One of my husband’s friends from our years in Berlin visited Dubai with his family.
It had been quite some time since we last met, so we decided to enjoy dinner together at NOVIKOV Café, located in Dubai Mall Fashion Avenue.
The restaurant was chosen by our friend’s wife. Since they are originally from Russia, I assumed we were going to a Russian restaurant when I first heard the name.
As it turns out, NOVIKOV is an international restaurant brand founded by Russian chef and restaurateur Arkady Novikov. With locations in cities such as London and Dubai, NOVIKOV Café at Dubai Mall offers a diverse menu featuring Mediterranean and Italian cuisine alongside classic Russian dishes.
The menu included favorites such as Beef Stroganoff, but also a wide selection of pasta, seafood, meat dishes, and desserts, making it a truly international dining experience.
From our table, we enjoyed beautiful views of the Dubai skyline. Like Blume, which I introduced in my previous blog post, NOVIKOV Café is located in Dubai Mall Fashion Avenue, making it a wonderful place to enjoy the Dubai Fountain while dining.
A Beautiful Start
I began with the salmon and avocado appetizer.
The fresh salmon paired beautifully with the creamy avocado, creating a light and refreshing first course. What surprised me most was the soy-based dressing. As a Japanese person, it was a familiar flavor that complemented the dish perfectly.
Two Memorable Pasta Dishes
For my main course, I chose Paccheri with Crab and Zucchini.
It was my first time trying paccheri, and I was immediately impressed by its size. The wide, thick pasta had a wonderfully chewy texture that made every bite satisfying. It was one of those dishes where the pasta itself became the star.
The sauce was also unlike a typical tomato sauce. Rather than being dominated by tomatoes, it was rich with the natural sweetness of crab. The zucchini added a delicate freshness, while the seafood flavors blended beautifully into a refined, elegant sauce.
My husband ordered the cheese ravioli.
I had a chance to taste it, and the rich cheese filling instantly made me smile. The simple butter sauce allowed the cheese to shine without overpowering it. Since butter and cheese are two of my husband’s favorite ingredients, it turned out to be exactly the kind of dish he loves, and he enjoyed every bite.
Two Desserts I’ll Never Forget
The desserts were undoubtedly the highlight of the evening.
I chose the San Sebastián Cheesecake, a famous cheesecake originating from San Sebastián in northern Spain.
Its rich yet delicate cheese flavor was perfectly balanced by the lightly caramelized top. It was creamy without feeling heavy, elegant yet comforting. It immediately became one of those desserts that made me think, I’d love to recreate this at home someday.
The biggest surprise of the evening, however, was the Napoleon Cake.
Our friends had ordered it for their family, but it was much larger than expected, and they couldn’t finish it.
“You have to try this—it’s really delicious!” our friend’s wife insisted.
Although we were already full, we accepted their recommendation.
One bite was enough.
The delicate layers of pastry combined with the light, silky cream created an incredibly melt-in-your-mouth texture. It was one of those desserts that makes you forget you’re already full.
What started as “just one bite” ended with my husband and me happily finishing the remaining cake.
In fact, this Napoleon Cake inspired me to start making my own at home. I haven’t perfected my version yet, but I hope that one day I’ll be able to share my own recipe here on Atsuko’s Table.
Every Meal with Her Brings a New Discovery
Whenever we dine with our friend’s wife, I discover something new.
The moment she opens the menu, she confidently says,
“Let’s order this.”
“And this one next.”
“You have to try this!”
She never seems to hesitate.
What’s remarkable is that everything she recommends always turns out to be delicious.
She was the one who first introduced me to Shuba Salad, and I also discovered Solyanka, a traditional Russian soup, during one of our dinners together in Berlin.
This evening brought another small discovery.
Their younger daughter, who is only three years old, had her own meal prepared by her mother—a buckwheat porridge.
She asked the restaurant for hot water, mixed it into the porridge, and then smiled at me.
“Can you guess what it’s made from?”
She offered me a spoonful to taste.
It had a wonderfully gentle, comforting flavor that reminded me a little of sweet red beans.
It was my first time trying buckwheat porridge, and I found it surprisingly delicious. As soon as the weather becomes a little cooler, I’d love to introduce it into our own breakfast routine.
Spending the evening with our friends from Berlin while overlooking the beautiful Dubai skyline was a wonderful experience.
Of course, the food was excellent, but what stayed with me most were the many new culinary discoveries.
Paccheri pasta, San Sebastián Cheesecake, Napoleon Cake, and even buckwheat porridge all sparked new ideas and inspiration.
I’ve come to realize that food doesn’t just connect us to places—it also connects us to the people we meet along the way.
I left NOVIKOV Café not only with wonderful memories, but also with a notebook full of ideas and a growing list of recipes I hope to recreate in my own kitchen.
I’m already looking forward to seeing our friends again—and to discovering what delicious new dishes they’ll introduce me to next.
More Recipes Inspired by Our Friends
As I mentioned in this post, our friends have introduced me to many wonderful dishes over the years.
If you’d like to explore more Russian-inspired recipes, here are two recipes that hold special memories for our family.
Shuba Salad
The very first Russian salad our friend’s wife introduced us to. Its colorful layers and unique flavors made a lasting impression on me.
👉 Shuba Salad: A Colorful Layered Russian Traditional Dish
Solyanka (Russian Soup)
I first tasted this comforting soup at a Russian restaurant in Berlin with the same friends. It has since become our eldest daughter’s favorite soup, and it’s one of the recipes I love making when the weather turns cold.
👉 Solyanka Soup (Солянка): A Hearty Russian Classic with a Tangy Twist
