to chicken as it has a more delicate flavour. In this particular recipe at Novikov we de-bone and steep in soya bean paste, sake rice wine, mirin (sweet cooking liquor), kimchee base and soy sauce. It is a brief marinade as miso tends to replace the water inside the fish, poultry, or meat making it dry.
A miso marinade only ever needs three components: miso, alcohol, and some saccharine form such as mirin or sugar. The sugar content in the mirin guarantees a crisp and nicely-charred surface on the spring chicken. We accompany it with homemade pickled cucumber and a lime wedge to add some acidity. Spicy, sweet, acidic and awesome!
3) Hamachi Carpaccio
The "Hamachi Carpaccio" is one of the dishes where our clients tend to order a second round, this quite simply speaks for itself! Our yellow tail comes from Matsuura which is in the prefecture of Nagasaki southern Japan.
It’s a mountainous region next to the sea, rural and has one of the biggest fish markets in Japan, I was there last year and it is incredibly beautiful and green. For the carpaccio itself firstly we sharpen our knife in order to thinly slice the Hamachi and carefully place it onto the plate. Maldon sea salt is sprinkled over and drizzled with truffle dressing which completely covers the carpaccio. We add salad leaves and sliced seasonal truffles for texture. “Through simplicity comes great beauty.”
4) Novikov Peking Duck
The 15th century dish remastered is a must here in Novikov! Based on the classic, the duck is blanched, stuffed with herbs, salt spice and a maltose vinegar is poured over the whole duck before hanging for 3 days. In this time the whole duck absorbs all of these heavy flavours and this increases during the roasting. Just imagine the crispy, amber-toned skin. That juicy, melt-in-your-mouth breast meat. Those deeply nuanced, deeply aromatic flavors, expertly engineered to send your pleasure sensors a-spinnin’.
5) Quail Egg and Truffle Gunkan
The "quail egg and truffle Gunkan" has more benefits for your body than a Swiss health farm. Starting with an impressively high level of vitamin A, B and C to help neutralize free radicals and boost your metabolism. They are high in minerals and also help sooth allergies. With the addition of truffle, Sushi rice, crispy batter and chives this is our 5th element! Packed with flavour and texture this little creation came at one of our finest hours.