The collaboration between Tashkeel, Sheikha Lateefa bint Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s celebrated art consultancy, and Atelier House Hospitality has produced a venue that feels authentically rooted whilst remaining thoroughly contemporary. The name itself, meaning “welcome to our humble abode” in Arabic, sets the tone for what proves to be an immersive cultural experience.
Location and Design Philosophy
Street 20 in Nad Al Sheba might seem an unlikely location for such an ambitious venture, yet Gerbou’s placement within this historic neighbourhood adds considerable authenticity to its narrative. The 1987 building, rather than being modernised beyond recognition, has been thoughtfully renovated by Kristina Zanic Consultants to honour its architectural heritage whilst accommodating contemporary dining requirements.
The entrance immediately signals the venue’s commitment to local craftsmanship. A custom-made door handle incorporates patterns representing palm trees, desert sand, and ocean waves – elements that define the UAE’s natural landscape. This attention to symbolic detail continues throughout the interior, where every element appears to have been selected for both aesthetic merit and cultural significance.
The Ghaf tree features prominently in the design vocabulary, most notably in the front desk crafted from naturally fallen Ghaf wood and left deliberately unfinished to showcase the timber’s natural character. This centrepiece, designed by Tasmeem Tashkeel, supports bronze sculptures by artist Alice Andrea Ewing featuring the protected Eurasian collared dove and desert rose – symbols of preservation and resilience respectively.
Ambience and Craftsmanship
Upon entering, guests encounter a harmonious blend of traditional elements and contemporary sophistication. The interior combines rich camel leather seating with embroidered cushions featuring Ghaf tree motifs, whilst dining chairs carved from naturally fallen Ghaf trunks echo the restaurant’s architectural arches. Tables incorporate intricate Sadu weaving patterns that honour Bedouin heritage, whilst fish scale lighting fixtures reflect the Emirati community’s historical connection to the sea.
The pièce de résistance hangs overhead – a herbarium chandelier created through an intricate glass-making technique that crystallises dried foliage within glass. This magnificent installation captures Gerbou’s philosophy of preserving nature’s beauty whilst transforming it into contemporary art.
Culinary Direction
Chef Ionel Catau brings impressive credentials from Michelin-starred establishments to this uniquely Emirati venture. His approach demonstrates remarkable sensitivity to local ingredients and traditional techniques whilst applying international expertise to create something genuinely innovative. The menu reflects this philosophy, seamlessly blending Emirati-inspired dishes with carefully considered global influences.
The restaurant’s underground pit cooking technique deserves particular mention. Inspired by time-honoured Emirati methods, this approach infuses dishes with deep, smoky flavours that connect diners to centuries-old culinary traditions. This commitment to traditional techniques, combined with contemporary presentation and global influences, creates a dining experience that feels both familiar and surprising.
Award-winning Emirati Chef Sahar Al Awadhi oversees the pastry programme, ensuring that sweet offerings maintain the same commitment to cultural authenticity and contemporary innovation that characterises the savoury menu.
The Dining Experience
Our culinary journey at Gerbou revealed generous portions and traditional flavours elevated through contemporary technique. The Date Salad serves as an exemplary introduction to the restaurant’s philosophy – showcasing what may well be the finest dates we have encountered, presented alongside fresh, crisp leaves, vibrant pomegranate seeds, and complementary fruits. The dish achieves perfect balance, each element enhancing rather than competing with the others, resulting in a composition that celebrates both the ingredient’s natural sweetness and the chef’s restraint.
The Fattoush Smash demonstrates a mastery of Middle Eastern classics, delivering the fresh, vibrant flavours one expects from an establishment of this calibre. The preparation honours traditional methods whilst presenting the dish with contemporary finesse, each component retaining its distinct character within the harmonious whole.
Gerbou’s theatrical presentation reaches its peak with the Corn on Corn, prepared table side via a live trolley service that adds a nice personal touch to the dining experience. The corn emerges remarkably juicy and sweet, the caramelisation achieved through precise technique creating layers of flavour that transform this humble ingredient into something memorable.
The Prawn Zaatar showcases the restaurant’s expertise with seafood and open-flame cooking. These substantial prawns, charcoal-grilled to precision, a result of perfect preparation, timing and temperature. The prawns emerge sweet and succulent, their natural flavours enhanced rather than masked by the traditional zaatar seasoning and the subtle smokiness imparted by the charcoal.
The Gerbou Grilled Platter stands as the restaurant’s signature offering, and rightfully so. This substantial selection features two preparations of chicken alongside expertly grilled steak and lamb, each protein achieving the coveted combination of beautiful smoky crust whilst remaining perfectly tender within. The seasoning draws from traditional Emirati flavour profiles, creating a dish that speaks to local palates whilst remaining accessible to international guests. The portion size reflects the generous spirit of Arab hospitality, easily satisfying multiple diners whilst maintaining consistent quality across all proteins.
Throughout the meal, traditional cooking methods are honoured, particularly the charcoal grilling that imparts distinctive smoky notes to multiple dishes. The generous portions reflect both cultural values and contemporary dining expectations, ensuring guests leave genuinely satisfied whilst appreciating the technical skill evident in each preparation.
Service and Experience
The service philosophy at Gerbou reflects the venue’s core values of hospitality and cultural connection. Staff demonstrate genuine knowledge of both the dishes and their cultural context, enhancing the dining experience through storytelling that connects each course to its cultural heritage.
The restaurant operates throughout the day, offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the distinctive Fwala experience – an elevated interpretation of the traditional Emirati afternoon gathering that celebrates hospitality through shared food and conversation.
Seasonal Offerings
During Ramadan, Gerbou transforms into something even more special, offering carefully curated Iftar and Suhoor menus for guests seeking an authentic cultural experience. The Fwala experience during this period captures the UAE’s multicultural character through dishes such as Date and Burrata on Sourdough and Bun Maska with Karak, available from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
For guests preferring to observe these traditions at home, thoughtfully prepared delivery boxes ensure the Gerbou experience extends beyond the restaurant’s walls.
Cultural Significance
What distinguishes Gerbou from Dubai’s crowded restaurant scene is its genuine commitment to cultural preservation and innovation. Rather than appropriating Emirati traditions for aesthetic effect, the venue demonstrates deep respect for local heritage whilst creating space for contemporary interpretation.
The partnership between Tashkeel and Atelier House Hospitality has created something remarkable – a restaurant that functions as a cultural institution, preserving and celebrating Emirati traditions whilst remaining thoroughly accessible to international guests. This balance between authenticity and accessibility requires considerable skill, yet Gerbou achieves it with apparent effortlessness.
Gerbou succeeds in creating an experience that transcends conventional dining. It offers guests an opportunity to engage with Emirati culture through multiple sensory experiences – visual, tactile, and gastronomic. The venue demonstrates that cultural preservation and contemporary innovation need not be mutually exclusive, instead showing how they can enhance each other when approached with sufficient respect and creativity.
This is destination dining with genuine substance, where every element serves both aesthetic and cultural purpose. Gerbou establishes itself as essential not merely for its culinary offerings, but for its role in preserving and reimagining Emirati cultural traditions for contemporary audiences.