Is Osh worth the dosh?
The latest opening at La Mer is a rather novel concept. Osh is a licensed Dubai restaurant that, according to the press release, serves modern Uyghur cuisine, a first for this emirate.
Incidentally, the restaurant’s website makes no mention at all of the Uyghurs (pronounced wee-gurs), a nomadic minority group who traversed the Silk Road and primarily live in the Xinjiang region of China. And whilst Uyghur specialties are peppered across the menu – most notably lagman and a native tomato soup – the menu covers far more from Uzbekistan and Central Asia, with, in sadly typical Dubai style, the odd stracciatella, ceviche, and tempura thrown in for good measure.
Osh’s first restaurant opened last year in London’s exclusive Knightsbridge, followed by Dubai at the end of January in one of the spacious two-storey buildings within the licensed section of La Mer North. Osh is both the name of the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan and another name for the better-known plov, Central Asia’s version of biryani – a celebrated rice dish, rich with mutton, glistening with fat, and often cooked with carrots, onions, chickpeas and raisins.
Osh is fashionable but not overly pretentious, at least not early on a quiet Saturday evening. The hostesses wear stylish shirtdresses with a bright red sash and embroidery that recalls the traditional iconic handiwork of the Central Asia region. The waiters sport a trendy uniform of a long white tee, sneakers and an olive-coloured ‘bum’ bag worn crossbody. But it’s not just about style. The runners’ shirts bear witty quotes of different dishes, like “May The Plov Be With You” – though the plov would not be with me that night.
We are ushered upstairs to a bar, a dining area and a cracking terrace with panoramic Burj Khalifa views. The interiors are modern in fuchsia, grey and cream with subtle Central Asia reminders, like turquoise tiling, embroidered cushions dotted around, and paintings by native artists.
The menu marries dishes from Central and East Asia, as well as Latin America. It’s a sharing concept, which suits me fine, however, I am disappointed to learn that the namesake traditional Uzbek Osh is highlighted on the menu as unavailable, apparently due to gas issues. Our waiter recommends some dishes, and when the starters arrive, I almost forget that I am in a Central Asian restaurant. I totally devour a crispy aubergine and goat cheese salad with umami Japanese flavours and a sweet green sauce made of coriander, garlic and rice vinegar. A salmon tartare with persimmon and black caviar is tasty with a ponzu and sesame oil sauce, though lacking in contrasting flavours or textures. A seared octopus with guacamole comes highly recommended and while it’s neither the most Central Asian, nor the most attractive with a thick truncated tentacle, it is moreishly tender and moist. Presentation and plating are kept simple, with a few sprigs of herbs and microgreens.
We go decidedly more Central Asian with our main courses. A lamb shashlik is the epitome of fusion – two deliciously tender skewers of lamb cooked precisely to medium as requested, served on top of a South Indian paratha with a side of Japanese cucumber salad (though I don’t taste the cumin or chilli powder that apparently typifies Uyghur kebabs). The golubtsi cabbage rolls with veal are a lean yet comforting dish served traditionally with a side of sour cream. The most curious dish of the evening, however, is pumpkin manti which takes twenty minutes to steam and boasts a sweet filling of brunoised pumpkin and lamb fat – the latter explaining the heavy gamey flavour which is not to my taste at all, but I appreciate others may enjoy this. My research tells me that Central Asian pumpkin manti tend to be stuffed with minced lamb as well as pumpkin, but there’s no discernible meat. To Osh’s credit, this dish does not feature a vegetarian symbol, but several salads are also not labelled as such. My biggest surprise is that the waiter is unaware of the lamb fat lurking inside, so if you’re a staunch vegetarian, be wary when selecting dishes.
While the pumpkin manti is nearly sweet enough to be a dessert, we order the Anna pavlova and a berry tart – again dishes that are not Central Asian. The waiter asks us to choose the berries so we pick strawberry, however, he returns to tell us that he mistakenly orders blueberry, but what we receive is blackberry. The team should either learn their berries, or perhaps only offer a ‘berry of the day’. I find that my meringue has an eggier odour than what I prefer; the crust of the tart is a too dense; and both are overloaded with the same whipped cream. I conclude that the universe is telling me dessert is unnecessary, so I just munch on the unwanted blackberries.
Osh would do well to focus on a dedicated Central Asian menu to differentiate from the rest of the Dubai pack. Though our waiter lacks in-depth menu knowledge, the service is still friendly, efficient and accommodating. Despite the few glitches, I fully enjoy the first two courses and find the price point fair at AED275 per person for a selection of starters, mains and desserts (including all taxes and without alcohol) that fill us up nicely. Starters are priced for as little as AED25, with mains ranging wildly from AED58 for the golubtsi to AED240 for a smoked hammour (good for two), so expect your bill to go up or down. My curiosity is sufficiently piqued and I have earmarked other Central Asian dishes that I am keen to return and try. Here’s to a 3 out of 5 FooDiva knife rating.
Where’s your go-to spot for a good Central Asian meal?
Jen Sahi
Who is FooDiva’s new guest reviewer? Jen Sahi is the food blogger behind Dubai Food Diaries and Marriott’s #MoreCravingsMEA fine dining ambassador. She’s eaten her way through 70 countries and has lived in six, including the UAE, USA, UK, Japan, Australia and India. She has a thing for celebrity chefs and is always hunting for the next best dining experience. You can follow her on Instagram @dxbfooddiaries.
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