Far from its New York Chinatown namesake, Mott 32 is Dubai’s most recent and perhaps most spectacular Chinese offering. We arrive on the 73rd floor of The Address Resort and the first thing I notice is the Hollywood Glamour take on Art Deco.
The glamorous interior is only just surpassed by the breathtaking views as we arrive just in time to order a sundowner and take in the changing scene before us. This is iconic Dubai as the sun sets over JBR, Bluewaters Island and The Palm.
Mott Expressions
First things first and a review of the sweet sounding cocktail menu. Headed “Mott Expressions”, it proves difficult to settle on just one. I start out with the Five Spice Sherry. With its tequila base and sherry overtones it has a somewhat fragrant aroma but I find it difficult to pick the five spice mix and any raspberry or sage is undetectable. The Forbidden Rose (later in the evening) proves more interesting with its vanilla infused pisco, passion fruit and lychee overtones and distinct hit of chili. Plus, it’s beautifully presented.
While we sip we watch the sun set and the lights come on across Dubai. This really is one spectacular restaurant view. Meanwhile, we have left the appetizer selection to Wathik & Carol, and soon, a delightful array of dishes arrives on the table.
Starters
Of these, the Australian Wagyu beef puffs are a Mott 32 highlight. The flakey pastry is detectible as is the Wagyu mix, fragrant and spicy, everything the Five Spice cocktail seemed to be lacking. The salt and pepper squid and lamb buns are good but certainly not as remarkable as the puffs.
Another round of drinks are ordered. I select the Nashi, a vodka based concoction with pear sake, Thai basil and lemon. Again the individual flavors are not apparent and the large ice cube it is served with certainly chills it but also waters it down. A little on the disappointing side.
More Starters
Unlike the starters we are not able to agree on mains and so we go our own way. On this, at least, Jason has no choice. Keen to sample from the Vegetable Classics and Plant Based Signatures, I select the sautéed string beans, crispy shiitake mushrooms, Szechwan “chicken” and special “duck” pancakes. I’m intrigued and excited to try the chicken and duck plant based based signatures. They certainly sound good.
When everything arrives, served with a certain flourish, it all looks good too. Everything is fairly tasty. Less crispy and more glazed, the shiitake mushrooms are by far my favorite dish. Brad determines that his braised Sea Bass fillet (with chopped chili, onion, ginger and garlic) is good, likewise Carol and her Black Bean chicken. Everyone is satisfied with their selections. The Szechwan “chicken” has a real kick.
Our views continue to evolve. More lights are on and the sky is properly red to the west, it has gotten much darker and somehow even more spectacular. The Dubai Eye has its own light show happening and The Palm looks like a Christmas decoration glinting away in the Gulf.
Showstopping Desserts
Even though we’re all rather full, Brad ventures to the dessert menu, the dry ice spectacular of the almond & chocolate oolong tea “Xiang Long Bao” having caught his eye. It is rather an impressive performance in the way of dessert. The presentation of these little morsels is certainly a showstopper. And the construction of these intricate offerings is an impressive feat of food engineering. Nevertheless they lack an impressiveness of the palate that is to be expected after such staging and theatrics. I’m reminded of past seasons of Heston Blumenthal but one thing all his creations appeared to have was the ‘wow’ factor of the taste test above all else.
Here, the views continue to wow, as do the interiors as we depart. It has been a lovely night with good food and great company. Perhaps I just got carried away with my expectations. Maybe they were even higher than the 73rd floor.
Good To Know
Located on the 73rd floor of The Address Beach Resort, the atmosphere and views of Mott 32 are impossible to fault. And certainly this is a very nice Chinese restaurant.
Nevertheless, for a Michelin star I did expect a little more. The service was on the slow side. The sautéed string beans were on the salty side and the Szechwan “chicken” was spicy yet somehow lacking at the same time. The plant based smoked Peking “duck” bean curd rolls are touted as a signature dish. However, I find they rely entirely on the accompanying sauce for flavor. I will admit that the visual match to their meaty cousin was an impressive feat of presentation.
There were some highlights though. The Australian Wagyu beef puffs were a culinary high, as was the shiitake mushroom dish. After sampling two other cocktails (Five Spice Sherry and a Nashi), the Forbidden Rose hit the spot in terms of innovation, presentation and flavor.
Would I Return?
Yes. For the views and the atmosphere, plus a couple of the stand out dishes.
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