F.R.N.D.S. Grand Café, a mixture of styles and flavours

The elegance of a contemporary Art Deco ambience combined with Mediterranean and Japanese cuisine

The restaurant that was missing in Dubai. Yes, you won’t be able to believe that in a city such as Dubai, it is still possible to create something new, never experienced before: F.R.N.D.S. Grand Café is a new gastronomic concept designed for the most cosmopolitan city in the world. In the liveliest area of the city, Downtown Dubai on the ground floor of The Address Fountain Views, a ‘little corner’(so to say: we are talking about 1,000 square metres!) of style and flavour. The glamour takes you back to the roaring 1920s but with a modern touch. Rich colours such as emerald green, ruby red and golds contribute to recreating a sophisticated Art Deco ambience with bold brass elements, the luminous lightness of quartz, the rich walnut wood, the tiling laid by craftsmen, chandeliers custom Made In Italy and exposed ceilings which create a strong contrast with the authentic concrete floor, and the majestic six-metre high columns. While in one of the rooms, there is a five-metre-high work of art bass reliefed carved by the world famous Portuguese artist VHILS, a ‘contemporary urban archaeologist’ who chisels away at the layers of the wall, engraving and carving faces, and whose art is renowned all over the world.

If however the decor takes diners back to Paris at the end of the nineteenth century, the menu is a combination of authentic Mediterranean and modern Japanese flavours.

The head of the kitchen is Head Chef Matthis Grosjean, with experience in Michelin-starred restaurants such as Eric Frechon’s Epicure at the Hotel Bristol in Paris and Paul Bocuse’s restaurant in Lyon. Catering to the refined palates of Downtown, the concept of cuisine of F.R.N.D.S. is simple but refined, using only wild-caught and fresh fish as well as the finest cuts of meat. Some examples of mouth-watering dishes; Tomahawk steak and grilled Australian ribeye, onion soup, spaghetti with Canadian lobster, Milanese-style or black truffle risotto, grand seafood tower and Wagyu tartare. All of this combined with the best dishes of Japanese cuisine - such as sushi rolls, nigiri, tempura and yakitori - prepared by Chef Adel Zhumagaziev who has more than twenty years of experience working in the best Japanese restaurants such as Nobu.

For a sweet ending, the dessert menu created by Head Pastry Chef Kevin Jouhier is a mixture of European and Japanese desserts: soft Mont Blanc cakes, so delightful that we almost regret sinking our spoon into it, fragrant croissants, the delicious Chocolate Royal, made of chocolate mousse, crispy black rice and wasabi ice cream, and Panna cotta with sakura cream tea.

The beverage program is directed by award winning Emilio Valencia with experience acquired all over the world - has been inspired by the golden age of Art Deco. This particular zone features a magnificent floating walnut and quartzite counter attached to the ceiling with brass arches and intricate stained glass windows.

And last but not least, a private dining area with glass walls is available for guests who would like a more intimate and exclusive food dining experience.