Review: The Guild

Few restaurant openings this past year have been as highly anticipated as The Guild, prolific Dubai restaurateur Tom Arnel’s first foray into fine dining. Fronted by heavy gray velvet curtains and a small jungle of more than 300 plants, The Guild is one restaurant, but many things at once: Inside, there’s a patisserie, brasserie, Champagne bar, seafood restaurant, wood-fire kitchen, cocktail bar, and chocolatier. The laid-back Nurseries space is perfect for a cozy date night (tip: Order the Brie de Meaux truffle sandwich), while the more upscale Rockpool is where you’ll find the bulk of The Guild’s seafood. The latter features a live shucking bar, the day’s catch displayed on ice, and glass-fronted aquariums stacked to the ceiling filled with live king crabs and crayfish. Over at the Salon (which Arnel describes as his favorite spot), white-clothed tables sit underneath grand crystal chandeliers and overlook two open kitchens. Here, the starter of crispy prawns—slathered in surprisingly light batter and served with red chimichurri dip and lime salt—is incredibly tasty, while the Wagyu beef tartare, with shallots and chopped cornichons, is the right mix of rich and tangy. The Guild will soon add a piano bar and cigar lounge to its lineup, designed for those who want to keep the night going—which we envision they will. The Guild is a truly enchanting space, one that you’ll no doubt want to return to time and time again.