Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants has named Dubai's Kinoya as the winner of its One To Watch Award 2022. The accolade recognises a rising-star restaurant within the region which 50 Best believes has the potential to break into the list in the years to come.
Kinoya's founder and Ramen Queen Neha Mishra opened Kinoya after a wildly successful supper club she ran from her home, called A Story of Food. Kinoya was initially conceptualised as a ramen shop, but finally took the shape of an izakaya to showcase more of Mishra's Japanese technique.
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| Source: MENA's 50 Best Restaurants. Chef Mishra's Kinoya has won the One to Watch Award 2022. |
Kinoya is divided into multiple sections – a ramen counter, an open seating area, a bar, a chef's table and two tatami rooms for private dining. Its warm, welcoming atmosphere is matched with a menu featuring classical Japanese dishes and other delicacies, as well as a large selection of ramen and a strong robata section. According to MENA's 50 Best Restaurants, Kinoya "is egalitarian and offers excellent value in terms of price point and accessibility".
Chef Mishra said: "We are humbled by the recognition and are delighted to be the winner of the first One To Watch Award at MENA's 50 Best Restaurants. The award is a credit to my team and everyone's hard work; we are just starting out on our journey, but this award shows us we are on the right path."
The award will be presented to Chef Mishra at a gala ceremony for MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2022 in Abu Dhabi on 7 February.