When precision engineering meets Japanese fine dining
If you speak to me about a biker’s cafe I directly have a picture in my head of chopper bikes outside and inside, there are guys in leather vests, in a smoky bar eating burgers. This stereotype cannot be more wrong with the newly opened Yamaha Cafe in the BOXPARK at Al Wasl Road, Dubai.
The DNA of Yamaha is much more linked to road bikes, off-road bikes and quads than only to choppers. So the perception of a biker, like in the film Easy Rider will not apply. The Yamaha cafe is a completely new concept created by Mohammed Iqbal Al Yousuf: “I wanted to bring about a place where bikers and bike lovers could hang out, bring family and friends, and meet for activities.”
This links directly to the demographics of the Yamaha riders and future riders – a young and dynamic group but of course you don’t need to ride a Yamaha bike or a bike at all to enjoy the atmosphere in the cafe. The cafe is created as a place to meet friends and hang out. For bike lovers and anyone who enjoys computer games, they will love that the cafe offers several built-in video game screens where you can test your gaming skills or even compete with friends on the other stations which is free of charge. If you want a real feel of the “need for speed” you can hop on one of the two bikes which are installed in the cafe and connected with the video game monitors.
In case you want to check out some accessories, the cafe also welcomes you with a small shop in the corner of the cafe.
Yamaha bikes are known for their attention to detail and precision engineering, the same craftsmanship is found in Japanese cuisine especially in sushi and sashimi. What is the wrench for an engineer is the knife for a Japanese chef. Both use only the best ingredients to create masterpieces. Sushi is a great food, healthy and light, which links to the active lifestyle of motoring fans who should find their needs met at the Yamaha cafe. But the menu is not limited to only sushi. The Yamaha Cafe exclusively offers Japanese sweets – okashi, a traditional Japanese delicacy which are very different to sweets found in the region. So for anyone interested in a new culinary experience, you can find it here even if you have no interest in motorbikes at all. There are also other dishes on the menu and all are very reasonably price for the good quality of the food.
Last but not least, the cafe is located in the hip and new BOXPARK at Al Wasl Road, certainly the perfect place for the concept of the cafe. There is free parking for cars and bikes behind the building complex and nice and open walkways connect the restaurants and shops, so it is a perfect place to visit during the colder period of the year, to stroll along the walkway before or after you enjoy the hospitality of Yamaha Cafe.
Words + Photos by: Daniel Birkhofer
