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Moonrise

Dubai

Star-lit stellar gastronomy from one of Dubai’s hottest home-grown talents

On the Pass

Solemann Haddad

What’s the deal? Moonrise is arguably the hottest reservation ticket in a city replete with exciting new restaurants. The brainchild of Dubai-raised chef Solemann Haddad, it offers just eight counter seats per twice-nightly sitting, where diners witness the plating of each dish in the eight-course tasting menu at touching distance from the small but well-drilled team.

On the rise: Haddad is just 27 years old and almost entirely self-taught, having dropped out of university to set about building his very personal culinary dream. Born to a French mother and Syrian father, he is part of a new ‘third culture’ generation for whom the uber-multi-cultural city of Dubai is not just a workplace or luxury playground, but home. Haddad’s prodigious talent is reflected in the restaurant’s stunning 2023 debut on Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 list and further rise in the 2024 ranking.

Local talent: Haddad’s menu is both an exploration of and love letter to the food of his city and childhood, mixing the Middle Eastern, European and Japanese influences that punctuate Dubai’s culinary culture. Dishes might include Syrian sumac and hamachi sashimi; a bitesize reinvention of pasta alfredo; a salad of locally grown tomatoes, house labneh and zaatar furikake; and an Abood Cocktail in cheesecake form. Ingredients are largely local and sourced from the small but growing band of artisanal producers in the Emirates, with the odd imported speciality incorporated, too.

Where do I find it? The compact space sits atop a luxury residential block with knockout views along Dubai’s coastline. As of April 2023, the restaurant is now fully licensed, allowing for a full alcoholic drinks pairing to match its tasting menu.

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