Dubai has long served as the hub for gourmet international cuisines. As it began to draw tourists from all over the world, whether they were there for business or pleasure, the desire to expand menus also grew, generating a drive for authenticity and creativity in every meal. And Mogao by Socialicious at Dubai Silico Oasis (DSO) is a brand-new eatery that has caught our attention with its offerings of the finest of Thai, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine for our discerning palates.
The unassuming Bamboo steamer and the resourceful wok inspire the décor of this lovely eatery set amidst a serene locale that has outdoor seating too! The restaurant features a modern interior with earthy tones – instantly making you all warm and comfortable. Mogao, inspired by the Mogao caves in north-western China which illustrates the significance of culture, art and the aspect of coming together, exudes warmth with good food and is the perfect place for dining out. Exquisite cocktails and oriental flavours get together to create magic. Mogao strikes the perfect balance between comfortable familiarity and artistic creativity, offering tried-and-tested comfort food with culinary originality.
We try out the vegetarian/vegan options and come away impressed!
We begin with their specialty cocktails and try out the Grape Vine -a soothing lavender infused gin with Californian grape and Emirati Samar Honey. The floral taste of the gin is accentuated with lavender, creating a fast and versatile visually stunning infusion with many possibilities.
The Disco and Tonic is a Blue pea flower infused with Vodka and dipped in elderflower, olive dust and home-grown basil- an eye catching killer cocktail.
The appetizers follow and do not disappoint at all! The crunchy lettuce wrap is a medley of savoury filling with micro cress garnish on fresh lettuce leaves. Crispy, flavorsome, and fresh all at the same time- an absolute best-seller!
The Black Bean Aubergine is out of this world! Crisp fried eggplant and red peppers cooked in a yummy black sauce. The aubergines are soft and crunchy coated in a fragrant black bean sauce that is packed with Emami.
Impossible Tsukune are lightly seasoned impossible meatballs skewered and grilled vegan meatballs that are perfectly tender in the center, with a crisp exterior. This juicy orb is only enhanced by a dunk in the sauce.
The papaya salad is zingy, spicy, sweet, and savoury with fresh green papaya hand pound with lime, chilies and a crunchy peanut garnish. More-ish and flavoursome, dressed in a sweet, tangy and slightly spicy dressing.
Crystal Veg Dimsum, their bestsellers are translucent dim-sums stuffed with colourful crunchy vegetables. A variety of veggies used for the filling along with a hint of red chili give it the perfect balance for any palette.
Avocado Mango Roll – a fruity and creamy fusion of avocadoes and mangoes. An easy and delicious inside-out uramaki sushi roll filled with fresh mango and ripe avocado. drizzled with a delectable sauce and fantastic in taste!
The aromatic Thai curry served with steamed rice is packed with fragrant aromatic green chilli and flavours of garlic and kaffir lime, ridiculously flavoursome!
With dishes like these, Mogao makes sure your main courses come in sizable servings. To top off the meal, their Grilled pineapple dessert, is a must-try.
Mogao follows in the footsteps of Socialicious’ philosophy that delicious food can be-come a catalyst for uniting people and creating bonds. It aspires to emulate a sense of togetherness. Mogao’s 3 mascots, Ai, Yi and Lee which means love, happiness and joy, are the very essence of what it strives to achieve.
“This is a project that has been in the works for years now and a lot of thought, effort and time has been poured into bringing each and every aspect of the dining experience to life. From the layout and décor to the menu and even to the tableware, everything is hand-picked with scrutinizing eyes nto encourage communication and openness. The dishes are curated to give a multisensory experience while keeping the integrity of flavours intact. Our mission is to give our patrons a place to celebrate life and its more than grand moments, which will help in creating deeper bonds and togetherness. And we can hardly wait,” shares Ramya Sivaprasad, Managing Partner at Mogao by Socialicious
A few menu highlights include Korean Chicken Wings, Tsukune – Japanese-style minced chicken skewers, Har Gau – a Cantonese-style classic prawn dumpling, Beef gyoza – Jap-anese style beef dumpling, Crystal Veg – Jewel-like translucent veg dumpling, Shrimp Tempura Roll – Tempura fried shrimp, flying fish roe, avocado, uniform daikon & bonito mayo, and Baked Yogurt – Signature dessert featuring a delicious blueberry compote.
Mogao will be following a quarterly menu cycle which will allow the restaurant to keep releasing new dishes based on seasonality and customer feedback resulting in a more personal and tailored dining experience. Instagram handle – @mogaodubai.