The 'Intersect by Lexus' experience

Going by the title of the post, you’d probably think that I’ve plunged into penning automobile reviews. But hey, before you jump into such hasty conclusions let me tell you what ‘Intersect by Lexus’ is not. It definitely is not a car flagship store. Nor is it a motor showroom. Then what is it you ask? Well, Intersect by Lexus is a unique, chic automotive themed concept-dining restaurant. Perched in the heart of Dubai’s most popular and charming spot DIFC, Intersect by Lexus is a design-oriented “third space between home and work” (in their words) where creative minds collaborate to share ideas.

Basically, it is one of those unique branding extension attempts by the brand Lexus beyond the conventional couture clothing (shoes, jackets etc.) or accessories like phone covers and key rings. Opening the doors of a brand space to invite visitors to experience the brand’s unique features and live the Lexus story without stepping behind the wheel sounds like a genius concept to me. The very reason why I picked this restaurant for a mid-week meal with Mr.V. Oh and yes, it does really help that he is a super-crazy automobile fan.

The interiors focus on the bamboo wall which embodies intricate details of the Lexus steering wheels. Their comfy couches use the same leather as that of their car seats. According to me there are 3 different sections of people who get lured towards visiting Intersect by Lexus. A. The car lovers (okay, that was a no-brainer!), B. The food lovers (like me!), C. The Book lovers (again, me!) They have a commendable collection of rare English, Arabic and Japanese literature revolving around design and art shelved in the pristine white bookcases set in the restaurant.

Admiring the beauty and elegance of this restaurant, we almost forgot that we were there to eat. Our waitress for the day was a very cheerful lady who made us feel welcome and guided us through the menu. We ordered The Homemade Citrus Lemonade. This was a fresh amalgam of orange, mango and lemon juice topped with soda water. We also ordered their signature Kale and Avocado Salad which the waitress mentioned was made with the purest and most organic ingredient sources.

I am generally not much of a salad person, but this one really changed my perceptions on salads. The salad had linseed wafers and I felt the avocado perfectly contrasted the crispiness of the dark, green kale leaf.

While we waited for our mains, Mr.V dragged me to the garage in the ground floor. The flooring had reinforced glass with uniquely designed hand-painted Lexus parts beneath it. Mr V was like a super-excited toddler lost in a candy store. He was thrilled to see the path leading towards the restroom that had a whole wall adorned by miniature cars.

Upon our return, our mains arrived in a jiffy. We had ordered the Prawn Moghrabieh which consisted of Lebanese style pasta pearls soaked in tomato sauce. The pasta balls were well cooked in prawn stock and herbs. I could spot dried cranberries in the dish as well.

Mr V and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal and made a mental note to visit their brunch the next time we’re there because they claim that their brunch is “a brunch like no other”. So, while I’m looking forward to my next visit, let me give you the Gastronome’s report card:

Taste - 4/5

Pricing - 4/5

Ambiance - 5/5

Service - 5/5

So until next time, it’s toodles from the gastronome!