With February 14 just around the corner, the countdown is on for Valentine's Day. If you want to make it an evening to remember with your special someone, a number of restaurants in Abu Dhabi have meals and deals to fall in love with. Here are some of the best options.
Alba Terrace
Known for its dim lighting and intimate ambience, the open-air restaurant in The Abu Dhabi Edition is a good choice for a romantic meal. For Valentine's Day, the team have put together a sharing-style menu, with dishes such as veal tartare, pan-roasted duck breast and chocolate lava cake. Beverage pairings are available.
Sunday and Monday; February 13 and 14; 6pm-11pm; Dh500 per couple for a three-course menu with a welcome drink; The Abu Dhabi Edition; www.editionhotels.com
Amici
It’s all about amore at the Italian restaurant, which is offering a three-course meal with a drink for the occasion. Dine in a romantic setting under the stars as you enjoy traditional Tuscan flavours.
Monday, February 14; 6pm-10.30pm; Dh265 per person; W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island; 02 656 0600
Art Lounge
The rooftop venue at Louvre Abu Dhabi may be just the place to let sparks fly. A Saint Valentine menu has been planned with some delicious seafood-inspired bites such as crab volcano rolls, grilled Omani prawns, mussels and salmon teriyaki, finished off with the Cupid dessert featuring vanilla mousse, strawberry jam and shortbread crisp. The package includes a bottle and live entertainment courtesy of a DJ, as you take in the water views.
Monday, February 14; 6pm-1am; Dh600 per couple; Louvre Abu Dhabi; 050 699 6375, 02 205 4225
Cafe del Mar
The newly opened restaurant and beach club is offering a five-course set menu. Begin with charbroiled oysters with mornay sauce, Parmigiano and edible flowers; strawberry gazpacho with cucumber jelly and Parmesan frico; and seared scallops with beetroot emulsion and butter cauliflower. For mains, chose from a sous vide lobster medallion and 18-hour slow-roasted beef short ribs. Wrapping up the meal is a raspberry cheesecake, served with caramel ice cream, chocolate soil and dark chocolate sauce. A vegetarian menu is available on request. Couples can also enjoy themed beverages, while a DJ sets the mood.
Monday, February 14; 7pm-10pm; Dh999 per couple; Yas Bay; 050 402 2283, www.cafedelmarabudhabi.com
Cafe Milano
The Abu Dhabi outpost of the famed Washington restaurant has a five-course menu for Dh590, inclusive of a welcome drink. From appetisers of fried tempura oyster and pan-roasted scallops with crispy artichoke to dishes such as beetroot ravioli with lobster and a pan-roasted lamb saddle with herb crust and pumpkin puree, there’s certainly a lot to love. The meal ends on a sweet note with a chocolate heart filled with lime-rose lychee mousse. Those not willing to commit to the whole menu can also select individual dishes.
Monday, February 14; Dh1,180 per couple; Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi At Al Maryah Island; cafemilano.ae
Coya Abu Dhabi
The Peruvian restaurant has put together a set menu starting with a welcome drink and signature platter of ceviches and tiraditos. Couples can then indulge in mains such as grilled salmon with miso and grilled tiger prawns. There are even vegan options such as the Peruvian potato and mushroom and coal baked sweet potato. Especial de San Valentin, a romantic dessert comprising red berries, chocolate truffles and candied sugar, brings the gastronomic journey to a close. Coya has also crafted a special beverage for the evening.
Monday, February 14; 7.30pm onwards; Dh490 per person; Al Maryah Island; 02 306 7000
Grills@Chill’O
The poolside venue is celebrating Valentine’s Day all month. Every Saturday, it will host a Grand Amour brunch with dishes such as Boston lobster, divers’ scallops and Wagyu beef cheek with truffle potato. On Saturday, February 12, guests opting for the brunch package can expect a welcome rose and live music to set the mood, while dinner on February 14 will also have live entertainment alongside a three-course al fresco meal serving Mediterranean cuisine.
Throughout February; timings vary; from Dh255 per person for brunch, from Dh390 per couple for dinner; Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche; 02 813 7777
Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi
For a romantic French meal, head to Fouquet’s, known for its cosy interiors, panoramic terrace views. The in-house restaurant of Louvre Abu Dhabi is offering a four-course Valentine’s Day menu with dishes such as seafood tartare and potato gnocchi with black truffle, followed by mains including a grand fricassee of lobster with ginger and dodo sauce, all brought to a close with a decadent lover’s cake.
Monday, February 14; 6pm onwards; Dh450 per person; Saadiyat Island; 02 205 4200
Garage
If your plan for Valentine's Day is to go big or go home, eat your heart out at Garage’s Valentine’s Day brunch. Five cuisines spread over a Nikkei house, steam table, mezze bar, meat vault and tap wall will keep you more than satisfied, even as a DJ sets the mood.
Saturday, February 5, 12 and 19; 1pm-4pm; prices start at Dh279 per person; www.garageabudhabi.com
Hakkasan
The popular Cantonese restaurant will serve a three-course menu comprising many of its signature dishes on February 14. Begin your meal with Hakkasan's famed dim sum platter and crispy duck salad, followed by grilled local red snapper in spicy sauce, stock-braised lobster, jasmine-tea-smoked chicken and sauteed mushroom with rainbow cauliflower. Dessert is a lychee and raspberry semifreddo, and the meal will be complemented by a specially crafted welcome beverage.
Monday, February 14; 6pm-11.30pm; Dh976 per couple; Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi; 02 690 7739
Li Jiang
If your valentine is a fan of Asian food, reserve a spot at Li Jiang, which will serve a five-course set menu (with specialities such as lobster and caviar) and offers incredible views of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Monday, February 14; 5pm-11pm; Dh550 per couple; The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal; 02 818 8203
Mijana
Love birds who enjoy Lebanese flavours can partake in a sharing-style menu that offers dishes such as truffle labneh, shrimp kunafa and a spread of seafood and prime meat cuts, to be enjoyed within the cosy indoor seating or terrace area of Mijana.
Monday, February 14; 6pm-11pm; Dh400; The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal; 02 818 8203
Nahaam
If you want to go all out – or even pop the question – an idyllic beach set-up might be the way to go. Nahaam at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers has a four-course menu featuring everything from poached Maine lobster to slow-cooked smoked beef short ribs. You can even add a boat trip to the experience.
Monday, February 14; from 6pm; Dh3,000 per couple with a bottle, Dh4500 per couple with a boat experience; Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers; 02 811 5555
Oak Room
Dinner on Valentine's Day begins with a complimentary red rose and a welcome drink. After that, couples can tuck into dishes such as sourdough with Marmite butter, caviar and passion fruit creme fraiche, a seafood tasting plate with lobster, scallops and oysters, followed by a choice of main course. A chocolate raspberry tarte will wrap up the meal and beverage pairings will also be available.
Monday, February 14; 6pm-11pm; Dh650 per couple; The Abu Dhabi Edition; www.editionhotels.com
Paradiso
If food is your main focus, then Paradiso, which is the brainchild of culinary geniuses Nicole Rubi and Pierre Gagnaire, is sure to impress. The restaurant has a minimum spend of Dh500 per couple on Valentine's Day, and offers an impressive a la carte menu (we recommend sampling Rubi's famous escargots, cauliflower bavardoise and the lamb shoulder preserved with spices), as well as a live band.
Monday, February 14; minimum spend of Dh250 per person; Yas Bay Waterfront; 050 437 2869; www.paradisoabudhabi.com
Punjab Grill
The fine-dining Indian fusion restaurant is offering a five-course menu for Valentine's Day. Start with roast pumpkin soup or crabmeat dumpling soup, before tucking into chilli cheese kulcha or chicken and cheese kulcha. Mains include avocado kofta with saffron and rose korma, tandoori salmon or pulled lamb. For dessert, there’s chocolate cake or strawberries and cream. There are vegetarian alternatives for every course.
Friday to Monday, February 11 to 14; for lunch and dinner; Dh475 per couple; Venetian Village, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal; 050 194 1107
The Directors' Club
The Directors' Club restaurant has put together a romantic set menu including grills and sharing desserts. And since it's within the world’s first Warner Bros hotel, you can also expect some Warner Bros characters to make an appearance and up the fun factor.
Friday to Monday, February 11 to 14; 7pm-10pm; Dh700 per couple; The WB Abu Dhabi, Curio Collection by Hilton; Yas Bay, Yas Island; 02 815 0000, dine.thewbabudhabi@hilton.com
The National Aquarium
Abu Dhabi's newly-opened aquarium will give couples the chance to have an immersive underwater dining experience – complete with a red carpet entrance, live musical performance, and a three-course menu. Dine inside or around the aquarium's spectacular underwater tunnel and watch the marine life drift away while enjoying your meal. The experience includes a self-guided tour and a photo souvenir to mark the occasion. You can also surprise your significant other with a personalised greeting. Limited slots are available.
Monday, February 14; 8pm-midnight; tables outside the tunnel Dh1,300 per person, tables inside the tunnel Dh1,500 per person; Al Qana; www.thenationalaquarium.ae
The Trilogy by Buddha-Bar
On Monday, February 14, the three restaurants brands by Buddha-Bar – Siddharta Lounge, Bushra and Zeera – will all host a Valentine’s Day dinner for Dh375 per person with a welcome drink and a bottle for two, or Dh325 for soft drinks. Guests can head to Siddharta Lounge for Mediterranean classics, Bushra for Middle Eastern-inspired dishes, or Zeera for gourmet Indian fare. There will also be live performers, a resident DJ and waterfront views.
Monday, February 14; from Dh650 per couple; Yas Bay; www.thetrilogybybuddhabar.com; 050 60 111 94
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
----
Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
----
Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 258hp at 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.4L/100km
Price, base: from D215,000 (Dh230,000 as tested)
On sale: now
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
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Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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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
If you go
The flights
The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
The stay
Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
