A firey new bistro in Alserkal Avenue that’s nailed it
The spot
Great neighbourhood restaurants are magical little places. They’re the rooms you slip into when the outside world feels uncertain, and you need somewhere that promises warmth, good food and the quiet reassurance that things are broadly going to be alright. The best ones aren’t grand, they’re simply welcoming, softly lit, and run by people who seem genuinely pleased you’ve turned up.
Window, the new opening from Fyte Hospitality (the team behind Kokoro) looks set to become exactly that sort of place. Tucked into the ever-evolving culinary enclave of Alserkal Avenue, it’s a cosy 32-seater, walk-in only, built around a long diner-style counter facing an open kitchen of roaring pizza oven, Josper grill and glowing coals. It’s a little toasty at the counter, but that’s part of the charm. This is a restaurant built around fire, and comfort.
The food
Running the kitchen is Argentine chef Gonzalo Platero, who looks entirely at home beside open flames. He previously headed the excellent Fyre pop-up at Ketura Reserve and has been a regular at Cucina Del Sul’s desert cookouts, where his barbecue set-ups suggest a man born for this place.
The menu is punchy and instantly appealing. A cheese and spicy honey flatbread arrives blistered from the oven, molten and gently fiery. A wood-fired tomato salad is gloriously simple, the flame deepening the fruit’s sweetness.
The burger, a neatly judged 150g stack with Monterey Jack, charred relish and soft bun, is juicy and deeply savoury, served with excellent homemade fries. Steaks come properly kissed by flame, while a sweet, smoky Korean sweet potato proves so irresistible that we order it twice.
Finally, for dessert, we chose a coffee flan, blasphemous to the chef’s mother, apparently, but silky and quietly magnificent.
The service
Similarly warm and lightly irreverent, much like at Kokoro. The team clearly know what they’re doing and, crucially, seem to be enjoying themselves while doing it.
What’s on the bill
Tomato salad (Dhs67)
Burger (Dhs150)
Steak and frites (Dhs250)
Cheese and spicy honey flatbread (Dhs75)
Korean sweet potato (Dhs40)
What’s On verdict
The man sitting beside us mentioned he’d visited Window four times in the previous six days. At the time that sounded excessive. By the end of the meal it felt entirely reasonable.
Details
Location: Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz
Times: Tue to Sun 4pm to 2am
Contact: @window.dxb
Images: Supplied
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