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Mimi Kakushi

Dubai

• Accolades
• The Best Bar in the Middle East 2026, sponsored by Mancino Vermouth

1920s Osaka meets frozen martinis

Of the many Japanese venues around the world, few revel in their theme more than Mimi Kakushi. Found in the Four Seasons Resort hotel in Dubai, this plush restaurant-bar takes its name from the popular western hairstyle that became a hit in 1920s Osaka. A niche angle, yes, but this cultural confluence opens up a rich vein of inspiration. It was the moment when American fashions first crossed the Pacific, bringing with them jazz and cocktails.

The drinks menu at Mimi Kakushi is always a big draw: there has been a box of record covers, each song with a cocktail accompaniment, and more recently a menu based around Japanese movies. Influenced by the films of 1920s actor Sessue Hayakawa, each of the 11 cocktails are represented – physically and visually – on movie reels.

But the serve that no visit is complete without is the Nara Nara Martini, Manja Stankovic's show-stopping serve that every high-end venue wished they'd come up with. It's a dry martini pre-batched and placed in a small bottle which is then frozen in a block of ice. The ritual sees the bartender carve it out in front of you, pouring the -20°C cocktail into a frozen glass. Now that is cool.

The restaurant here is a frequent flier in The 50's restaurant lists but the bar has equal billing. The drinks at Mimi Kakushi are as good as any in Dubai and, with the bar food emanating from that award-winning kitchen, it's a winning combination.

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