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Manāo

Dubai

Thai food that transcends borders

A shared vision: After studying culinary arts in the UK, Indian-born, Dubai-raised chef Abhiraj Khatwani ventured to Thailand to hone his craft in working kitchens – and that's where his passion for Thai flavours was born. On his return to Dubai, he teamed up with Syrian chef Mohamad Orfali and their mutual admiration gave rise to a new venture: Manāo, a restaurant dedicated to delivering a uniquely Emirati version of Thai cuisine.

Near-instant acclaim: In May 2025, just five months after opening, Manāo received a Michelin star, which is no mean feat for a restaurant lacking the clout of a celebrity chef at the helm. That said, Chef Khatwani did scoop the Michelin Young Chef Award in the same year – and co-founder Orfali is the brains behind Dubai eatery Orfali Bros (named The Best Restaurant in the Middle East in 2023, 2024 and 2025), so it comes from the best possible stock.

What's the philosophy? Manāo is a love letter to Thailand's heritage with its eyes firmly on the future, putting a contemporary spin on time-tested recipes, techniques and ingredients. The result is a dining experience that's neither haute cuisine nor a casual affair, but more of a personal journey. A riot of textures, tastes and techniques, each carefully crafted mouthful fuses tradition with vibrant modernity.

Must-orders: One-bite starters like savoury khanom krok (delicate, crispy pancakes) and sticky rice roti with smoked short ribs offer a burst of flavour guaranteed to spark your appetite, while original sharing plates such as fried chicken with prickly ash, Isan-style kohlrabi salad and banana leaf–wrapped sour beef curry stimulate your senses, forkful after free-thinking forkful. Of course, Thai food wouldn't be Thai food without plenty of rice. Take yours roasted, steamed, grilled or sticky.

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