January has long been considered a month of change, when we get a chance to reflect and relax after the gluttony that comes with December. It’s no wonder, then, that for many, it’s also synonymous with Veganuary, an initiative that involves eschewing all meat and dairy products in favour of a plant-based diet.
Whether you’re doing it for health reasons, animal welfare or because you’re curious, it’s a great time to give veganism a go. To help you out, a number of UAE establishments introduce vegan menus, dishes and offers. Here’s a look at some to try.
Atlantis, The Palm
The hotel is going all out for Veganuary, with a number of its restaurants curating vegan menus for the month. Cantonese restaurant Hakkasan will serve vegetarian steamed dim sum and tofu, aubergine and shiitake hotpot, while Ronda Locatelli will offer new dishes such as vegan meatballs in tomato sauce, stuffed potato pasta with wild mushroom sauce and vegan chocolate cake.
British favourite Bread Street Kitchen will carve up a vegan Wellington served with a beetroot jus, and there's also the option of cauliflower steak with chimichurri. Meat will take a back seat even at Seafire Steakhouse, which has a vegan take on its popular short rib donuts, now called the Impossible donuts. Also expect warm mushroom bruschetta on toasted French loaf, meaty roasted cauliflower with corn succotash and an Impossible burger with juicy tomato salsa and fries.
Daily, until Monday, January 31; prices vary; Atlantis, The Palm; 04 426 2000; www.atlantis.com
Black Tap
The burger joint is proving that vegan menus don’t have to be boring, with some indulgent limited-time dishes. Available in locations across the UAE until Monday, January 31, visitors can enjoy guacamole and chips, chilli, salsa and sour cream-loaded Impossible chilli tacos, crispy Brussels sprouts and a quinoa-based kale, avocado and salsa verde-flecked craft salad.
The show-stopper for the month is a vegan truffle shroom burger featuring a black bean and mushroom patty with vegan potato roll and truffle porcini cream sauce. Wash it all down with a Black N White vegan cakeshake.
Available daily, until Monday, January 31; Dh79 for the vegan truffle shroom burger; all locations in the UAE; blacktapme.com
Bombay Borough
The Indian restaurant in DIFC has launched a vegan menu that includes traditional flavours and vegetables. Diners will be able to indulge in hearty dishes such as roasted sweet potatoes, vegetarian curry and banana leaf rice, beetroot and carrot chops, chargrilled asparagus and chilli tofu scramble.
Available daily, until Monday, January 31; DIFC, Gate Village 3, next to Sotheby's, opposite Gate 2; 04 327 1555; bombayborough.com/dubai
Epitome
If you're looking for a gourmet twist to Veganuary, Epitome has the answer. The fine-dining vegetarian restaurant has unveiled a special five-course menu that aims to "elevate vegan food". Feast on dishes such as Blackjack Pillows (mushroom and leek charcoal pillows), ras malai chaat, Balinese tofu rice and avocado tikka masala, and finish it all off with an indulgent dessert titled 24K gold dust bomb.
Available daily until Monday, January 31; Dh229; Aloft Dubai Creek, Level 4; 054 705 3780; www.instagram.com/epitome.dubai
Farzi Cafe
Chef Pradeep Negi has put together a clean-eating, body-revival menu for January that features everything from vegan and vegetarian plates to “immune-boosting smoothies”. Running up to Monday, January 31, guests can order the Dh75 package which includes two dishes and a smoothie or juice; or Dh99 for three dishes and a smoothie or juice. Options include asparagus and edamame pilaf and a vegetable kebab platter.
Available daily, until Monday, January 31; Dh75 for two dishes and a beverage; City Walk and Mall of the Emirates branches; 0504075590; www.farzicafe.ae
Hutong
The fine-dining Chinese restaurant is also getting into the spirit of Veganuary with some new dishes for the month. From the steamed wild mushroom and truffle bao and Yu Xiang crispy aubergine to Black Diamond, a deep-fried charcoal tofu tossed with some spiced salt, there are plenty of scrumptious options to tease the taste buds.
Daily, noon to 2.30pm and 6pm to 11.30pm; prices start at Dh55; Gate Building 6, DIFC, Dubai; www.hutong-dubai.com
Jones The Grocer
Although not completely vegan, Jones The Grocer’s new Body & Soul menu deserves a mention because of the sheer number of plant-based options it includes. Guests can start their day by tucking into a chickpea omelette or masala-braised beans. Other options include a vegan sublime salad (with oyster mushrooms and a marinated beetroot and avocado), and desserts such as vegan chocolate fondant. There’s even a salted caramel no-milk shake.
Available daily, until Thursday, March 31; all Jones The Grocer branches; www.jonesthegrocer.com
LDC Kitchen + Coffee
All branches of the cafe are offering a vegan menu, with dishes available all times of the day, be it breakfast or dinner. Indulge in fluffy vegan coconut almond pancakes with fresh berries, a gluten-free protein wrap with fresh mung beans, and a quinoa and roasted root vegetable salad with ginger turmeric dressing.
Available daily, until Monday, January 31; branches across Dubai; @ldckitchen
Punjab Grill
Over at the fine-dining Indian restaurant's Dubai's branch, chef Sandeep Ail has curated a five-course tasting menu. Kicking things off will be a tangy palak patta and watermelon slider, followed by small plates such as beetroot or spinach tikki. Guests can then indulge in hot kebabs (think Kundapur cauliflower and tandoori broccoli and mushroom), with mains such as taro root dumpling, raw banana curry and tofu tikka masala. Vegan desserts such as blueberry coconut sorbet, chocolate cake and Mandarin sorbet will also be available.
Available daily, until Monday, January 31; Dh300 for the five-course meal; The Oberoi, Business Bay; 04 444 1444
Veganuary at Expo 2020 Dubai
Considering that Expo 2020 Dubai is all about innovation and the future, it’s no wonder the place is brimming with Veganuary offers, from a vegan food festival to some plant-based burgers.
Vegan Food Festival
This food festival will take place over three weekends from Friday, January 14, to Sunday, January 30 at Expo 2020’s Festival Garden. Some of the brands to watch out for include Chuck Chick, which serves up Southern fried burgers, hot dogs and loaded fries, with a side of 1950s Americana. Then there’s Erpingham House, the UK’s largest plant-based restaurant, which is also plastic-free, and will bring its tacos, baos, burgers and salads by vegan entrepreneur Loui Blake.
A line-up of DJs will keep the vibe alive until 2am, while on Saturday and Sunday, January 29 and 30, vegan pop-up market Not Just For Vegans will bring 60 home-grown ethical brands to Expo, selling fashion items to food and jewellery.
Fridays to Sundays, noon-2am, until January 30; Festival Garden, Wadi Avenue, Jubilee Park, near the Malaysia Pavilion; Expo 2020 Dubai
Alkebulan African Dining Hall
Apart from hosting some celebrity chefs, the African food hall will offer a vegan take on its menu this January. Expect dishes such as stick icky no chicken bites and red green red, a dish of black-eyes-peas. There will also be a set menu for Dh150 which includes black-eyed pea hummus and collard bean fried rice.
Daily, 10am-midnight; until Monday, January 31; Dh40 onwards; Expo 2020 Dubai; reservations@africandininghall.com
Adrift Burger Bar
The burger bar by David Myers already features vegan options such as the earth burger, curry leaf fries and truffle chips. But to celebrate Veganuary, it’s kicking things up a notch with its “any burger vegan initiative”. The Veganuary option includes substituting Adrift Burger Bar’s signature beef patty with the Impossible Burger patty, served on a vegan potato bun, using vegan cheese, and vegan mayo as a base for the secret sauce, house sauce and herbed aioli.
Daily, 5pm-10pm; until Monday, January 31; Mobility District, Expo 2020 Dubai; 04 317 3123; www.adriftburgerla.com/dubai
Long Chim
Expect spring rolls, aromatic vegetable curries and a smokey chilli relish with crispy bean curd, as part of the Thai restaurant’s vegan menu.
Daily, 7pm-midnight, until Monday, January 31; Mobility District, Expo 2020; www.longchimdubai.com
Cafe Milano
The restaurant is celebrating Veganuary with a menu that stays true to its authentic Italian roots. Think dishes such as the pizza dell’orto followed by frutti di bosco, a raspberry sorbet topped with blueberry sauce and fresh fruit.
Daily, until Monday, January 31; prices vary; Mobility District, Expo 2020; guestservices@cafemilano.ae
Alif Cafe
The sustainable concept is offering flavours from Pakistan and India with a vegan twist. Some specials include baingan bharta, or fire-roasted aubergine, served with rosemary paratha, cauliflower, chickpea and spinach Madras curry served with biryani rice and for dessert, a rose faux almond milk cake, and pistachio and coconut kulfi.
Daily, 7pm-midnight, until Monday, January 31; Mobility District, Expo 2020; farm2table.ae
SPEC%20SHEET
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M2%2C%208-core%20GPU%2C%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.3-inch%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201600%2C%20227ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%3B%20Touch%20Bar%20with%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206%2C%20Bluetooth%205.0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2058.2Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2020%20hours%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20720p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%2C%20ProRes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Stereo%20speakers%20with%20HDR%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20support%2C%20Dolby%20support%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Pro%2C%2067W%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C%20cable%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh5%2C499%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More about Middle East geopolitics
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20750hp%20at%207%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20800Nm%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%207%20Speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20332kph%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012.2L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYear%20end%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1%2C430%2C000%20(coupe)%3B%20From%20Dh1%2C566%2C000%20(Spider)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
