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Kinoya

Dubai

All hail Dubai’s ramen queen

Humble beginnings: It all started with chef Neha Misra’s love of traditional Japanese ramen. The love evolved into a supper club – A Story of Food was the constantly-sold-out experience she ran from her home in Dubai for several years. Diners (virtually) jostled each other to get a seat at the table, and soon, that table was simply not enough. In April 2021, she opened her first restaurant in Dubai, followed in 2023 by a branch in the upscale food hall in London’s Harrods department store.

What to expect? At Kinoya, it’s all about ramen and izakaya, but Misra’s speciality is the former. After all, thousands of people have watched her on her social platforms make noodles from scratch. Visiting Kinoya gives you the opportunity to try the shio paintan ramen with its signature rich, creamy chicken broth: it’s the first bowl Misra made when she started creating. Another highlight is the duck ramen, where every part of the bird is used, from the bones in the broth to the rendered fat from the skin to make the aromatic oil that’s drizzled over the top.

On the Pass

Neha Misra

What’s the vibe? Simple, but that’s all it’s meant to be. The interiors hark to a casual Japanese restaurant, from the main seating area and the private dining rooms to the ramen counter where lucky guests can get a view of Misra cooking. People return to Kinoya for comfort and consistency.

Thinking outside the bowl: As well as Misra’s ramen dishes, you can find an array of classic Japanese izakaya snacks on the menu: try the perfectly grilled wagyu tsukune and the onsen egg on rice with dashi and an ice-cold beer.

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