Dubai’s food scene shows no signs of slowing down ahead of the summer, with several openings to get excited about.
From underground bars serving up authentic Asian street food, to a sister restaurant to one of Dubai’s long-running favourites, there are several new spots for foodies to add to their lists.
Here are some notable additions to Dubai’s dining scene.
Mitsu-ya
Beirut export Mitsu-ya opened its first international outpost at The Ritz Carlton DIFC in the first week of May. The Japanese restaurant offers authentic dishes in a minimalist setting, and also houses an intimate chef's bar where guests enjoy a tailored omakase (chef's choice) experience.
On the menu are dishes such as asari clam soup, green tea noodle crab and popcorn shrimp, as well as a selection of ramen bowls.
Monday to Saturday, noon to 3.30pm, 6.30pm to midnight; The Ritz Carlton, DIFC; 04 591 6397, @mitsuyadubai
MayaBay
Monaco hotspot MayaBay joined the line-up of restaurants at Jumeirah Al Naseem's Turtle Lagoon on May 21. The Dubai location marks the first international outpost for the brand, which offers Thai and Japanese flavours.
Headed by Chef Shane Mac Neill, the menu includes everything from dim sum and Japanese tempura and sushi, to Thai curries and salads, with standout signatures including Maya crispy duck, pad Thai, MayaBay sashimi, yam ped tap tim, and black cod with miso and honey.
The venue will have a lively vibe, with regular entertainment and a cigar room where people can unwind after dinner.
Turtle Lagoon, Jumeirah Al Naseem, Umm Suqeim, Dubai; @mayabaydubai
Tabu
Theatrical fine-dining Japanese spot Tabu is the latest restaurant to open in Business Bay. The sprawling venue is located on the 23rd floor of the St Regis Downtown, taking over the space once occupied by Morimoto Dubai.
The kitchen is led by chef Roberto Segura, who will be cooking up dishes including sashimi, maki rolls and nigiri, as well as signatures such as slow-braised Wagyu beef short rib and Patagonian toothfish with a miso-panca sauce.
The space also has an impressive entertainment set-up, with a runway, stage, and large screens, as well as an Instagrammable terrace with two giant sumo wrestlers framing the Burj Khalifa in the distance.
Open daily, 6pm to 2am; St Regis Downtown, Business Bay; 052 950 1309, tabudubai.com
Electric Pawn Shop
Dubai’s newest hotspot for people in the know is Electric Pawn Shop, which opened on May 9. Inspired by New York’s Chinatown in the 1970s, the vibe is noirish. The restaurant and bar is co-owned by Lynn Lin, who ran the Beirut nightspot Electric Bing Sutt, and acclaimed Spanish DJ and event organiser Lobito Brigante.
The menu has been created to challenge people’s perceptions of Asian cuisine and introduce lesser-known ingredients to the city — think South Korean yukhoe beef and Indonesian sambal. Here, the music is as important as the food, with a regular line-up of DJs spinning global beats.
Sunday to Thursday, 6pm to 1.30am, Friday and Saturday, 6pm to 3am; The H Hotel Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road; 050 586 5510, electricpawnshop.com
Bushra by Buddha-Bar
Translating to “Good Omen, Good News” in Arabic, Bushra is a new concept from the Buddha-Bar group that offers a Levantine menu from award-winning celebrity chef Greg Malouf.
Located in Grosvenor House, Bushra highlights the “art of mezza” through a series of serving platters and serves drinks inspired by the flavours of spice souqs, while live DJs set the mood.
Bushra, which opened on May 17, joins two other Buddha-Bar restaurants at Grosvenor House; Buddha-Bar Dubai and Siddharta-Lounge by Buddha Bar.
Open daily, 7pm to 1am; Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina; 04 317 6000, bushra-dubai.com
Boaz
Bringing a taste of Turkey to City Walk is casual spot Boaz, which opened on April 10. Serving up traditional breakfast spreads, kebabs and cheese-stuffed pastries, expect plenty of Turkish classics served with a contemporary twist.
Boaz features both indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the Downtown skyline, as well as an open kitchen so guests can watch the chefs at work.
Monday to Thursday, 11am to midnight; Friday, 11am to 1am; Saturday, 10am to 1am; Sunday 10am to midnight; City Walk, Dubai; 04 432 32 32, jumeirah-one.com
Eunoia by Carine
New from celebrated chef Izu Ani is Eunoia by Carine, a little sister for Emirates Golf Club restaurant Carine.
Open at the Hyatt Centric Jumeirah Dubai as of May 19, the new spot is serving up a Mediterranean-French inspired menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
On the menu are dishes such as roasted peppers, carrot salad, sea bass carpaccio, lobster linguine and grilled tiger prawns.
Open daily, 7am to 11am, 12.30pm to 3.30pm, 6,30pm to 10.30pm; Hyatt Centric Jumeirah Dubai, La Mer Beach; 04 302 1241, Eunoiabycarine.ae
Bageri Form
The Scandi-style bakery opened in Dubai Design District on May 17. On the menu are traditional Danish pastries, fermented sourdough loaves, creme brulee cruffins and Bostock, a fusion of French toast and almond croissant.
Other than artisanal bread items, the cafe also serves healthy bowls (think granola parfait and a porridge made with Granny Smith apples, dry banana, quinoa, ashwagandha winter cherry and oats), salads and desserts such as chocolate fudge cake and apple-caramel cake.
Monday to Thursday, 7.30am to 8pm; Friday, 7.30am to 10pm; Saturday and Sunday, 8.30am to 10pm; Dubai Design District; www.bageriform.com
Daily Huqqa
The Greek-Turkish restaurant, shisha lounge and live entertainment spot opened at The Pointe on May 16. Done up in vibrant hues and oversized floral accents, it boasts views of the Palm Jumeirah skyline.
On the menu are dishes such as kebaps, lahmacun flatbread with meat, cheese pides, yuvasi phyllo dough, manti (Turkish dumplings), shashlik steak and mixed grills.
Those with a sweet tooth can feast on traditional Mediterranean desserts, including kunafa, katmer with pistachios and clotted cream, baklava and loukma.
Monday to Thursday, 10am to 1am; Friday and Saturday, 10am to 2am; Sunday, 10am to 2pm; The Pointe, Palm Jumeirah Dubai; 058 265 9688
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Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
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.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Saturday
Atletico Madrid v Sevilla (3pm)
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Girona v Barcelona (10.45pm)
Sunday
Espanyol v Deportivo la Coruna (2pm)
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
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Forced%20Deportations
%3Cp%3EWhile%20the%20Lebanese%20government%20has%20deported%20a%20number%20of%20refugees%20back%20to%20Syria%20since%202011%2C%20the%20latest%20round%20is%20the%20first%20en-mass%20campaign%20of%20its%20kind%2C%20say%20the%20Access%20Center%20for%20Human%20Rights%2C%20a%20non-governmental%20organization%20which%20monitors%20the%20conditions%20of%20Syrian%20refugees%20in%20Lebanon.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%9CIn%20the%20past%2C%20the%20Lebanese%20General%20Security%20was%20responsible%20for%20the%20forced%20deportation%20operations%20of%20refugees%2C%20after%20forcing%20them%20to%20sign%20papers%20stating%20that%20they%20wished%20to%20return%20to%20Syria%20of%20their%20own%20free%20will.%20Now%2C%20the%20Lebanese%20army%2C%20specifically%20military%20intelligence%2C%20is%20responsible%20for%20the%20security%20operation%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Mohammad%20Hasan%2C%20head%20of%20ACHR.%3Cbr%3EIn%20just%20the%20first%20four%20months%20of%202023%20the%20number%20of%20forced%20deportations%20is%20nearly%20double%20that%20of%20the%20entirety%20of%202022.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ESince%20the%20beginning%20of%202023%2C%20ACHR%20has%20reported%20407%20forced%20deportations%20%E2%80%93%20200%20of%20which%20occurred%20in%20April%20alone.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIn%20comparison%2C%20just%20154%20people%20were%20forcfully%20deported%20in%202022.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Violence%20
%3Cp%3EInstances%20of%20violence%20against%20Syrian%20refugees%20are%20not%20uncommon.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EJust%20last%20month%2C%20security%20camera%20footage%20of%20men%20violently%20attacking%20and%20stabbing%20an%20employee%20at%20a%20mini-market%20went%20viral.%20The%20store%E2%80%99s%20employees%20had%20engaged%20in%20a%20verbal%20altercation%20with%20the%20men%20who%20had%20come%20to%20enforce%20an%20order%20to%20shutter%20shops%2C%20following%20the%20announcement%20of%20a%20municipal%20curfew%20for%20Syrian%20refugees.%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThey%20thought%20they%20were%20Syrian%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20the%20mayor%20of%20the%20Nahr%20el%20Bared%20municipality%2C%20Charbel%20Bou%20Raad%2C%20of%20the%20attackers.%3Cbr%3EIt%20later%20emerged%20the%20beaten%20employees%20were%20Lebanese.%20But%20the%20video%20was%20an%20exemplary%20instance%20of%20violence%20at%20a%20time%20when%20anti-Syrian%20rhetoric%20is%20particularly%20heated%20as%20Lebanese%20politicians%20call%20for%20the%20return%20of%20Syrian%20refugees%20to%20Syria.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
Abu%20Dhabi%E2%80%99s%20Racecard
%3Cp%3E%0D5pm%3A%20Al%20Bithnah%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(Turf)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E5.30pm%3A%20Al%20Khari%20%E2%80%93%20Hanidcap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E6pm%3A%20Al%20Qor%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E6.30pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E7pm%3A%20Al%20Badiyah%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%202%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E7.30pm%3A%20Al%20Hayl%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%202%2C200m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Contracted list
Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
As You Were
Liam Gallagher
(Warner Bros)
The five pillars of Islam
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Start-up hopes to end Japan's love affair with cash
Across most of Asia, people pay for taxi rides, restaurant meals and merchandise with smartphone-readable barcodes — except in Japan, where cash still rules. Now, as the country’s biggest web companies race to dominate the payments market, one Tokyo-based startup says it has a fighting chance to win with its QR app.
Origami had a head start when it introduced a QR-code payment service in late 2015 and has since signed up fast-food chain KFC, Tokyo’s largest cab company Nihon Kotsu and convenience store operator Lawson. The company raised $66 million in September to expand nationwide and plans to more than double its staff of about 100 employees, says founder Yoshiki Yasui.
Origami is betting that stores, which until now relied on direct mail and email newsletters, will pay for the ability to reach customers on their smartphones. For example, a hair salon using Origami’s payment app would be able to send a message to past customers with a coupon for their next haircut.
Quick Response codes, the dotted squares that can be read by smartphone cameras, were invented in the 1990s by a unit of Toyota Motor to track automotive parts. But when the Japanese pioneered digital payments almost two decades ago with contactless cards for train fares, they chose the so-called near-field communications technology. The high cost of rolling out NFC payments, convenient ATMs and a culture where lost wallets are often returned have all been cited as reasons why cash remains king in the archipelago. In China, however, QR codes dominate.
Cashless payments, which includes credit cards, accounted for just 20 per cent of total consumer spending in Japan during 2016, compared with 60 per cent in China and 89 per cent in South Korea, according to a report by the Bank of Japan.
'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Hotel Data Cloud profile
Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
Kimmich (27')
Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
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2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Results
Light Flyweight (49kg): Mirzakhmedov Nodirjon (UZB) beat Daniyal Sabit (KAZ) by points 5-0.
Flyweight (52kg): Zoirov Shakhobidin (UZB) beat Amit Panghol (IND) 3-2.
Bantamweight (56kg): Kharkhuu Enkh-Amar (MGL) beat Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov (UZB) 3-2.
Lightweight (60kg): Erdenebat Tsendbaatar (MGL) beat Daniyal Shahbakhsh (IRI) 5-0.
Light Welterweight (64kg): Baatarsukh Chinzorig (MGL) beat Shiva Thapa (IND) 3-2.
Welterweight (69kg): Bobo-Usmon Baturov (UZB) beat Ablaikhan Zhussupov (KAZ) RSC round-1.
Middleweight (75kg): Jafarov Saidjamshid (UZB) beat Abilkhan Amankul (KAZ) 4-1.
Light Heavyweight (81kg): Ruzmetov Dilshodbek (UZB) beat Meysam Gheshlaghi (IRI) 3-2.
Heavyweight (91kg): Sanjeet (IND) beat Vassiliy Levit (KAZ) 4-1.
Super Heavyweight ( 91kg): Jalolov Bakhodir (UZB) beat Kamshibek Kunkabayev (KAZ) 5-0.
