Kuuru
Client: Leylaty Group
Location: Riyadh, KSA
Date: March 2024
Cuisine: Nikkei
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Kuuru is a Japanese Peruvian concept that embodies an elevated casual atmosphere and is truly unique to the Saudi Arabian market. Kuuru’s aesthetics and the F&B offering have formed a unique and dynamic causal Nikkei concept that blends both cultures innovatively.
Osaka
Location
Dubai, UAE
Industry
Hospitality & F&B
Client
Translating a successful regional restaurant brand into a market where success is harder to earn.
Osaka, a Nikkei concept originating from Peru, was introduced into the new Mandarin Oriental in Dubai as its first location in the GCC. The scope covered both interior design and kitchen design, with the responsibility of adapting an established brand to a new market context without losing what made it work in the first place.
The challenge
A waterfront asset with structural limitations that constrained traditional beachfront positioning.
From the client’s perspective, the existing masterplan did not fully leverage its environmental conditions, including limited afternoon sun exposure and an orientation that reduced sunset visibility—typically a key driver for waterfront F&B. At the same time, the surrounding market in Dubai is highly competitive, with established expectations around beach clubs and sunset-driven destinations. The challenge was to reposition the development without relying on these conventions, while still creating a commercially viable and attractive destination.
The APPROACH
Making Osaka competitive in Dubai without relying on scale or spectacle alone.
Dubai’s premium dining market includes strong, established players, and expectations around quality, atmosphere and consistency are high. The tension sat between staying true to a brand developed in Latin America and adjusting it to a market where guests have more choice and less patience for inconsistency. Getting this wrong would either dilute the brand or position it as interchangeable within an already crowded category.
HOW DID WE STRATEGIZE A PLACE THAT WORKS?
Operational Efficiency
The integration of kitchen and floor layout supports faster service and reduces friction during peak hours.
Flexibility of Use
The space can adapt to different service periods and group types without compromising layout or experience.
Sustained Atmosphere
Controlled scale and coordinated acoustics maintain energy levels throughout service rather than only at peak times.
THE RESULT
We delivered a version of Osaka that holds its ground in a competitive market without relying on excess.
We set a base for how the brand can continue to expand into similar markets while maintaining operational clarity and a consistent guest experience.
