Sushi in Downtown Dubai, cut at the counter.

Sushi here is not a section of a long list that happens to include raw fish. Nigiri arrives in twos and sashimi in threes — salmon and salmon belly, akami and otoro, hamachi, unagi, and a wagyu nigiri that belongs to this kitchen rather than to Tokyo. Oshizushi, the pressed kind cut into blocks, runs salmon, tuna akami and king crab.

Handrolls are made one at a time and meant to be eaten immediately, which is the only way they work. The signature rolls are uramaki: king crab with orange tobiko, wagyu with truffle paste and oscietra caviar, prawn tempura, and a yasai roll of cucumber or avocado for guests who do not eat fish.

The robata grill sits in the same kitchen as the counter: black cod with kale and shimeji, black tiger prawns, seabass and salmon, all cooked over charcoal rather than in a pan. A5 wagyu is served three ways — bibimbap, ribeye and fillet mignon.

Before any of it, the raw dishes: tuna carpaccio with mango salsa, hamachi with shiro ponzu and kimchi sauce, and a wagyu tartare with parmesan and shiso mayo. The full à la carte is served from opening until the kitchen takes its last order, forty-five minutes before the room closes.

The dining room runs across both floors, and the full à la carte is served on the ground floor, step-free from the door. Nomikai is the counter and the space around it on that same floor — informal, built for walking into. Behind the dining room is Himitsu, which has no sign and runs its own omakase seatings at 18:00 and 20:00 from Tuesday to Sunday — five courses, eight seats at a time, booked separately from a table at Alba.

Dubai Opera stands on the same plaza, so an early table before a performance is the ordinary way to use the room: the doors open at 16:00 and the walk across takes a few minutes.

The sections above are taken from the kitchen list, which is published in full with every price and every allergen.