Ling Ling Dubai

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

On the 23rd floor of Atlantis The Royal, Ling Ling Dubai occupies a space that refuses to be categorised as simply a restaurant. The dining room opens onto an ultra-lounge and outdoor terraces that sweep across 180 degrees of the Palm Jumeirah, the Arabian Sea and Dubai's skyline — a backdrop that sets the tone before a single dish arrives.

A Space Designed to Stay In

The interiors are as considered as the menu. The Tree of Life, a centrepiece sculpture created by Dorian van Braam's studio, anchors the dining lounge with natural scarred oak heartwood, a canopy of copper leaf foliage and solid brass marquetry through the trunk — a deliberate nod to the brand's Asian heritage. The design is not decorative for its own sake; Forbes Travel Guide, which awarded Ling Ling a Four-Star rating, noted that "the sensory aspect of the spaces' eclectic design is integral to the overall dining experience."

Pan-Asian Cooking With Serious Ingredients

The contemporary Asian menu draws from across the continent — Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia all leave their mark on the kitchen. What holds it together is an insistence on exceptional produce: A5 wagyu, bluefin tuna, Hokkaido scallops, black truffle and Oscietra caviar appear throughout.

Standout plates include the 24K Gold A5 Hokkaido wagyu and lobster sushi with caviar and gold leaf, the black truffle dragon oshizushi with foie gras, and the crispy bee pollen chicken with black pepper honey glaze. The Szechuan chicken dumplings and Boston lobster pad thai represent the broader Pan-Asian range at its most direct and satisfying.

For a more structured experience, the Ling Ling Kiwami Sushi Platter — the chef's selection of sashimi, nigiri and makizushi with lobster, oysters and Oscietra caviar — is the signature set piece. Meat-focused guests can opt for the Kobe Kaiseki Experience, a four-course progression through the beef.

The Bar as a Destination in Itself

The cocktail programme is built around Asian-inspired flavour combinations executed with precision. Ling2 pairs lime-infused gin with raspberry and lavender; Nami brings together vodka, plum liqueur and red velvet ice cream soda. The bar runs later than the restaurant on weekends, making it a natural continuation of the evening rather than an afterthought.

The soundtrack is curated to shift with the night, and the energy follows — dinner gives way to lounge, lounge gives way to something closer to late-night. Ling Ling is designed, quite deliberately, for arriving early and leaving late.