Stripped-back Japanese minimalism couldn’t be more at odds with Dubai’s ‘look at me’ attitude, but new restaurant Toko has brought an element of Zen to Old Town – and we think it fits in perfectly.

Here’s our BITESIZE review. You can read our in-depth review in the April issue of What’s On.

Contact details: Vida Hotel Downtown, Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, Sun to Wed 6pm to midnight, Thur to Sat 6pm to 1am. Tel: (04) 4428383. Taxi: Vida Hotel Downtown. 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Booth seating, bonsai trees and cascading water features make Toko an oasis of calm in the heart of the city..

VIBE  
High-end Japanese in cool and classy surroundings – diners were dressed for a night on the town.

WHAT TO ORDER  
Kingfish sashimi and incredibly tender wagyu beef gyoza.

LOOK OUT FOR
We loved the whimsical paper parasols suspended above the terrace.

IDEAL FOR
The booth seating and killer cocktail menu make Toko perfect for a glamorous girls’ night out, but the pretty garden also has romantic date written all over it.

INSIDER INFO
Many of the staff worked in the original Toko in Australia before coming to Dubai to launch the new outpost.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Dubai isn’t short of chic Japanese restaurants, but Toko will more than hold its own.

toko-dubai.com