Karma Kafé, Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai - Review

Hip vibes at Karma Kafé

Submitted by Editor-at-large on June 27, 2009 – 2:13 pmComment

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chic and sophisticated karma kafé in souk al bahar - © dubaimoves.com

Yet another sushi joint has opened up to entertain us in Dubai. This one is named Karma Kafé, located in Souk Al Bahar facing the bridge to the Dubai Mall.

Certainly the decor is fantastic invoking the right kinds of energy. It’s dark with warm wood tones, contrasted by the red glowing walls and the gold-yellow lighting emanating from the bar. There are Chinese light fixtures, and yeah, a big Buddha statue too–after all, its the brain child of Raymond Visan, founder of Buddha Bar, so naturally the same undertones follow through here, though Karma is a restaurant first and bar second.

There’s a DJ booth where the resident DJ spins some eclectic and familiar acid jazz/downtempo beats. Fortunately, we found the music to be actually very good and well suited to the vibe that Karma seems to project.

We found that the restaurant was quite busy for a weekday night with couples, corporate types, and a few groups of women on a girls’ night out.

Best part of this place is the amazing outdoor space–it’s almost equally as big outside as inside with a great view of the Burj Lake, the Dubai Fountain, and the Dubai Mall. The mood here is even more sexy. There’s a draped ceiling with several chandeliers and earthy oak like furniture. Definitely, this is the highlight at Karma and sure to be a packed atmosphere in the cooler months.

So the decor, ambiance and location are excellent. Its long bar is a nice place to grab a drink. But, we came to try the food. Karma serves Asian-fusion cuisine in the form of sushi as well as Chinese and Vietnamese dishes from the kitchen of head chef Eben Kotze. Well, this time we ordered some spring rolls to start followed by a wide assortment of sushi rolls, nigiri and sashimi. The idea was to compare some of the standard fare such as California Rolls with similar establishments, as well as tasting some of the unique Karma offerings.

What we found was that while the sushi platter was pretty good, nothing was outstanding or made us sit up with delight–because that’s what happened to us when we had food at Zuma and Okku. We figure there may be more imagination–and taste– in some of the main dishes, as the sushi is pretty standard and uninspiring.

We decided to get a warm center chocolate cake with ice cream–as we always do–to sweeten the palette. Soon thereafter arrived a plate of creme brulee. (Wait a minute, that’s not what I ordered.) Eventually the warm center chocolate cake arrived with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Well it looks more symmetrical–than serving the ice cream on the side–but in my opinion, it soaks the top of the cake and makes it more difficult to enjoy. Anyway, the cake was enjoyable, though again, we’ve had better, like the one we make at home.

From the hostess to our server, the staff was congenial at all times. The service in all was above average but not outstanding. To get to the next level, the staff have to learn attention to detail and an anticipation of the customer’s needs. Water should be refilled before the glass is empty. Utensils should be replaced when necessary. And the staff should know the food coming out of the kitchen intimately–they should have to taste all the food on the menu with the chef walking them through what is in each dish and how it’s made. Furthermore, the staff should then be able to articulate this clearly to the customer.

The overall experience at Karma is not cheap, but that’s because a big chunk of what you’re paying for is the ambiance, decor and location. If all you want is sushi for the evening, this is not the place for you. But, if you want to have a night out downtown, then Karma Kafé is a great option.