A New Miyako at Hyatt Regency Dubai

Nine months after our visit, I received another invitation to dine at Hyatt Regency Dubai's Japanese restaurant Miyako.  This time, though, it was because it had been recently renovated so it was a great opportunity to see what changes it had gone through.

My family of four arrived in the hotel lobby at 7:30pm one night last week, met with their Sales Manager, and we proceeded to the "new" Miyako.  As we approached the restaurant, we immediately noticed its new look.  Instead of the brownish-yellow marble wall with the red and black logo, it was now covered with vertical pieces of wood and its name done with horizontal pieces.

the Restaurant Reception Desk with the map of Japan

As soon as we entered, I was surprised at how much had changed.  I almost couldn't remember at which part of the restaurant the Teppanyaki room used to be (where we sat at last May) because everything was so different.

Behind the wall at the back of the reception desk (which was where part of the old kitchen used to be) was a small area where guests could sit down on very soft and comfortable chairs and chat in front of the chiller where sake, shochu, and beers were kept.

Just beside this area was a bar where guests could also enjoy their drinks.  They could either sit at the bar or at the end where there was another set of comfortable chairs, sofa and table just like the above. In my opinion, it looks more like a cafe than a bar.  I like! ☺

There was another chiller where they kept the rest of their sake and shochu beside the coffee table, sofa and chairs.

As for the main dining area, it was more spacious than before.  Guests had the option to eat at one of the regular tables, on the stools at the kitchen counter, in the Teppanyaki room, or any of the two private Tatami rooms which could also be converted into one big room for big groups.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to take a picture of the entire (main) dining area because it was full of guests and I didn't want to disrespect their privacy.  As for the second Tatami room, it was occupied the entire time we were in Miyako so I was unable to see how it looks.  I'm pretty sure though that it looks just like the other one.

Now on to the food.

We had California Maki, Miso Soup, Yaki Udon (because we remember ordering this last time and our kids loved it), Katsu Don, and Kaisen Bento (made up of three kinds of sashimi, tempura, grilled salmon, breaded fish, salad, california maki, pickled ginger, miso soup, and ice cream).

We chose the matcha flavored ice-cream for the Kaisen Bento dessert, but diners could ask for
sliced fresh fruits if they preferred that option instead.

We were happy to see that the restaurant was still very generous with their portions.  As a matter of fact, we could barely finish the Katsu Don because the serving was so big (more like "huge" if you ask me ☺).  However, we managed to gobble up everything else because they were all so tasty.

Sophie simply loved the miso soup, including the tofu.  Here's a shot of my youngest enjoying the bowl immensely.

And of course, our girls were delighted over the ice cream.  Except for a few spoonfuls Hubby and I asked so that we could at least taste it, Caila and Sophie practically finished the entire scoop themselves.

In short, the ambiance was good, the food was delicious and portions were more than enough, and the servers were prompt and attentive.

I'm pretty sure other guests would agree with me too.  Why?  For one thing, I noticed that nearly 80% of the guests that night were Japanese; that alone says a lot about a restaurant, and a Japanese one at that.  Also, I remember that when we ate there in May last year, there was only a handful of diners.  Last week, almost all the tables and stools at the kitchen counter were full, and all the private rooms were occupied by the time we left.

All in all, we were very happy with our experience at the newly renovated Miyako.  Thanks to Koko-san, Oyamada-san, and the rest of the staff for another delightful dinner.

Disclaimer: We were invited to dine at Miyako as guests; and although I was not obliged to write a review, I wanted to share our experience on my blog. All views and opinions are my own.

Miyako 
Hyatt Regency Dubai
Corniche, Deira, Dubai
Phone: 04-2096914