Peyote DIFC Review | The Luxe Diary ذا لوكس داياري

Our mission is to filter for you the best, most luxurious (and delicious!) culinary, fashion and cultural experiences taking place across the city. We aim to bring you the best that Dubai can offer.

We are often asked how we achieve this, what standards do we apply. The answer is simple: our team of specially selected writers and reviewers all have one thing in common: a love for quality, taste, beauty and aesthetics. This is where Peyote DIFC comes in.

Peyote – The Review

Dubai, the culinary haven that we are lucky to call home, has seen a genuine emergence of a new generation of restaurants offering a modern take on traditional and, sometimes, indigenous cuisines. Peyote, launched earlier this year, is definitely a contender for one of the finest, most original, delicious and aesthetically pleasing newcomers in this category. Acclaimed chef Eduardo Garcia (of the Maximo Bistrot in Mexico City – voted in the top 50 best restaurants in Latin America) balances the contemporary and the classic at Peyote, which boasts elegant dishes based on the sharing concept around main themes which include: ensaladas, crudo, ceviche, tacos and fresh meat and seafood.

On approach to Peyote, as we meander through the Gate Village in the DIFC, we are taken by the simple beauty of the ‘peyote‘ flower which adorns the outside wall of the restaurant.

The ‘peyote‘ is a type of cactus native to the Chihuahua desert – noted on the one hand for its medicinal and hallucinogenic qualities but also for its gorgeous, delicate, pale pink, circular and many petaled flower – which the maison Peyote has so beautifully and stylishly adopted.

As we enter, we note the carefully chosen yet simple decor of natural birch wood. The notes of colour are provided by the strategically placed pale turquoize ceramic pineapples on the proportionate open spaced shelves. Right on trend, these ‘objets‘ subtly direct the colour spectrum: cornflower blue, peyote flower pink and lavender pastel that occur tastefully in the surroundings and in the tableware. Notes of copper work in tandem with the natural hues and the marble bar is elegant and inviting.

Upon arrival, we are delighted by the chili and passion fruit margarita – a must-have signature cocktail from Peyote in London. It is spicy, delicate and makes for a perfect start to the evening.

Entrees

We start with the guacamole which is tasty and zesty, and set out to try the fried baby squid with jalapeno mayonnaise and lime. Huge fans of deep fried squid and very taken by Zuma‘s version of the similar dish, at The Luxe Diary, we are harsh critics. But Peyote’s definitely stands the test with the tangy and delicate flavours of its signature batter. Delightfully crisp and flavoursome, it is a great result.

We move on to the tacos. Here again, we are pleasantly surprised to discover Peyote‘s declension of this traditional Mexican speciality. The Tacos de res (braised beef short ribs, salsa verde and cilantro cress), on their delicate lavender coloured soft corn taco bases are the most moreish combination of buttery sticky beef contrasted beautifully with the sharp salsa verde. We also try the Tacos de tempura de gambas, tiger prawn tempura with chipotle mayonnaise and lime – equally delicious.

From the ceviche family, our favourite was the Laminado de hamachi – razor thin slices of hamachi delicately layered with a unique type of Mexican truffle. A close second: the stunning Ceviche blanco with cilantro oil and coconut aguachile.

A perfect side to the tacos and ceviche was the Esquites, sweetcorn with homemade mayonnaise and queso fresco. A surprisingly delicious side – with its ingredients showcased perfectly and let to shine.

Desserts

The desserts are another world of culinary discovery. We opt for the Oaxaca Chocolate – warm chocolate chipotle mousse and raspberry sorbet. It is an interesting combination: not too sweet, with an earthy, rich and very genuine cocoa flavour, contrasted with a sharp and fruity rapsberry sorbet – a triumph.

We also enjoyed Peyote’s take on a traditional dessert, Tres Leches. A vanilla soaked sponge cake with raspberry jam and burnt milk ice-cream, this dessert is the definition of comfort food with an expert twist. The berries add freshness to this warm, milky and vanilla-sweet bowl of deliciousness.