It began well over a hundred years ago, when Japanese immigrants entered Peru with their knives, discipline, and passion for fishing. What awaited them was something unimaginable at home. Luminous…
Two coastlines, thousands of miles apart, somehow ended up sharing a plate.
It began well over a hundred years ago, when Japanese immigrants entered Peru with their knives, discipline, and passion for fishing. What awaited them was something unimaginable at home. Luminous citrus fruits, fiery peppers, and corn of all colours. Slowly, and without any prior design, two culinary traditions began blending into one. And thus, Nikkei cuisine was formed, and it has been quietly transforming the perception of raw fish worldwide ever since.
But what makes this story fascinating is not only the exchange of ingredients. It is also the attitude that was brought along with them. Japanese cuisine is founded on the principle of restraint, the supremacy of a single clean taste.
At Nazcaa, we didn't want to just retell that story. We wanted to push it forward. That's where "Beyond Nikkei" comes in, our own take on this century-old exchange, built with the same instinct for discovery that inspired the Nazca Lines etched into Peru's desert long before any of this began.
Every dish on our menu carries a piece of that journey from Lima to Tokyo, plated 12 floors above Downtown Dubai.
Here's the story behind a few of our signatures and what's actually happening on the plate when you order them.
Royal Guard Ceviche
This one sits at the heart of what Nikkei cooking is all about. Fresh Hamachi, cured briefly in leche de tigre, that sharp citrus marinade Peru is famous for, then layered with aji amarillo for a gentle, creamy heat. Japanese fish. Peruvian citrus. One bite tells you everything about how this cuisine was born.
Lima Ceviche
Whereas Royal Guard Ceviche was the preparation method, the Lima Ceviche is the nostalgia. This is a dish that has raw seabass combined with cancha corn, and the inspiration behind it is the street vendors of Peru’s capital city who have been making such a combination for decades. There is something about some dishes that makes them last in time, and this is a recipe that hasn't needed any modifications for more than a century now. Some recipes should not be improved, but left as is.
Hirame Tiradito
This dish sits at the intersection between sashimi and carpaccio, and this is exactly what it does in its presentation. This is finely sliced hirame, which is dressed with ponzu jelly, topped with crispy calamari and a dash of caviar. This is meticulous, theatrical, and one plate that will surely be photographed before it is consumed. Each of those slices is thinly cut enough so that the ponzu is the dominant flavor, with caviar providing a slight counterbalance to it.
Bento Tuna Tartare
Diced bluefin tuna, furikake for that unmistakable savoury crunch, and acevichado, a mayonnaise-based sauce built on ceviche juices, tying the whole thing together. It's the kind of dish that feels familiar and completely new in the same bite, comforting in the way tartare always is, but with a citrus lift that keeps it from ever feeling heavy.
An Evening Shaped by Culture and Craft
Food tells you where Nazcaa comes from. The room tells you where you are.
Our terrace is elevated above the city, and the Burj Khalifa is close enough to make it part of the table setting. As night falls and the lights illuminate the city skyline, everything about the place takes on an additional layer of atmosphere. Tonight, that means a spooky chic Halloween atmosphere, dramatic lighting, an outdoor dining area with views of the Dubai skyline, and a dinner menu created specifically for tonight.
There is something about enjoying the food that is as intricate as the views. In both cases, the food and the skyline make you pause and take notice of all the components of the experience. Add them together on a rooftop terrace and dinner is no longer dinner. It becomes an experience that people talk about later.
This is what we mean when we talk about elevated dining. It isn't just the altitude. It's Japanese precision and Peruvian soul on the plate, a view that does half the talking, and a room designed to make you slow down and actually notice your evening instead of just getting through it.
That's the idea behind every dish here, and every table booked at Nazcaa. Heritage on the plate, skyline in the background, and a story that's still being written, one course at a time.
Curious what else is on offer? Take a look at our full menu and reserve your table at Nazcaa Dubai.