Morah — Dubai, UAE

Dubai does things on the small, discrete scale, said no one – ever. At literally every level, its outsized ambitions and extraordinary project budgets dominate.
Case in point is Morah (which apparently means ‘star of the sea’), a 140-seater eastern Mediterranean restaurant by the team behind Byblos restaurant in Toronto and Miami. For the Canadian studio Navigate Design, the greatest challenge was to humanise both the awkward star-shaped space on the 71st and 72nd levels of the JW Marriott Marquis, for now, the world’s tallest hotel, and the literally dizzying 270-degree views from the windows.
The designers drew from a formidable bag of tricks. These include twirling a giant spiral staircase around a cascading chandelier, installing a curvaceous 35-foot bar of satin lacquer and hand-carved wood scallops, and curling banquette lounges against giant mirrors with hand-applied gold leaf and digitally printed mermaid tails.
Meanwhile, the chef Stuart Cameron works on a lively menu of east-meets-west flavours and ingredients, including zucchini flower kibbeh, wood-fired pide flavoured with black truffles, and lamb ribs spiced with dukkah. Acrophobic diners should steer clear of the window tables which offer thrilling views of downtown Dubai, the otherworldly spire of the Burj Khalifa and the huge expanse of the Persian Gulf.
ADDRESS
JW Marriott Marquis
Tower B
71st Floor
Dubai
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
Ferrari hopes to recapture the grand tourer crown with the striking new Ferrari Amalfi
The new Ferrari Amalfi coasts into view, a classically beautifully V8-powered GT that features a host of upgrades to aesthetics and tech within a minimal, uncluttered silhouette
-
Puiforcat brings something new to the table with a wooden cutlery set
Jasper Morrison's collection for Puiforcat features cherry wood cutlery finished with fuki-urushi lacquering, a first foray into wood for the silverware company
-
A clifftop Rethymno house tells a story, framing views as far as the Libyan Sea
This house in Rethymno on the Greek island of Crete, designed by architects Gkotsis Serafimidou, is rich in local and natural materials – an oasis at which to disconnect
-
The world’s best new hotels we’re loving without reservation
Explore the best new openings in the world, from Sonolux, Quebec’s first immersive art hotel, to Mondrian Gold Coast, the brand’s Australian debut
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Delano Dubai, a fresh chapter for a design icon
Delano Dubai lands on Bluewaters Island, bringing Miami cool, Mediterranean flair, and a dose of design-forward glamour to the city’s shoreline
-
One&Only’s portfolio of ultra-luxury escapes reaches out to new horizons
From the Maldives to Mexico, One&Only’s resorts and private homes around the world offer exceptional stays in idyllic locations, soon to include a first USA property, designed by Olson Kundig
-
The Dorchester Collection boosts Dubai’s hospitality scene with The Lana hotel
The Lana is the latest opening from The Dorchester Collection with interior design by Gilles & Boissier
-
The Serai Wing launches its minimalist architecture in Sharjah
The Serai Wing opens in Sharjah to a design by Dubai-based studio Anarchitect
-
Abu Dhabi travel guide: 8 cultural must-sees in the UAE capital
As the Louvre Abu Dhabi celebrates its fifth anniversary, we spotlight the UAE capital city’s cultural highlights, from contemporary art in historical sites to an architectural Apple Store, and a waterside wellness ecosystem
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
-
Sixties sci-fi meets Dali at ‘Secret Room’ speakeasy in Dubai