Andes, contemporary Latin perfection at WTC.

Andes has been on my list for some months now.  I’d been trying to find time to make my way near the Trade Center — which was finally made possible by a lunch reservation in late December.  With everyone out of Dubai (holidays are the best), parking (underground, although valet is available) was easy, and with perfect mid-winter temperatures, I was happy to avail a seat on the outside terrace.  South American is a cuisine I (admittedly) do not have as much experience with, but have (of course) enjoyed some of the previous offers in Dubai — Lima, and the spate of Peruvian restaurants we had two years ago (RIP Totora and Mayta, among many others).

Although Andes is not licensed (a fact I think is a rather large misstep for reasons I’ll get into below), the plating of the food and overall ambiance place diners in an upscale dining experience.  The interior is modern, as are many of the details throughout the restaurant.  As I glance over the menu, I note Andes offers a very competitive lunch option, priced at either AED85 (2 courses) or AED95 (3 courses) including house water, and coffee or tea.  Given I am present for a review, I order dishes from both the set menu and the a la carte options.  However, there is plenty for any diner to choose from (and yes, vegetarians, you are not overlooked).  To start, I have the Ceviche, AED56, which is one of my favorite dishes of the month.  Equal parts sweet, smoky, and with more texture than one would expect in a fish dish, I would happily revisit Andes for this dish alone.  Although I eat it by myself, the portion would be easily large enough for two people to enjoy.

While waiting for my next dish, fresh homemade bread and butter arrive at the table — always a welcome sight.  I follow up the ceviche with Grilled Salad, AED32.  The vegetables have a lovely amount of char, and the accompanying sauce has just enough heat to be interesting.  We’re also presented with the Smoked Octopus, AED78.  While I enjoy the protein, and the octopus is cooked perfectly, I don’t love it as I do the other dishes.  Given the punch of flavor in the rest of the meal, I thought the quinoa risotto lacked depth, and did not add much to the plate.  I’m not sure I would order the dish again.

For mains, I choose the Wagyu (an absolute steal at AED110), and, because it’s nearly impossible to find in Dubai, Lamb Shank Barbacoa, AED62.  The meaty barbacoa is precisely what is missing from other menus.  Served with a big bed of salad, the lamb was excellent, and one I would happily order again.  Although my dining partner and I both found the steak a bit dry for our tastes, I would also still probably order the Wagyu again, and thought the accompanying sauces were well done.  Overall, and similar my recent visit to Kizmet, it was a delight to see plenty of menu options that are not cookie-cutter versions of what everyone else in town is doing.  Bravo!

For dessert, the pastry chef personally presents Cusco, AED46 and The Andes Mountains, AED48.  All the best dishes come with a story, and the play on ‘rice and milk’ for the visually stunning and equally delicious Cusco, is one you should ask her about.  Across the table, I have to more or less get a fork into the stack of chocolate in the Andes Mountains, before my dining partner eats it all.

Overall, as mentioned above, the lack of licensing does the venue a huge disservice, especially when longer tasting menus are offered on the weekend.  While I can understand the placement of the restaurant doesn’t necessarily read as one that would be licensed (WTC is not DIFC, after all), I can only imagine that offering wine, spirits, and cocktails would help increase revenue, perhaps even by a considerable margin.  After all, as excellent as the food is — all restaurants are a business first and need to make a profit.

Other than the lack of alcohol, the service was warm, attentive, and knowledgeable and I appreciated the hard work of the kitchen to create plenty of depth of flavor and something for everyone.  Really, it’s challenging to place Andes in a specific dining category and I mean that as a sincere compliment.  Furthermore, that the dishes are all inclusive of VAT and no service charge is added (tips go directly to servers), well done, Andes.  I wish other restaurants would take a step in this direction.

So, would I go back to Andes?  Yes, for lunch.  For this caliber of food, I still expect wine (or some form of alcohol) to be available with the meal which would be my only hesitation for not going back to try the tasting menu at dinner.

Who is Andes best for?  Those looking to an impress a client (and want to get away from DIFC).  A Saturday afternoon spot.  Those looking to try somewhere new with a unique menu, and not break the bank.

A to Za’atar was a guest of Andes.  Opinions are my own, just ask my husband.

What’s your favorite restaurant near WTC?