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11 Woodfire, Dubai: Some Delicious, Some Work To Be Done
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Review: 11 Woodfire, Dubai
11 Woodfire, 6 dishes, 1 dessert and 4 mocktails: approx 799 dhs. Seafood: 75 - 700 dhs, vegetable dishes: 44-55 dhs, meat: 75 - 990 dhs, desserts: 45 - 55 dhs, a handful of unpriced items. 11 Woodfire, Villa 11 75B Street, Jumeirah, Jumeirah 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Tel. +97144919000. Reservations.
I was invited to 11 Woodfire.
Written by Liam Collens // See other reviews here.
11 Woodfire lands on-trend and delivers Chef Akmal’s most complete restaurant, so far. A crackling woodfire kitchen punches out delicious results, but can we talk about pricing?
The Highs
The Lows
The Highs
The Lows
11 Woodfire, Dubai: Some Delicious, Some Work To Be Done
It’s the warm whisper of smoke that hits you first. It ripples towards you slowly as if it seeks you out personally. You do acclimate, but, luckily, the perfume lingers in my mask so I get to enjoy it more when I later leave 11 Woodfire. It’s the kitchen’s last gift.
Woodfire cooking will do that. Woodfire cooking emerges out of Dubai’s froufrou dining scene – a return to man’s primordial instinct to build fire, char and wield smoke like a seasoning. This is the second woodfire restaurant dining in the same week. Oh, but wait, there was Lowe a week later. Wood seems trendy.
11 Woodfire’s dining space sprawls, decorated with intent. A space, I suspect, with bags of atmosphere in the evening, but I am here for lunch. The dining room is decorated in ever-popular industrial chic; like one of those good warehouse furniture shops in Al Quoz, which Mrs EatGoSee drags me to on weekends to look at tables made of salvaged wood. It’s all bare, glossy concrete and exposed air ducts warmed by orchids the colour of buttercream, wooden chairs and supple mocha leather. Onyx-framed windows cascade light throughout as families sit munching king prawns wallowing in cajun-spiced, brown butter (150 dhs) and beef tartare laced with preserved lime and jalapeños (75 dhs).
11 Woodfire kitchen and dining room scenes.
Woodfire cooking will do that. Woodfire cooking emerges out of Dubai’s froufrou dining scene – a return to man’s primordial instinct to build fire, char and wield smoke like a seasoning. This is the second woodfire restaurant dining in the same week. Oh, but wait, there was Lowe a week later. Wood seems trendy.
11 Woodfire’s dining space sprawls, decorated with intent. A space, I suspect, with bags of atmosphere in the evening, but I am here for lunch. The dining room is decorated in ever-popular industrial chic; like one of those good warehouse furniture shops in Al Quoz, which Mrs EatGoSee drags me to on weekends to look at tables made of salvaged wood. It’s all bare, glossy concrete and exposed air ducts warmed by orchids the colour of buttercream, wooden chairs and supple mocha leather. Onyx-framed windows cascade light throughout as families sit munching king prawns wallowing in cajun-spiced, brown butter (150 dhs) and beef tartare laced with preserved lime and jalapeños (75 dhs).
11 Woodfire kitchen and dining room scenes.
11 Woodfire’s menu and its chef, Akmal Anuar
11 Woodfire’s menu is focused. 33 dishes from land, sea and air. A scant running through the menu signals this is not resigned to a carnivorous grill fest. Red shrimp with pineapple gazpacho and endive (95 dhs) as easy starters alongside king crab with white balsamic and gremolata (200 dhs). Next, leeks wilted until tender under flame spiked with pink grapefruit and paired with yam puree (45 dhs) or slender, glossy asparagus spears charred then lawned with horseradish and scallion cream (47 dhs). I look on enviously as neighbouring diners settle into a Black Angus T-Bone Steak gnarled with delicious, silver fat and crusted with more bark than an oak tree (345 dhs).
At the helm is Chef Akmal Anuar, a much-admired, if not enigmatic, chef behind homegrown popular restaurants such as 3 Fils (yes, the now #1 2022 MENA 50 Best, but Akmal departed a while back) and the nearby Goldfish Sushi and Yakitori. Long time readers will know neither 3 Fils nor Goldfish Sushi and Yakitori sit on my list of preferred restaurants. So 11 Woodfire came with a certain “third-time lucky?” curiosity.
11 Woodfire’s main courses selection and a glimpse into a side dining room.
11 Woodfire menus including a mocktail, unlicensed drinks menu.
At the helm is Chef Akmal Anuar, a much-admired, if not enigmatic, chef behind homegrown popular restaurants such as 3 Fils (yes, the now #1 2022 MENA 50 Best, but Akmal departed a while back) and the nearby Goldfish Sushi and Yakitori. Long time readers will know neither 3 Fils nor Goldfish Sushi and Yakitori sit on my list of preferred restaurants. So 11 Woodfire came with a certain “third-time lucky?” curiosity.
11 Woodfire’s main courses selection and a glimpse into a side dining room.
11 Woodfire menus including a mocktail, unlicensed drinks menu.
Our starter of pine smoked Scottish salmon with caviar sauce and citrus cream deftly couples gentle smoke with sprightly lemon zest; all seasoned, luxuriantly, with caviar’s natural salinity and a cream, so rich, the resident Jumeirah Janes might apply it to their Botox’d-and-filler'd eyelids, both morning and night, for best results.
11 Woodfire’s food and (unlicensed) drinks
Safe to say 11 Woodfire is Chef Akmal’s most complete, fully-realised restaurant with moments of sheer joy. The kind of good eating that hushes a table to only approving murmurs.
The Atlantic sea bass – splayed, deboned, but served whole – is cossetted behind a blistered, crispy skin that snaps to reveal glisteningly-moist, pearly fish flesh lacquered in the blush of Kashmiri chillis (185 dhs). The wagyu burger tumbled with a duxelle of mushrooms then coated in gouda ripples with bolshy sriracha (100 dhs). It’s juicy and flanked by a heap of seriously-good chips chiselled and shaped like a canoe — perfect for scooping sauces.
11 Woodfire’s Atlantic sea bass with kashmiri chillies; wagyu burger with duxelle mushroom, gourda & sriracha.
Our starter of pine smoked Scottish salmon with caviar sauce and citrus cream (150 dhs) deftly couples gentle smoke with sprightly lemon zest; all seasoned, luxuriantly, with caviar’s natural salinity and a cream, so rich, the resident Jumeirah Janes might apply it to their Botox’d-and-filler’d eyelids, both morning and night, for best results.
A crispy-skin duck leg, presented flat and pressed, also serves glassy, crispy skin scattered with sea salt (110 dhs). This crispy duck is nearly overshadowed by a cool cucumber side salad rolled in a lip-licking sauce made of sumac. I erroneously mistook it for something hoisin-based. Akmal, serve these cucumbers as a side dish, trust me. This bandmate deserves a solo.
11 Woodfire’s pine-smoked salmon with caviar & citrus cream; crispy duck with cucumber and garden herbs.
An exuberant Sour Fruits dessert assembles rhubarb with sharp berries and pink peppercorns like a re-imagined Eton mess cooled with a milk ice cream (45 dhs). I would trade a mouth-puckering dessert for a dense, rich final course any day. However, the sight of a child demolishing the burnt goat’s cheese cheesecake did quietly test my convictions (50 dhs).
11 Woodfire’s sour fruits dessert with rhubarb, berries and milk ice cream.
What’s more, 11 Woodfire’s unlicensed menu still delights with its signature drinks such as the cherry-rich Purple Rain (32 dhs) and a selection of Infusions, including the delightful Putih made of chrysanthemum, chamomile and sharp kombucha (42 dhs). There is plenty of opportunity here for 11 Woodfire to lean into innovative, unlicensed mixology. But, a Barolo with a wagyu striploin is hard to replace (at these prices).
11 Woodfire is unlicensed but offers mocktail options such as this Purple Rain and Berry Mojito.
11 Woodfire’s mocktails include Putih and the Passion.
The highs are high, but the lows stand out as lacklustre pariahs. The aubergine with crispy garlic and tomato romensco squelches out water (55 dhs). Sucre nailed their aubergine. A smoky, charred aubergine is delightful, but this one falls short. The potato gratin with parmesan is underseasoned, undercooked and underpowered, without the heart-stopping deliciousness of butter, herbs and cheese signature to this classic (48 dhs). The gratin’s eggy-like mixture weeps water with an unpleasant, creme caramel-like mouthfeel.
Lastly, 11 Woodfire’s pricing structure raises eyebrows. I would not blink in DIFC. But, in leafy Jumeirah? DIFC restaurants offer licensed dining, innovative mixology, pumping music and views. Discerning, returning diners factor in those benefits with these prices. Jumeirah is littered with unlicensed options with clearer VFM (see Orfali Bros, Reif Kushiyaki and, sorta, Lana Lusa). Akmal, just tell people your blindingly-good sea bass feeds 2-3 people. It does. Spruce up the potato gratin while keeping it under 50 dhs.
11 Woodfire’s smoked aubergine and the potato gratin.
Enviously thumbing through stories and posts about 11 Woodfire does inspire a return visit. Chef Akmal should be proud of what he has achieved here. My strongest recommendations are to restructure the menu with more mid-tier dishes to improve VFM perception then dial up the unlicensed menu to make it Dubai’s best. I long for that T-Bone.
Akmal stans loyal to his midas touch. Jumeirah residents who are curious about their new neighbour. Woodfire fans wanting something new on the block. Those unbothered by unlicensed dining. Corporate expense accounts looking for something cosier than the usual DIFC roster. Families keen on sharing plates.
The Atlantic sea bass – splayed, deboned, but served whole – is cossetted behind a blistered, crispy skin that snaps to reveal glisteningly-moist, pearly fish flesh lacquered in the blush of Kashmiri chillis (185 dhs). The wagyu burger tumbled with a duxelle of mushrooms then coated in gouda ripples with bolshy sriracha (100 dhs). It’s juicy and flanked by a heap of seriously-good chips chiselled and shaped like a canoe — perfect for scooping sauces.
11 Woodfire’s Atlantic sea bass with kashmiri chillies; wagyu burger with duxelle mushroom, gourda & sriracha.
Our starter of pine smoked Scottish salmon with caviar sauce and citrus cream (150 dhs) deftly couples gentle smoke with sprightly lemon zest; all seasoned, luxuriantly, with caviar’s natural salinity and a cream, so rich, the resident Jumeirah Janes might apply it to their Botox’d-and-filler’d eyelids, both morning and night, for best results.
A crispy-skin duck leg, presented flat and pressed, also serves glassy, crispy skin scattered with sea salt (110 dhs). This crispy duck is nearly overshadowed by a cool cucumber side salad rolled in a lip-licking sauce made of sumac. I erroneously mistook it for something hoisin-based. Akmal, serve these cucumbers as a side dish, trust me. This bandmate deserves a solo.
11 Woodfire’s pine-smoked salmon with caviar & citrus cream; crispy duck with cucumber and garden herbs.
An exuberant Sour Fruits dessert assembles rhubarb with sharp berries and pink peppercorns like a re-imagined Eton mess cooled with a milk ice cream (45 dhs). I would trade a mouth-puckering dessert for a dense, rich final course any day. However, the sight of a child demolishing the burnt goat’s cheese cheesecake did quietly test my convictions (50 dhs).
11 Woodfire’s sour fruits dessert with rhubarb, berries and milk ice cream.
11 Woodfire is unlicensed
What’s more, 11 Woodfire’s unlicensed menu still delights with its signature drinks such as the cherry-rich Purple Rain (32 dhs) and a selection of Infusions, including the delightful Putih made of chrysanthemum, chamomile and sharp kombucha (42 dhs). There is plenty of opportunity here for 11 Woodfire to lean into innovative, unlicensed mixology. But, a Barolo with a wagyu striploin is hard to replace (at these prices).
11 Woodfire is unlicensed but offers mocktail options such as this Purple Rain and Berry Mojito.
11 Woodfire’s mocktails include Putih and the Passion.
Yet, 11 Woodfire is not flawless
The highs are high, but the lows stand out as lacklustre pariahs. The aubergine with crispy garlic and tomato romensco squelches out water (55 dhs). Sucre nailed their aubergine. A smoky, charred aubergine is delightful, but this one falls short. The potato gratin with parmesan is underseasoned, undercooked and underpowered, without the heart-stopping deliciousness of butter, herbs and cheese signature to this classic (48 dhs). The gratin’s eggy-like mixture weeps water with an unpleasant, creme caramel-like mouthfeel.
Lastly, 11 Woodfire’s pricing structure raises eyebrows. I would not blink in DIFC. But, in leafy Jumeirah? DIFC restaurants offer licensed dining, innovative mixology, pumping music and views. Discerning, returning diners factor in those benefits with these prices. Jumeirah is littered with unlicensed options with clearer VFM (see Orfali Bros, Reif Kushiyaki and, sorta, Lana Lusa). Akmal, just tell people your blindingly-good sea bass feeds 2-3 people. It does. Spruce up the potato gratin while keeping it under 50 dhs.
11 Woodfire’s smoked aubergine and the potato gratin.
Would I Return to 11 Woodfire?
Enviously thumbing through stories and posts about 11 Woodfire does inspire a return visit. Chef Akmal should be proud of what he has achieved here. My strongest recommendations are to restructure the menu with more mid-tier dishes to improve VFM perception then dial up the unlicensed menu to make it Dubai’s best. I long for that T-Bone.
Who Should Go to 11 Woodfire?
Akmal stans loyal to his midas touch. Jumeirah residents who are curious about their new neighbour. Woodfire fans wanting something new on the block. Those unbothered by unlicensed dining. Corporate expense accounts looking for something cosier than the usual DIFC roster. Families keen on sharing plates.
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