ORFALI BROS BISTRO
Does this test kitchen deserve full marks?
At Orfali Bros in Wasl 51, each dish comes with a commentary and instructions on how to eat it (a theme it seems this month. See p44). Somehow though, it manages to improve the experience, rather than make you squeeze the edge of your seat until your knuckles are white.
Early on, Mohamad Orfali, a roundshouldered man with a gentle demeanor that makes you feel like everything is going to be OK, delivers a flat-topped ceramic stone to the table. A splodge of truffle mayo keeps a handsome golden ball from rolling off . The OB croquettes (Dhs19 for one), we are told, have been created using unique ingredients. “It’s Spanish, but we’ve ‘Orfali-fied’ it with celeriac and comté to give it an incredible depth of flavour,” says Mohamad, cheerfully. He’s not wrong: it’s crisp, heart-warming, and we yearn for one more.
We’re here at Orfali Bros – the family name of the brothers who own it – soon after it earned a place on MENA’s 50
Best Restaurants list in February. A coveted spot at number six, beating off stiff competition from restaurants such as Gaia and both Coyas. It was a great achievement for a homegrown restaurant, proving that talent like theirs is being celebrated. After our first dish – enjoyed “in three to four mouthfuls” – we can see why. The croquettes were followed by dishes that largely riffed off a Middle Eastern repertoire, though each with their own idiosyncrasies. The spicy burghul tabbouleh (Dhs47) used Aleppo chilli paste, tomato and puffed burghul, but we constructed them into ‘mini tacos’ using shiso leaves rather than the standard cabbage.
Their ‘Come with me to Aleppo’ kebabs (Dhs95) are given a slight upgrade with wagyu beef and a hint of cinnamon. Quality beef is always a good thing, as is the tart sour cherry ketchup and crunchy pine nuts sprinkled on top. The star dish was the shish barak a la gyoza (Dhs65), a lovely Asia-meets-Middle East combo. Handsome parsels, lightly fried on one side and gently steamed on the other, then filled with wagyu beef and a spicy Sichuan sujuk chilli oil hybrid in a puddle of cold garlic yoghurt.
There is also a selection of pides served five ways. We tried the burnt leeks and truffle iteration (Dhs95) – a boat-shaped pizza using sourdough, brown butter, onion and Stracciatella. While tasty, it’s too similar to some of the truffle pizzas around town. Next time, we’ll hit up the cheese pide with chives and egg.
At the end, there are a handful of dessert options – the fruits of Mohamad’s pastry chef brothers Omar and Wassim. A Ferrero Rocher cane, mandarinshaped rice pudding; and ‘proudly Syrian’ pistachio cake. They are sweet delights.
As reviews go, this has to be one of the most detailed about the food, but Orfali Bros warrants it. We’ve not talked about location or ambiance (though, you can file both under: wonderful). Just know this, the Orfali Bros’ cooking makes for a thrilling dining experience, and one we look forward to enjoying again.
aWasl 51, Sun to Sat noon to midnight. Tel: (0)4 2592 477. orfalibros.com
RATING
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