Say Waka to this all new Latin American spot

Last night was all about Latin America at Waka. Right from Mexican Guacamole to Peruvian Ceviche and Japanese Makis to Spanish Tapas, this restaurant gets you something from every part of the continent. Waka, the newest entry in this city’s nightlife scene adds a sparkle to the dining options at The Oberoi Dubai with its bright colorful interiors and extremely friendly service.

We were impressed by their sheer hospitality which only got better once we were presented with the variety of food and drinks. Read on to know more about our entire experience at Waka.

Wakamole

When at Waka, it’s not Guacamole. It’s Wakamole. Quite close to the traditional Mexican favorite, Waka’s version of guac comes with smoked avocado, onions, chillies and lime. It also has lots of jalapenos in there which makes this guac just perfect.

https://youtu.be/Lp0bXKfS978

And look at how wonderfully those nachos are served in a thatch basket, adding a Cantonese touch. The Wakamole is one of their signature must haves, and you will definitely find one on every table. This one is highly recommended so make sure you go there and have this, even if it’s just for this. And after all it’s priced at just AED 35, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t order one!

Here’s a better shot of the Wakamole.

Waka Caliente

Next up was the Peruvian favorite – Ceviche. This one was called the Waka Caliente. A very seafoody combination of scallops, shrimps and sea bass, this Ceviche was prepared live on our table by the chef. Cooked over hot stones on a sizzling plate, it was enhanced with Leche De Tigre. This sauce which is made with garlic, ginger, onions, lime juice, coriander and peach is particularly used to marinate seafood in a Ceviche.

Thanks to the beautiful flavors of the sauce, the seafood was cooked extremely tender. What I enjoyed the most was the addition of two varieties of Peruvian corn, the crunchy cancha and the smooth choclo.

Order this one if you are a Ceviche fan. And order it if if you have never tried Ceviche before. Either way, you’ll love it.

Here’s another shot of the delicious seafood Ceviche at Waka.

The Waka Caliente comes with the triple S – scallops, shrimps and sea bass – all wonderfully cooked over hot stones and marinated in Leche De Tigre.
Try this Peruvian beauty and you are definitely going to love it!

Chicha Colada

Here’s the Chicha Colada. Quite interesting, this mocktail brings out post sweet, part citrusy flavors with the blend of orange juice and lemon. But that’s not all.
Can you see that lovely purple hue? This comes from the addition of Peruvian purple corn. And it’s really creamy texture, also one of reasons I opted for this drink, is because of the dense coconut base.

I must say, this unique drink has, just with its sheer ingredients, made its place in my top ten list. And then there’s also the smoky presentation and the captivating pineapple case. Absolutely perfecto!

Carne Y Trufa

Waka is full of surprises. And one such surprise were these beef Tiraditos. The Carne Y Trufa is much like a beef carpaccio, except it isn’t Italian. It’s Peruvian. Thinly sliced wagyu beef is enhanced with truffle (my fave!) and lime, and highlights a very strong influence of Japanese flavors in the form of togarashi and soy sauce.

The beef is extremely soft and simply melts in your mouth. I really loved the togarashi and soy flavors. These sauces really tenderize the meat. The tiraditos also come with salmon, tuna, scallops and sea bass. So go crazy and try them all!

De La Calle

Since we were on a Pan Latin culinary tour, it wouldn’t have been fair to leave Tacos behind. I usually don’t like pineapple on my pizzas and savory foods, but Waka was a wonderful reason to make an exception.

These De La Calle tacos featured tender chicken, pineapple pieces, coriander and chillies. What’s more, they were served with a green tomato sauce and Habanero chilli dip on the side. I love how these tacos were garnished with pretty micro greens.

Mango Mule

Here’s a spicier, albeit sober version of the Moscow Mule. The Mango Mule at Waka muddles up mango with cucumber and lime for a sweet and sour flavor. More sweetness is added in the form of honey which is cut by a sharp and spicy ginger ale.

Topped with lots of crushed ice, this Latin drink blends perfectly well with all that guac, Ceviche, tacos and more. Yes, there’s more!

Lamb Chops

Chop chop chop. Of late I have got a serious looking for lamb chops. I keep trying them out everywhere I go. Well, I can’t help it, especially when the meat is cooked so tender and the glaze is just on point.

These Lamb Chops at Waka came with a lovely Korean bbq glaze accompanied by a yuzu koshu dip and spicy salad. The marinade really added a lot more flavor to the meat. I would have loved it even more had they served the marinade as a side dip.

I guess soon I’ll be doing a feature on the best lamb chops in Dubai, and who knows, this might just top the charts!

Mini Paletas

Desserts. Can’t live without them, can we?
These lovely lollipops are called Mini Paletas and they pack in a flavorful punch.

Two of them were filled with passion fruit and coated with white chocolate. Two were filled with the Peruvian fruit Lucuma and coated with dark chocolate. And another two were filled with Chirimoya and coated with dark chocolate. These were presented over crushed ice and liquid nitrogen to give off an icy feel. Plus they were absolutely melt in the mouth. I wish they had made these while I was still a kid. But well, it’s never too late!

While this was one of the recommended ones, we indulged in another dessert at Waka too, simply because it had my favorite ingredient.

Coco Loco

Waka is colourful. So much so that the vibrancy spills over from their food onto the plates, interiors and everything around. And its this vibrancy that paints the very vibes of this restaurant.

This was the perfect ending to our Thursday night meal at Waka. The Coco Loco came with a very smooth, decadent and creamy coconut mousse. It had just the right amount of density and texture that melts in your mouth, but allows you to experience the coconut flavors oozing out of the mousse. Paired with a pineapple confit, this was like the desert version of a Pina Colada. If the dessert was so good, I can only imagine how spectacular their Pina Colada would be.

But we’ll save that for the next visit.

Waka Restaurant & Bar

Location: Lobby Level, The Oberoi, Business Bay, Dubai
Contact: 04 4441455