Turning Japanese
Recently-opened Japanese restaurant Okku, located in The Monarch Dubai, is not just about trendy décor: with top quality ingredients and a surprisingly relaxed atmosphere, it promises a unique dining experience for the region’s gourmet enthusiasts
With its wall of gently-glowing jellyfish, its candle-lit water feature and its balcony of inter-connecting private rooms overlooking the main dining room, every last detail of Okku’s interior has been painstakingly thought out.
“Concept-wise it’s moody, it’s intimate, it’s a lot of fun and it’s very fashionable,” explains brand founder Markus Thesleff.
“Traditionally in Dubai dining is a bit more formal, which I think is a result of being in a hotel environment. Whereas what we’ve done is create a very friendly atmosphere, very buzzy; it’s all about seeing and being seen. There’s a whole level of glamour to it: it’s a show and when you’re in here, you’re part of it.”
Developed by interior design giants LW Design Group, the brief was to create “a different space”, continues Thesleff.
“In today’s market it’s all about niche products, offering something unique, something with a bit of value — and that’s in terms of the experience as well as the cost,” he notes.
“There’s no need to have a US $80,000 reception desk; I’d rather put the money in what the customers experience themselves.”
This philosophy comes into its own on the menu, showcasing both the restaurant’s innovative take on modern Japanese cuisine and its commitment to investing in ingredients.
“The food is made up of the freshest ingredients we could get; we’ve been unable to do it to anywhere near what we wanted to, but bit by bit we’re going all-natural and organic across the board,” says Thesleff.
“That’s where we’re aiming and it’s been a real struggle, but we’re working closely with our suppliers. And given some of our competitors that have come into the market recently, I think between us and our suppliers we’ll be able to really raise the bar regarding what’s expected here.
“But to make sure we get the freshest items possible, we look at what’s naturally available, what’s in season at the time,” he continues.
“We have our fish flown in from Japan two to three times a week. You look at it and immediately know why our tuna is better than someone else’s. The key is that we physically invest money in our produce. Our ingredients are more expensive than some others, but that’s what we have chosen to do.”
Fiber optic curtain
“The theme is very earthy, but I wanted a bit of a modern twist — and this really achieves that.
We have divided the room very carefully; we talked with LW about every single inch of space and how we’d utilise it.”
Private dining rooms
“Each room can seat eight people, but you can also take a whole table for 16, or you can change the layout completely by taking furniture out and moving the tables to become a corporate dining room for 12. You can even put them all together to make a table for 40.”
Lights
“We have a whole lighting programme which isn’t actually in place yet but which will look amazing. The MEP side hasn’t quite done what it said on the tin, but together with LW and DPA Lighting we’re battling with our contractors to deliver what was specified — a problem faced by many operators here!”
Jelliquarium
“This jellyfish tank is the largest in the world at 8m. We had two different consultants working on that — there were some real issues in the beginning. From an engineering aspect, the pressure and the weight-load is a bit issue. So we’ve had to put in a structure to spread the weight across the floor, which took months. The tank was custom-made and flown over here and the jellyfish were bred in Japan.”