From the creators of Dubai’s funkiest nightclub, Stereo Arcade, comes Akiba Dori, a fully-licensed food hall-style indoor alleyway inspired by the back streets of Akihabara, Tokyo. Located in Building 8 of Dubai Design District (D3), Akiba Dori boasts six unique storefronts – a baked goods section, a café, a Japanese street food kitchen, a modern Arcade (of course), a bar; serving everything from Japanese beer on tap to AED 99 bottles of wine, and a Japanese pizzeria called…Tokyopolitan. Its interior is, in a word – fun, and not in the least as overbearingly Asian-indulgent as say, Mr. Miyagi’s. There is real, believable ambience at this place.
If you think the concept of a Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizzeria is unique, then you’ll find their Japanese-trained, Italian pizzaiolo (man who makes pizzas) even more so. And guess what? Luigi is actually from Naples. I noticed he’s developed something of a Salt Bae technique of flicking salt on his pizzas as they go into the oven – very cool.
Everything about Akiba Dori’s pizzeria is authentic, from the ingredients they import from Japan and Italy to the wood-fired oven which can bake a pizza in under 60 seconds. The pizzas themselves are truly amazing.
Akiba Dori has kept its menu simple, short and sweet. Everything we had, from their excellent Sashimi Salad (which we ordered twice) to their unbelievable Wagyu Gyoza was superb. If you like PF Chang’s dynamite shrimp, you might want to try Akiba’s Rock Shrimp – it’s something you will chopstick sword fight over. Classics such as Katsu Curry and Yaki Soba / Yaki Udon are also available although I have not (yet) tried them. Another missed opportunity was their Hakata Cheesecake which I hear is as authentic as you will get outside Tokyo.
Service was great, the staff were very friendly, well-groomed and accommodating. It’s not every day that I walk in and click so quickly with a restaurant as I did with Akiba Dori. It has great vibes. The ambience is youthful, unpretentious, playful. The food is excellent. And it’s licensed. What more do you want? Akiba Dori – well worth a detour.
Waste NOT. Want NOT.
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