Front of house
Fusing Japanese and Peruvian cuisines, Retail & Beyond’s Ají opened last year at Club Vista Mare on Palm Jumeirah. Keane’s Dubai office was appointed to craft the Nikkei-style restaurant’s space with a brief to reflect the countries without obvious references.
Retail & Beyond’s vice chairperson Yana Kalwani explains: “We see a seamless blend of old meets new; two cultures intertwined — which is what our food is about. We also have a mix of furniture that allows for a casual, relaxed feel, while still maintaining the upscale look of the place.”
Keane regional director Helen El Mettouri says the references to both cultures are seen through subtle hints, mainly through textures and patterns: “This scheme is very eclectic with a blend of quite traditional patterns, textures and worn-in finishes.”
Alongside the terrace with external bar, the 940m2 venue comprises a bar and lounge, main dining area with ceviche, sushi and tiradito counter and a private dining room. Features include a colourful mural in the bar portraying a Peruvian woman and a similar mural in the main dining area. Both were painted by local artist Rami Elzaguawy. “We wanted to tie the graphic elements into an overall scheme, and his murals were the last finishing pieces added. As the installation was growing over the wall, you could see people walking by and curiously looking at it, so it became a talking point before we even opened the venue,” says Keane head of projects John Rowley.
Most of the low-seating furniture was custom-made in the UK. “The upholstery has the feel of being worn and reclaimed, but it isn’t,” says El Mettouri, adding that the team used “different levels of textures, such as metallic leathers and heavily patterned upholstery”. The lounge, connecting the bar and main restaurant, has custom-made plaster panels that fit into the Aztec design and help separate the areas. A DJ booth is alongside another bar counter for mixologists, creating a more secluded setting.
Rowley adds: “It’s about creating different points of view all the time. Whether you are seating in the main or the private dining area, we wanted to ensure there are no dead corners and there is always some activity going on.”
The designers wanted to achieve a “nothing is too perfect” effect. Rowley comments: “Dubai can feel too polished sometimes. That’s why we used a lot of antique brass and handcrafted flooring. Each one of these tiles is hand-made, and some of them may have a defect, but that is what gives a character to space.”
| Advertisement |
Search our database of more than 2,700 industry companies
