Arabic restaurant Ninive launches in Dubai’s Jumeirah Emirates Towers

Middle East and North Africa-inspired Ninive opened at Dubai’s Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel. The restaurant’s name is derived from Nineveh, the ancient city which housed the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

London studio Hopscotch designer James Michael Lees was behind the interior design of the restaurant. Lees also created the interiors for its sister establishments La Cantine du Faubourg Dubai and Ibiza’s 105 by La Cantine.

“The restaurant is suspended, as if floating, like an oasis in the desert. It combines elements of a garden and a contemporary urban majlis, the space where, in Islamic culture, people meet to make big decisions. This is how Ninive was born,” Lees said in a statement.

Ninive general manager Alexandra Filali added: “We wanted to reflect the diverse cultures and stories emanating from the region, it was necessary to keep in mind the superposition of influences to attract and inspire a cosmopolitan, well-travelled clientele.”

Ninive as well as its sister venues are headed by executive chef Gilles Bosquet. Bosquet, originally from Mauritius, trained under Gordon Ramsay and Lew Kathreptis.

His restaurant L’Auberge à la Bonne Idée, near Paris has received a Michelin star.

The menu features dishes like sautéed lamb marinated in spices and served in a casserole, chicken comes stuffed with saffron rice, raisins and pine nuts and Tashreeb, an Iraqi dish, braised lamb in breadcrumbs cooked for seven hours in spices and lemon. There will be vegetarian options on the menu as well.

Opening hours are 4 pm to 2 am from Saturday to Wednesday and 4 pm to 3 am on Thursday and Friday.