When Turkish chef Burak Ozdemir, better known as CznBurak, opened his first Dubai restaurant in 2020, it attracted a great deal of attention.
Fuelled by his celebrity status – Ozdemir is famous for his larger-than-life grin and over-the-top culinary creations on Instagram – it wasn’t long before people were queuing up outside, despite the sprawling restaurant’s capacity to seat 600 people.
So with the chef having announced another concept – CZNBurak Burger – in The Dubai Mall, it's easy to assume it'll be much of the same.
The National got a look at the new restaurant before the launch. Here’s everything you need to know.
The interiors
It’s a far cry from his fine-dining restaurant located in Downtown Dubai. Instead, expect more of a casual American diner vibe with bright shades of red and yellow, neon signs on the walls and a counter where you can place orders and see dishes being whipped up. There’s even a neon sign that reads “Keep on Smiling”, a little tribute to the always-grinning star chef.
There are booths, as well as tables and chairs, while a fake tree in the centre takes pride of place, surrounded by a circular counter and bar stools (great for those grabbing a quick bite). There’s outdoor seating, too, with brightly coloured chairs and tables.
The restaurant is located on the lower ground level of The Dubai Mall, right next to The Hummingbird Bakery, with outdoor seating on The Dubai Fountain promenade, meaning you can enjoy stellar fountain views with your burger, although Burj Khalifa is out of sight.
The food
CZNBurak Burger is a new brand, and the selling point is its craft burgers. The signature Bu-Rock burger (Dh68) features a patty that is stuffed with cheese and topped with fried onion, mushrooms and beef bacon, a tasty melange.
While there's also a regular beef burger and cheeseburger on the menu, those looking for something a tad different should try the Koftahini burger (Dh52). The patty is infused with local herbs, and topped with tahini sauce, onion, tomato, jalapeno, crispy onion, ketchup and mustard, offering a wonderful local twist to the American staple.
For chicken lovers, there’s the Chicken "B" with batter-fried chicken (Dh45). The restaurant is also catering to the UAE’s increasing vegetarian population, with the Veggie Burger (Dh59) featuring a patty made from soya beans, and topped with tomato, lettuce, pickles and a special sauce.
Those not in the mood for burgers can always try a hot dog, or load up on starters.
On the dessert menu, there's the CZN Kunafa buns (Dh37). It’s exactly as it sounds: warm crispy kunafa between two buns.
The shakes, such as the Oreo or pistachio concoctions, will also satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth.
Ozdemir is known for a certain level of showmanship, so it’s no surprise that the restaurant is offering a giant whopper of a burger, titled The Giant Bite, which goes for Dh236. We’d expect nothing less.
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures and results:
Monday, UAE won by three wickets
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
RESULT
Valencia 3
Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'
Ferran Torres 67'
Atlanta 4
Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'
The biog
Name: Sarah Al Senaani
Age: 35
Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2
Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier
Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
