The Sushi Diva's Wanderlust Takes Her to Dubai

With more than 100 nationalities residing in the megacity of Dubai, and with cuisines that range from overpriced (in the glittery tourist traps that bedazzle the besotted, like me) to reasonable and authentic (in the modest, mom-and-pop shops that line the outskirts), it’s no wonder that in Dubai—a megalomaniac’s dream manifested in skyscrapers and resorts on shimmery desert sand—it’s easy to find sushi that parallels the city’s diversity.

In the week and a half of my quasi-Emirati odyssey, part foodie tour, part sightseeing, part delusional desert wonderland-chasing, I had my fair share of my favorite Japanese delicacy presented in various forms—highbrow, casual, fusion delight; in a fancy hotel, in a mall, in a hole-in-the-wall not yet fully discovered by all the locals.

I felt mixed emotions as I gallivanted through this artificial, overwhelming city in my hedonistic pursuits. Were it not for the Western business model of capitalism, perhaps greed, fear, and the human condition of never being satisfied, this kingdom built on fantasy and commerce might not even exist. What is it that makes us crave or desire anything, anyway? We are insatiable, seemingly, in our strife for more—more consumption, more thrills, taller buildings, larger shopping malls and souks. When and where does it end?

I felt partly riddled with guilt, as in my research I had read that this city’s construction has been criticized by human rights organizations concerning the treatment of its largely Southeast Asian workforce; yet I remained transfixed, curious about this hyped-up oasis that has been sold to the world as a glamorous playground for the extremely wealthy. (I found loopholes, however, that proved you don’t have to shell out big bugs to partake of what this destination has to offer, both for modest locals and wannabe-glam tourists.) And so I sallied forth into the mesmerizing, modernized desertscape….