Dubai has no shortage of Asian restaurants, but the newly reviewed Citronelle at SO/Uptown Dubai is positioning itself as a dinner-and-a-night-out package rather than just another dinner reservation. Perched on the seventh floor of the SO/Uptown hotel, it pairs city views and a moody, intimate interior with live music — a DJ plus a trumpet player — as the evening rolls on.
The look is dark wood, plush blue seating and warm low lighting, with Asian-inspired artwork on the pillars and mirrored ceiling panels keeping things modern. Window tables get the skyline; tucked-away corners get the privacy. Either way, it reads as a date-night spot that doesn't take itself too seriously.
The kitchen is led by Taiwan-born chef Mia Yu Lin, and the menu leans contemporary Pan-Asian: sushi, dim sum, wok dishes, seafood and grilled meats, all designed for sharing. Standouts from the review include a Hamachi Crudo in tangy kalamansi dashi with shichimi togarashi; Omani Shrimp Crystal Har-Gao, a Cantonese-style dumpling theatrically served on a nest of kunafa; and a spicy tuna roll finished with soy emulsion and wasabi sorbet. Mains run from a Charcoal Seabass with Thai Nam Jim sauce to an MB6+ Striploin with wasabi and yakiniku sauce. Dessert is the Bamboo Garden — mango sticky rice, fruit and jelly candies styled as a miniature garden in a pot.
There are easy ways in for different budgets and occasions. The Tiger Brunch on Friday evenings combines the food with entertainment, a weekday business lunch runs Dhs99 between 12pm and 3pm, and Wednesday ladies' night (6pm to 11pm) offers a handcrafted sushi roll plus two hours of unlimited house wine and selected cocktails for Dhs168.
For travellers, this is a solid pick if you want one venue that covers dinner, views and a lively atmosphere without a venue change — worth folding into a Dubai stay in the Uptown area, or pairing with an evening elsewhere in the city afterwards.
