South African restauranteur Natasha Sideris will open a restaurant in Dubai’s DIFC next year (this will be her fifth outlet in the UAE)…

We’ve just learned that South African restauranteur Natasha Sideris will open a second restaurant in Dubai’s DIFC: she’s famous for the Tashas cafe in Galleria Mall (there’s also one in Outlet Village) and has just opened her first Dubai restaurant, Flamingo Room by tasha’s in Jumeirah’s Al Naseem hotel (we’ll bring you a report on that soon).

Taking over the space at one of several recently closed DIFC venues, the new concept will open in Four Seasons. The venue was previously occupied by Spanish fine dining restaurant La Luz (which we loved, by the way).

Flamingo Room by tashas is now open in Jumeirah Al Naseem

It’s one of two closures that’s recently happened in Four Seasons DIFC. Shortly after La Luz closed its doors, the all-American restaurant Firebird Diner by celebrity chef Michael Mina also shut. A new concept by Mina for that same space is already in the pipeline though, and is expected to open by the end of the year.

firebird diner

Firebird diner has now closed its doors

Although we’re not sure what Sideris’ DIFC restaurant will be, we’re told it’s not going to be a Tashas cafe nor another Flamingo Room. Instead, the new restaurant will likely be a new concept entirely, we’ll let you know as soon as we know more. We’re advised it will open in Q1 of 2018.

If it’s anything like Natasha Sideris’ current concepts, we’re already excited.

The restauranteur has more than a dozen Tashas cafes across South Africa, two in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi. Known for refined cafe food and cool interiors, Tashas serve up fuss-free all day dining (although it’s quite pricey for cafe food, with a butternut salad – just as an example – costing Dhs80).

Her latest venture, Flamingo Room, is the largest to date, with 200 seats and a slightly more refined feel. The restaurant is also the first licensed venue by Natasha, and you’ll find it in Jumeirah’s Al Naseem hotel (it’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner).

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