Chef Shigeki Iimura, worldwide corporate Japanese chef of Buddha Bar Group visited the UAE last month on a Nikkei tour to promote the restaurant’s Japanese-Peruvian fusion flavours
Please describe the concept of Barfly Abu Dhabi?
Barfly by Buddha Bar is the only neo-baroque mystic lounge concept in Abu Dhabi, offering gueststhe luxury and comfort of an intimate restaurant. The atmosphere of Barfly is multi-dimensional depending on the time of day; be it a relaxing afternoon lounge offering shisha, an intimate bar setting for late afternoon or pre-dinner drinks and the dining experience in the evening with the energy in the room ever-increasing as the night progresses.
Please tell us about the Nikkei tour you are in town promoting?
The focus of my visit is to promote and educate gourmands of the UAE to a whole new cuisine. There aren’t many restaurants that offer Japanese-Peruvian dishes; we want to be the trendsetters at Barfly and introduce a brand new taste and flavour through the Nikkei Tour.
Please describe the menu of Barfly Abu Dhabi?
The Barfly menu masterfully blends Far Eastern cuisine with Western tastes and influences; pushing culinary boundaries with Chinese, Japanese, Thai and other Eastern flavours stylishly entwined to spearhead a new wave of Pacific Rim cuisine.
What is your best seller on the menu?
Our best-sellers on the menu are sushi, miso cod, dim sum, chargrilled beef and wok.
What is your opinion of the Abu Dhabi restaurant scene?
Through my years of experience, I believe Abu Dhabi’s culinary scene is developing at a steady pace and there are a lot of opportunities to explore for restaurateurs. If one is passionate about food, it won’t be difficult to see the missing gaps.
What challenges do you face operating Barfly Abu Dhabi?
My challenge as worldwide executive chef is to study each of my restaurants and see what works best and to give it the boost it requires. My vision for Barfly Abu Dhabi is to make it a popular destination for niche flavours, to enjoy with great music and atmosphere.
What are your plans for the next 12 – 18 months of Barfly?
The main menu will get a lift, as we want to offer more of an international food variety and introduce our diners to extraordinary flavours from around the world and build an exciting culinary scene at Barfly.
What are your global plans for the brand?
My global mission for the brand is the same as for Barfly in Abu Dhabi – getting diners acquainted with the fusion flavours and diverse range of international food on our menu.
