Like many Abu Dhabi residents, my friends and I are desperate for the capital's new developments to be completed - not for more fine-dining restaurants, but in the hope of finding at least a few middle-priced places to eat.
The bills we get when eating out make us wonder how high they can go. In higher-end coffee shops and restaurants in Abu Dhabi, a cup of coffee can now cost as much as Dh30 (US$8), excluding additions such as caramel or milk.
As someone who grew up in Abu Dhabi, I can tell you that for most of the past two decades even at the lower end of the sector - cafeterias - two cups of tea has always cost just Dh1. Now prices have doubled in some places.
Yet cafeteria owners claim their prices are cheaper than the costlier mini-marts associated with petrol pumps, which charge Dh2.50 for a cup of tea.
"This is ridiculous!" said a disgruntled Emirati, who I had a chat with recently in Al Wahda Mall. "If I want to have a good cup of morning coffee from a well-known coffee chain … I have to pay at least Dh18.
"This is blind robbery because I know that the same coffee chain in the USA doesn't charge more than $3 for the same order."
Many Abu Dhabi residents are enraged at overpriced restaurants, cafes and grocery stores around the capital. Yet restaurants and retailers are continuing to increase their prices, citing rises in the costs of oil, essential commodities, wages and rents.
According to a consumer price index study published by the National Bureau of Statistics, restaurants and cafes have suffered from increased inflation since 2006, reaching as high as 12.26 per cent in 2008.
Inflation slowed from late 2008 but as of February has been increasing again, albeit at a slower pace.
Nada al Ammari, 24, an Emirati friend of mine, is regularly shocked by the high prices at Abu Dhabi restaurants.
"When it's time to pay, sometimes I wonder, 'how much did I eat to end up paying this much?'" Nada says.
"If you want to take guests out or enjoy a lovely evening, you have no choice but to spend over Dh500 in a fine restaurant. There is a lack of middle-priced fine restaurants in Abu Dhabi and I think that's because the population is either very wealthy or not."
Marian Lynch, an American, agrees with these sentiments.
"There is a middle class but a small one, and they can afford high-priced restaurants anyway," Ms Lynch says.
She also noted that a chicken cordon bleu dish at a mall restaurant now costs Dh55, compared with only Dh35 six months ago.
In a meeting held by the Ministry of Economy in March, restaurant owners attributed the increase in meal prices to the higher costs of commodities such as meat, chicken, dairy products and cooking oil, and the high cost of living in Abu Dhabi and increased wages for their employees.
After the ministry received complaints about increases of as much as 20 per cent in restaurant prices, it banned them from making any further rises without its approval.
Yet a Syrian restaurant owner on Muroor Road, who asked not to be identified, said he had to increase the price of a shawarma sandwich from Dh3 to Dh5.
"Distributors increased their prices," he said. "Chicken, vegetables and oil prices, which we pay for delivery, have increased. If I didn't increase my prices I wouldn't be making any profit, and at the end of the day this is a business."
But studies by the Consumer Protection Department revealed even with the rise in the commodities prices, restaurants should still be able to generate a profit without increasing their prices.
Amal Ghanim, a Bahraini resident, suggests that in addition to regulating bread and rice prices in the UAE, fish, meat and cooking oil prices should also be regulated.
"Distributors should be more strictly regulated," Ms Ghanim says. "A good idea is to have government-sponsored coupons to get a discount on necessary commodities.
"People need to afford the price of meat, chicken and other necessary dietary supplements to ensure healthy growth."
Whatever the solution, when it is time to satisfy their taste buds, Emiratis and expatriates alike cannot wait for more opportunities to finally meet in the middle.
Manar al Hinai is a graduate of the University of Leeds and works in Abu Dhabi
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
The years Ramadan fell in May
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
At a glance
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
more from Janine di Giovanni
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
The past winners
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%2060kW%20lithium-ion%20phosphate%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20Up%20to%20201bhp%3Cbr%3E0%20to%20100kph%3A%207.3%20seconds%3Cbr%3ERange%3A%20418km%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh149%2C900%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
MATCH INFO
Liverpool v Manchester City, Sunday, 8.30pm UAE
