A dining hub in the art district with a cactus at the entrance

Not a restaurant, Inked is a conceptual dining space in Al Quoz that has been shaking things up on the food scene in Dubai

I first heard of Inked Dubai through one of the several write-ups on blogs. All mentions kept saying "this is not a restaurant" but from the pictures, it definitely looked like one. I couldn't understand what all the hype was about. And I tried to look for the space on Alserkal Avenue but couldn't. Then someone told me: look for the cactus plant. It has no sign, no main street entrance; just a cactus plant at the door to welcome you. The eatery does not rely on walk-ins.

When I first visited, that time, it was in between events, so it seemed like a large, empty, two-storey space with an open kitchen at the rear. The mezzanine level includes a smaller kitchen and a chocolate room). It was literally a blank canvas. This was just after it opened in September 2016. It was not until earlier this year at the time of Art Dubai when Inked hosted a series of surreal Salvadore Dali inspired dinners with Christian Louboutin as a co-host called "Plaisirs Supremes"; taking a leaf out of Dali's cookbook, "Les Diners de Gala", which married his love of food with flamboyance that they really catapulted on the food scene.

Peyote, Katsuya, Molecule, Chez Charles, and Waka are just some of the fine dining restaurants that have opened in Dubai in past few months. Conceptual Dining, however, is about more than just good food. It's about presentation, plating, ambience.

From the table setting to the fortune-tellers to the menu, that Dali evening was a celebration of the bizarre. At Dh475 per head, it was worth every fil. During the next few months, I was invited to several dinners at this Inked, and went to each one. It was a new experience every time. A new setting, a new menu, and as someone who eats out a lot, it managed to always impress.

I did try to book for the Ramadan pop-up they hosted. It was an iftar based on the tradition of the Berber tribe of North Africa. I had not heard of the Berbers before. I had to do some research to figure out that it is a North African tribe that goes back to the pre-historic era. Of course, by the time I decided to book, it was sold out- which is why I'm going to book now for their "Beef Club "workshop. From August 23rd to August 26th Inked will run a special workshop where they will teach how to shop, prepare, cook and age meats. This one will set you back Dh465, but going by the chefs at Inked, it will be worth it.

Brands like Christian Dior and Level Shoes have hosted evenings here. The brainchild of Kenza and Patrick Jarjour, Inked is where you host various flash food experiences in their 8,000 square foot venue. Kenza and Patrick have always loved their food, and Kenza started her in career finance before moving into hospitality and Patrick was in events. "We built Inked from a tiny acorn of an idea, to the blossoming oak tree it is today. The first seed to be planted came from a trip to Berlin and witnessing this crazy contemporary, dynamic culinary culture, inspired by the vast range of concepts available in the city."

Inked hosts conceptual dinners, guest chef pop-ups and private events in its space, and every time you walk in, it looks like a venue. When Bella Hadid came to Dubai for the launch of Dior Beauty's Art of Colour, the French luxury house chose Inked for the venue for an elegant soiree - with a table that swirled and Dior Louis XV chairs and more white candles that you could count, it was all about Parisian chic.

The beauty of the space is flexibility, says Kenza. "The name Inked came from wanting to leave an impression: we want our guests to come with no expectations or preconceived notions about what they will see and experience, but at the same time we want the experience to leave a mark, albeit momentary." Kenza says, "We created Inked because we wanted to engage the community with alternative food experiences and also to be a must-see destination for the international community when in Dubai. It's important for us to show that Dubai is not only what you see in the media, but in fact a melting pot of creativity, arts, culture and incubators in motion." They have a small team but are happy to work with any cuisines, any theme and any concept yet are passionate about being a "Made in Dubai" destination and try and work with local produce as far as possible.

Already they have bookings for 2018, and expansion would seem like the next logical move. But the Jarjours are wary of quick growth. Says Kenza, "It would be would be a dream to expand to other cities. But it wouldn't be Inked, it would be something new. We're not a chain".


sujata@khaleejtimes.com
Sujata is the fashion editor at KT. She makes it her business to stay on trend

• Food and Dining
• Dubai