FOOD REVIEW // Bordo Mavi, Jumeirah Fishing Village

Bordo Mavi: Come for the coastal ambiance, stay for the 252-year old recipe shrimp casserole

In a city as food obsessed as Dubai, when one restaurant name keeps popping up, you don’t just listen, you book a table. Bordo Mavi’s reputation for its fresh and sustainable approach to seafood precedes it, what I wasn't expecting was their commitment to simplicity and reverence for tradition.

I arrived with high expectations and left understanding the multitude of awards they have received, including a 2025 Michelin mention.

We spotted both tourists and regulars enjoying Bordo Mavi’s open air dining room, which makes the most of its charming waterfront location at Jumeirah Fishing Harbor. The interiors are warm and inviting with a relaxed, seaside aesthetic. Driftwood branches are cleverly used to cover the ceiling, while fishing murals are an ode to the rustic seafood restaurants in Turkey. The room evokes memories of holidays spent strolling along the harbor in a seaside town and popping into a cozy fisherman’s shack, but with a more refined and elegant touch.

Bordo Mavi is a celebration of Turkish Coastal Cuisine from Fishmonger Ersan Yilmaz, who’s passion and experience began at just nine years old. It is a love letter to the traditions of his hometown - from the 600 year old recipe Reyhan Sherbet to the 250 year old butter recipe used in one of our favorite dishes of the night, a shrimp casserole that came to the table in a hot clay dish of bubbling Trabzon butter, garlic and paprika.

We were warmly welcomed by our server and started off with a couple of mocktails. I had the Pink and Ginger, bright and tart, a refreshing departure from the cloyingly sweet sugar bomb spirit-free drinks tend to be. My partner opted for the Yes Coke, a home made cola that was both balanced and complex, with spice forward flavors that complemented the meal.

Dinner kicked off with a basket of assorted breads and a trio of small plates - perfectly seasoned, salt baked potato slices, crumbly cheese and karisik tursu, the vibrant, salt cured pickles found in every Turkish Tursucus. It takes a bold confidence to begin the meal with such humble ingredients, which highlights the chef’s expert understanding of seasoning. As the evening progressed, we found Bordo Mavi would continue to inspire us with their adept grasp of elevating simple flavors into memorable dishes.

Service was fast and before we knew it, our table was filled with an abundance of small seafood plates. The Tuna Tartar, Smoked Tamasalata & the Shrimp Casserole. The tartar, a sublime, balanced interpretation of a classic, was served on a smear of velvety labneh, crunchy quinoa and a drizzle of the

homemade raspberry molasses. This was an easy dish to love, as was the mesmerizing clay pot of sweet shrimp in butter with fresh soft bread to dip. Rustic and unpretentious, the simplest of pleasures are always the fastest to my heart. Through these first dishes we understood the Bordo Mavi menu is a lesson in simplicity, control and quality.

Next came a salad of little gem lettuce (easily my favorite lettuce and yes I have one), poached figs and apricots with toasted hazelnuts and a julienne of apple. The salad was bright and crisp with a punchy lemon dressing. A thoughtful and smart intermission between our appetizers as we prepared to devour the entrees that were starting to be sent out. The perfectly prepared octopus, soft and tender and lightly charred, was served on a bed of lemony hummus and cilantro salsa verde. The whole fish preparations, Crispy Skin Seabass for us, are a highlight here, flawlessly cooked over wood fire. While simple in presentation, it left us baffled as to how the skin maintained its crunch until the last bite, while the fish itself was delicate, flaky and moist. Once again rustic, simple, and controlled. Our mains were accompanied by the grilled oyster mushrooms with truffled labneh. The punchiest dish of the evening, with a soy sauce glaze that was reminiscent of sticky, umami rich demi glace.

We were comfortably stuffed and were going to forego dessert, or so we thought. I have a weak spot for frozen yoghurt and honey so the bowl of kefir yogurt ice cream with toasted walnuts and aromatic honey was the perfect end to a perfect evening. Light and tart in all the right ways, the honey added just the right amount of sweetness, while the toasted walnuts added just the right amount of crunch.

We left giddy, hand in hand to take a romantic moonlit stroll along the pier. Like a couple of cartoon alleycats filled with fresh fish, milk and honey.

Location: Jumeirah Fishing Harbour, Al Urouba St, Dubai

Visit: bordomavidubai.com

Instagram: @bordomavi.ae

//

Meet our Food Editor: Mandana Shabani

If you'd like to invite us for a food review, email hello@raemona.com