With Eid expected to start in the early days of May, the holy month will draw to an end in a week. This means you have about seven days left to sample an iftar in the UAE, which has lived up to its reputation for top-class culinary offerings this Ramadan, as this list of 30 iftars and 15 suhoors proves.
Book a seat at one of the seven spots below that have impressed us with their menus, ambience and attention to detail.
Iftar at the zoo
If, like us, you enjoyed an iftar with the lions in Al Ain Zoo, maybe you would like to dine with giraffes or elephants next. Emirates Park Zoo in Abu Dhabi offers both these options. Extending its breakfast with the giraffes offer, the zoo is open to iftar groups of up to five people, who can feast with the friendly giraffes for two hours from 6.30pm. Smaller or larger groups can head to the elephant arena, where you can eat with and feed the gentle giants. Both include full-day admission to the zoo and an African drumming performance.
Dh250 per person for iftar with elephants (up to 12 people); Dh1,785 for a group of five for iftar with giraffes; 6.30pm-8.30pm; Emirates Park Zoo, Al Bahia, Abu Dhabi; 02 501 0000, www.emiratesparkzooandresort.com
Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi
The in-house restaurant at Louvre Abu Dhabi is known for its fine French fare, crafted by Michelin-lauded chef Pierre Gagnaire. Its three-course iftar menu starts with local tiger prawn fritters served with the restaurant’s signature creamy white bean puree and black sesame seeds. This is followed by confit lamb shoulder with a side of lentils and kale; and a decadent dried fruits tartelette with saffron-spiced syrup, date tuile and honey; and lime cottage cheese ice cream.
Dh390 per person; 6.30pm-10pm; Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island; 02 205 4200, contact-fouquets-abudhabi@groupebarriere.com
Punjab Grill
The fine-dining Indian restaurant has branches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and is offering diners a choice of two set menus for iftar. The first serves four courses, for Dh150, and includes classic dishes such as butter chicken, biryani and Umm Ali. The second, for Dh350, has appetisers such as chicken dumplings in onion tomato curry, followed by a choice of 12 mains including Kabuli pulao, Ambarsari fried fish, Bhopali chicken in a yoghurt and cashew curry, Hyderabadi mutton haleem, and a personal favourite, raan-e-Sikandari, a whole leg of mutton baked with spices and dried fruits.
From Dh150; 6.30pm-8pm; 02 449 9839 (for The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal); 050 194 1107 (for The Oberoi, Dubai)
Yava
Specialising in Mediterranean-Middle Eastern cuisine, Yava has put together a well-curated, three-course menu that will appeal to most palates and pockets. For Dh160, begin your meal with creamy hummus, soothing lentil soup and indulgent cheese and sausage burek pastry. Mains are kept meaty, with chicken meatballs served with tiny orzo pasta; minced beef moussaka with aubergine; and slow-cooked tender lamb shanks in a rich sauce. Rounding off the hearty meal are light-as-air pistachio eclairs and baklava. The meal also includes traditional drinks such as qamar al deen and sahlab.
Dh160; 6.30pm-9pm; wasl 51, Jumeirah 1, Dubai; 04 548 5733
Masti
Its name translates to mischief and nowhere is this more evident than in Masti’s playful melding of flavours. A true-blue fusion restaurant, it marries butter chicken (or cottage cheese, if you’d prefer) with burrata; and serves the traditional Indian sweetmeat gulab jamun in the form of a brulee tart. Both these options are part of the restaurant’s iftar menu, as are items such as bhel tacos, corn haleem, cassava chaat, beef empanadas with tamarind sauce, green pea nimona, prawns moilee and miso aubergine salan.
Dh175; 7pm-8.30pm; La Mer, Dubai; 800 62784
Bosporous
For authentic Turkish dishes, consider Bosporus, which is serving a buffet-style iftar at various branches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. For an open buffet — with no fewer than 67 dishes — visit the Abu Dhabi Mall branch or the Downtown branch in Dubai. If you prefer your buffet served to the table, head to the outposts at Yas Mall, The Dubai Mall or City Centre Mirdif. Both include the restaurant’s signature dishes such as mercimek soup, icle heslama kofte, chicken and beef doner and kunefe borma.
From Dh175; 6.30pm-8pm; 02 575 5777 (for Abu Dhabi reservations); 04 380 8090 (for Dubai reservations)
Cafe Beirut
If Arabic food is what you crave at the end of the fasting day, the Lebanese dishes at Cafe Beirut are both delicious and filling, and the ambience is dominated by a traditional ceramic water fountain, olive trees and Burj Khalifa views to boot. The iftar menu begins with dates, dried apricots, olives and lentil soup, followed by hot and cold mezze. While it might be tempting to fill up on the tabbouleh, fattoush, hummus, stuffed vine leaves, batata harra and Lebanese soujouk sausages, save room for the mammoth mixed grill served with rice. The meal also includes a selection of Ramadan desserts, Turkish coffee and cold drinks such as jallab, Vimto, ayran and qamar al deen.
Dh150; 6.30pm-10pm; Al Murooj Complex, Dubai; 04 422 5211, www.cafebeirutdubai.com
