The Katana Robata and Sushi restaurant, is located at The Address Downtown Roundabout, right by Dubai Mall’s fountains. Walking towards it, you can see one of the major selling points of this restaurant, the outside seating area offers a magnificent view of the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall fountain.

As you walk in, the interior design gives you a sense of an aesthetic fusion of Japanese Zen which is free from clutter, tranquil and beautiful in its simplicity and a splash of Dubai’s ostentatiousness- impressing would be diners with wall murals reminiscent of ancient Japanese scroll paintings and lighting fixtures that look like falling sakura leaves in winter.

The Katana Robata and Sushi restaurant offers magnificent views of the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall Fountain

The menu offers a wide variety of mouth-watering dishes, but we let the chef decide on what to sample.

For starters we had the Miso Shiru (a soup of miso with tofu and green onions) which is typical of any Japanese restaurant, I love that the soup was served at the right temperature, enough to instantly warm an overzealous stomach.

Next is the Kaiso Salad (mixed seaweeds with ginger dressing) which was to die for, it had the perfect balance of tanginess, sweetness and heat complimenting and not competing to overpower your taste buds. It was so light and yet satisfying that if I could have just one thing on the menu, I will have this. It was filling but still feels very healthy.

Then the Salmon Carpaccio / Feta and Shimeji Mushroom that felt like it was melting in your mouth. Perfectly seasoned to highlight the taste of the salmon and bring out the earthiness of the mushrooms.

For the main course, we were made to sample their robata (a Japanese method of cooking, just like barbecue, where skewered meats and vegetables are slow-grilled over hot charcoal) which included Gyu (aged rib eye), Negima (chicken and green onions), Sake (salmon), Ebi (shrimp with tarragon butter) and Asparu (grilled asparagus) and of course their sushi and sashimi sampler called the Tokusen (the chef’s selection of 3 sashimi and 6 pieces Nigiri Sushi).

Katana Robata and Sushi’s interiors are a fusion of Japanese Zen which is free from clutter, tranquil and beautiful in its simplicity, splashed with Dubai’s ostentatiousness- creating an impressive atmosphere.

You can taste the meticulousness and the thought put into cooking the different meats, although served all together, cooking each skewer must have been perfectly timed to achieve a specific degree of tenderness for each.  The beef and the chicken were tender, the salmon was soft and flaky, and the asparagus cooked just tender-crisp. It came with three sauces: soy mustard, ponzu and ginger sauce but I suggest you sample this grilled gastronomic delight with and without the sauce to experience the full range of flavours.

Finally, we had the divine and delicate Matcha Fondant for dessert, the perfect way to clean and cool the palette.

Dinner Under The Stars Menu choice- the Chef’s recommendation.