ISHQ by Chef Bhatia is officially open at Raffles Dubai in Wafi City.
The intimate restaurant seats 22 guests and explores India’s regional cooking.
Vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus feature 13 or 19 courses.
The 22-seat restaurant explores India’s regional flavours through 13- and 19-course tasting menus.
A dinner that starts with fragrance and the sound of a bell sets a theatrical tone at ISHQ by Chef Bhatia, the Indian fine dining restaurant at Raffles Dubai that seats just 22 guests.
From the team behind Mann Marzi, ISHQ takes its name from the word for “love”. Chef Nimish Bhatia uses that idea to connect dishes with the places, people and memories behind them. The result is a choice of 13- and 19-course tasting menus, with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options tracing different aspects of India’s culinary heritage.
The menu moves between street food, family recipes and dishes associated with royal kitchens. Palak Patta Chaat takes its cue from Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, pairing charred spinach with milk foam and tamarind. Assamese Mango Fish combines sea bass, raw mango and mustard, while a lobster preparation looks towards Madurai. Kashmir’s culinary traditions also feature through Wazwan.
Vegetarian dishes receive similar attention. Gucchi Musallam combines morels, saffron, yoghurt and heritage spices, while Dham Resplendent draws inspiration from the Kangra Valley. For something sweet, Rose Carrot & Sandesh Gelato turns to the flavours of Bengal.
“Every region of India whispers a story of soil, spice and soul. From the fairs of Punjab to the gardens of the East, I have tried to capture emotions, not simply recipes. This isn’t just dining. It is a conversation between heart and memory. This is ISHQ, crafted for the heart,” says Chef Nimish Bhatia.
A personal thread runs through the chef’s own experiences. Owner Anju Gautam’s memories of her mother’s cooking in Jalandhar, along with recipes recorded in diaries during her travels, contribute to the restaurant’s direction. These family influences sit alongside Bhatia’s interest in the techniques and traditions of India’s regional kitchens.
Across the menus, familiar dishes take on different forms through smoke, foams, infusions and shifts in temperature and texture. Playful courses include Chilled Samosa and Rassam Fizz, with the wider experience taking in broths, kebabs, seafood and desserts such as Santra Constellation. Tableside finishing adds another point of interaction in the small dining room.
ISHQ offers one service beginning at 8pm. The 13-course menu costs AED 799, while the 19-course menu is AED 1,099. An optional pairing is available for an additional AED 500.
Where: ISHQ by Chef Bhatia, Raffles Dubai, Umm Hurair, Dubai
When: Daily at 8pm
Contact: www.ishq.ae