Berenjak launches international outpost in Dubai
The Dubai restaurant will have space for 54 covers inside and a further 40 outside and will serve a menu centred on charcoal-grilled kababs served with taftoon and sangak breads, and mazeh small plates.
In addition, there will be a number of dishes exclusive to the Dubai menu including lamb chops marinated in dried lime, saffron and strained yoghurt.
Berenjak, which was developed by chef Kian Samyani and is backed by JKS Restaurants, opened its first restaurant in Soho in 2018 and launched a second site in Borough last year.
It is the third brand operated by JKS to expand into the Middle East, and the first to open in Dubai.
Last November, the group’s Sri Lankan restaurant brand Hoppers launched its first international outpost in the Qatari capital of Doha. This was followed by the opening a Riyadh outpost of Gymkhana in June this year.
Speaking at the Restaurant Conference last year, prior to the opening of Hoppers Doha, JKS co-founder Jyotin Sethi discussed the prospect of international growth opportunities for the group, which also operates singular restaurants such as Gymkhana, Bibi and Brigadiers.
“There are real growth opportunities in the Middle East, Asia, and the US,” Sethi said at the time.
“There’s plenty of conversations going on at the moment and we’ve got to work out how we best want to do that. We are lucky that our brands have an international following.”
JKS is one of a growing number of UK restaurant groups eyeing opportunities in Dubai as they expand into the Middle East.
Others include Permanently Unique, which is looking to launch its own venture in the city next year; San Carlo, which partnered with Sunset Hospitality Group (SHG) to open Signor Sassi in there earlier this year; LSL Capital, which recently announced plans to establish outposts in Dubai for both its Jamavar and MiMi Mei Fair restaurant brands.
