The Middle East is home to over 1,300 Japanese restaurants. That number has doubled in five years. Yet a growing share of them close within 18 months — not because of competition, but because of the same avoidable mistakes, repeated again and again. Having the right location, the right capital, and the right ambition still isn't enough. The missing ingredient is almost always authenticity — and that's the hardest thing to fake in a market that knows the difference. Dubai's di

How Japaldia and Japanese Culinary Expertise Are Shaping the Next Phase of Middle Eastern Dining in Dubai, U.A.E. & Middle East Japaldia is a Dubai-based Japanese restaurant consultancy supporting concept development, menu strategy, sourcing, and operational design across the UAE and Middle East. The rise of a new counter culture  Dubai’s dining landscape is undergoing a quiet but meaningful shift. Japan-inspired formats such as hand roll bars are emerging as dynamic, experie