Minato: Sushi and Teppanyaki Buffet in Radisson Blu

Last weekend, I rediscovered Minato. 

If you have been with me since last year, you'll remember that I crazily raved about this Japanese restaurant in Radisson Blu Hotel during Eid Brunch. It was one of the grandest brunch I have ever been to as it was participated by five renowned restaurants. And out of the five, Minato turned out to be the superstar! So, I was ecstatic to finally have a weekend dedicated to Minato alone.  

Minato at Radisson Blu Hotel

Minato is an over-a-decade old Japanese restaurant tucked in the first ever 5 star hotel in Dubai - Radisson Blu Hotel along Dubai Creek. More than a decade, yet it has not lost its sparkle! I could easily tell it's still one of the best Japanese restaurants in Dubai the moment we arrived. 

The first sign is that most diners are Japanese! That's a good sign of authenticity, right? Second is the very homey atmosphere that made me felt I was welcomed inside a Japanese home and not in a restaurant. Third, and definitely not the least, is the food! The concept of Japanese minimalism is clearly depicted in the buffet. Minato's spread is not as sprawling as the other buffets in town; it is simply just right!      

authentic Japanese restaurant in Dubai

Minato: a homey hotel restaurant

Different varieties of Japanese rolls and sashimi are kept in a room with a live-cooking station. These Japanese delicacies are wonderfully handcrafted at Minato! During our dinner, three kinds of vegetable rolls and four kinds of specialty rolls were offered. 

My favorite is the Salmon Cream Cheese Maki. Yup! I have developed this unexplainable liking for raw salmon wrapped with rice and nori, and topped with cream cheese! It's light and delicate and delightful to the taste buds! 

the very vibrant Chicken Maki

my fave: Salmon Cream Cheese Maki

The highlight of the Japanese buffet in Minato is the teppanyaki grill. A staff ushered us to the counter of raw seafood, meat, and vegetables. She handed over a plate, and told us that we can build our own teppanyaki dish. How wonderful is that? 

Having the option to mix and match ingredients, and seeing my meal cooked before my very eyes fascinate me a lot! There were no knife and fire tricks on the teppan grill at Minato, yet my eyes and palates were very much entertained. 

Teppanyaki buffet at Minato

I built my own teppanyaki dish!

A foodie entertainment!

It's not only the live-cooking part that impressed me, but the taste as well! The seafood and vegetables that I picked out myself were perfect with the highly recommended Chef's special sauce. The seasoning is light yet very satisfying, and the meat was cooked to perfection under my watchful eyes! :)         

seafood teppanyaki in Chef's special sauce

Ed loved his creation as well: beef in garlic and pepper sauce teppanyaki!

Aside from the sushi and teppanyaki, Minato also offers classic Japanese dishes. I started my meal with a very hearty Miso soup and four kinds of fresh Japanese salads (Kaiso, Yasai, Maguro Tataki salad, and Crabstick salad). 

There's also a buffet table of hot appetizers and main dishes. Ed loved the salmon teriyaki, while I overly indulged with ebi tempura! Those are two of our classic Japanese favorites, and that night, I added another dish on my list - Japanese curry! It's very different from the Indian curry or the Thai curry. There's a surprise transition in the flavor. It starts off with a hint of sweetness and closes with a kick of spice!  

Japanese fare at Minato in Radisson Blu

hot Japanese dishes 

Tempura Love!

For dessert, Minato has a selection of pastries and fresh fruits. I love the choices, the fruits are fresh, the pastries are delightful. I couldn't help but think about melon pan and mochi though! :) 

No mochi for me, yet dinner was still happily capped off. I giggled over Ed's obsession with Naruto and how he correlated almost everything at Minato with the Japanese manga he incessantly follows... from the music, to the food, to the idea that Minato is Naruto's father! Weird! 

And with that, I can say that Minato can tickle the taste buds of those who seek for authentic Japanese meal in a traditional setting, can live up to the expectations of those who love buffets with live-cooking stations, and can simply bring joy to those who love Japanese comics! :)  

dessert selection at Minato

sweet fruity ending to the authentic Japanese meal

Price: 

Sushi and Teppanyaki Buffet 

with non alcoholic beverage: 139 AED / pax

with a selection of alcoholic beverage: 199 AED / pax

Location:

Minato

Radisson Blu Hotel

Dubai Deira Creek

Contact # 04 222 7171

Website: www.radissonblu.com

For updates, follow my sweet escapes on Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Instagram!