Moylo’s is one of my favourite burger joints in Dubai. The fact that its home-grown makes it even more special. So, I was very excited to learn they have opened a branch in JLT, somewhere I spend a lot of time. It took quite a hunt to find them, the reason being that they’re operating through culinary incubators, Kitchen Nation.
Over-simplified, Kitchen Nation is an amazing enterprise which offers dreamers and start-ups a professional platform to launch and/or expand their culinary ideas, concepts and businesses. In this case (I assume) Moylo’s has taken kitchen space from Kitchen Nation, embedding their own chef/s and providing their own raw materials. I can vouch for the fact that the product you get here is pretty much the same as in the Jumeirah branch. BUT (and I find this bit most disappointing) you get none of Moylo’s funkiness, which comes via its hodgepodgy interior. The sterile environment of Kitchen Nation, whilst reassuring from a health and safety point of view, is as exciting as watching cows graze. Thankfully they seem to have fixed the air-conditioning/circulation problems, so I didn’t have to dine in a hot smokehouse.
I have tried most of their burgers but invariably come back to the original, Moylo’s Burger. It’s excellent. If you like SALT and Shake Shack burgers, you will love Moylo’s burgers. It’s very close in taste and much less expensive. Try their fries too. They’re among the best in Dubai.
As one would expect of staff juggling so many hats, service at Kitchen Nation cannot compete with that of Moylo’s; there’s none of the brand loyalty, passion and conviction. It’s basically, you can have this or (switch menu), you can have that. Hmm. That said, sometimes that’ll still be better than having to drive out to Jumeirah, especially now…with summer coming. Where I think this marriage of compromise will really work though, is in takeaways and deliveries. Good luck Moylo’s.
Waste NOT. Want NOT.
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