Minato is perhaps what you wouldn’t expect from an elegant Japanese restaurant – lots of fun!

Yes, the food is a wonderful sampling of traditional Japanese fare, and the decor is fabulously Japanese, but we were not quite expecting to have a roaring good time.

The man responsible for this is Chef Atsushi himself – he brings forward a great sense of humor as well as astonishing knife skills! So be kind to him if you’d like to go home with all your fingers!

It never ceases to amaze me how the personality of the Chef is so important in shaping the ambience of a restaurant.

We think of them slaving away in the kitchen, throwing pots at their staff, and eating all the good food – but in fact their personality shines through to the tables even without him or her even leaving the kitchen!

Chef Atsushi,
above all,
loves making sushi.

There, was that a haiku?

Hold onto your chopsticks tight when you see what delicacies Chef Atsushi has coming your way at Minato!

And we asked for something special, so he threw together a Dragon Boat – it’s not on the menu, but what can you do when you’re creative if not whip up fancy dishes once in a while!

“Something fun,” he said.

You see, fun is contagious. So we all had a go!

But perhaps we brought the fun element in with us… courtesy of the Honda Crosstour.

The 4WD Honda is powered by one of Honda’s best-selling engines, the 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6, delivering 278 hp and 252 lb-ft of torque – and the styling of the Crosstour turns heads as it is equally sharp and sporty as well as young and ready for action!

Besides the good humor and friendliness of the staff, Minato is an exquisitely decorated restaurant – an art collection, almost.

And the elegance runs throughout the various private rooms

and the main dining hall.

We thoroughly enjoyed dining at Minato, and we were happy to see a side of Japanese culture we were not expecting – because it’s nice to dine in an elegantly formal restaurant, but it is far more enjoyable when that formality includes a fun time!

Minato restaurant is easy to find, here is an interactive map:

View Minato in a larger map and download the GPS track coordinates here.

Minato restaurant is part of the Radisson Blu Hotel, located on the banks of the Dubai Creek, in Deira.

Bani Yas Road
476 Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 4 222 7171
Info.Deiracreek.Dubai@Radissonblu.com
http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-dubaideiracreek‎