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Kinoya

Dubai

All hail Dubai’s ramen queen

On the Pass

Neha Mishra

Humble beginnings: It all started with Chef Neha Misra’s love of traditional Japanese ramen that eventually 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 – including people who arrived from other countries – 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.

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. So 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 and it’s definitely a signature. Another highlight is the duck ramen, where every part of the bird is used to create the dish, from the bones in the broth to the rendered fat from the skin used to make the aromatic oil that’s drizzled over the top of the dish.

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 right in front of them. People return to Kinoya for comfort and consistency – at a great price point.

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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