Five outdoor restaurants in Dubai to visit this winter – and what to eat there


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After months spent relishing all the indoor fun the UAE has to offer, from shopping malls to museums, it's finally time to venture back outside. As the cooler months hit, restaurant terraces and beach clubs, both old and new, have opened by the dozen, meaning guests can soak up the sun by day and enjoy the breeze by night. Here are five tried-and-tested options.

Nobu Dubai for impeccable dining

Crispy shiitake salad. Photo: Nobu
Crispy shiitake salad. Photo: Nobu

Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's Dubai restaurant offers eclectic Japanese-Peruvian dishes, ambient lighting and a resto-lounge vibe. Located on the 22nd floor of Atlantis The Palm, the venue reopened its terrace this week. Offering stunning views of the Arabian Gulf and Palm Jumeirah, the open-air, 119-seater spot is done up in deep browns with pops of greenery.

While the black cod miso and fresh sushi are Nobu signatures, there are at least two other items worth sampling on executive chef Damien Duviau's menu. Despite the satisfying crunch of fried mushrooms, the shiitake salad (Dh165) is light and refreshing, and comes with a flavourful goma truffle dressing.

More crunch comes by way of the yuzu vanilla creme brulee (Dh90), complemented by crispy nori kataifi and a mousse-like sakura semifreddo. It's a light-as-air dessert, evermore enjoyable in a breezy, al fresco setting.

Monday to Wednesday, 6pm-1am; Thursday and Friday, 6pm-1.30am; Saturday, 12.30pm-3pm and 6pm-1.30am; Sunday, 12.30pm-3pm and 6pm-1am; Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah; 04 426 0760

– Panna Munyal, lifestyle editor

Jara by Martin Berasategui for party vibes

Making its way to Downtown Dubai in February this year, The Lana Dorchester (the hotel group's first in the country) bought a buzz along with it, as has everything that's opened within it since. Jara by Martin Berasategui is one example.

The restaurant already appealed to the city's foodies thanks to its impressive open kitchen, chic modern decor and Basque cuisine that simultaneously delivers fine dining and simple recipes, and now the launch of a new terrace space is another mark in its favour.

The large terrace overlooks Marasi Bay Marina. Boats docked below, the cityscape lit up ahead and the Burj Khalifa glittering in the night sky make for impressive views. Seating on the terrace weaves around tall columns surrounded by large potted plants.

There are big tables for serious diners, plush sofa seats to relax in and bar tables to stand around, meaning its ideal for dinner, drinks or both. A DJ plays upbeat music through the evening.

The kitchen serves up finger food that are all prefaced as being the 12-starred Michelin-lauded chef's take on a dish.

Gilda oysters. Photo: Jara by Martin Berasategui
Gilda oysters. Photo: Jara by Martin Berasategui

This includes croquettes stuffed with mixed mushroom, cheese and spinach (Dh30), Spanish squid (Dh110) or salted and dried meat cecina (Dh155); plus Gilda oysters featuring olives, marinated red tuna and pickled spring onions (Dh35); and gazpacho with vegetable and olive sphere. Each is a tiny tease of what the full menu – crafted for both seafood and meat lovers – has to offer.

7pm-1am (closed Mondays); The Lana Dorchester, Business Bay; 04 541 7755

– Hayley Kadrou, deputy features editor

La Cantine for beach buffs

French restaurant La Cantine du Faubourg is a stalwart of the UAE dining scene, so news that it has opened a beach club outpost at Delano Dubai has been warmly received.

La Cantine Beach brings French Riviera charm to Bluewaters Island, with a chic blue and white colour scheme throughout. The beach club features a family pool, adults’ pool and direct beach access. La Cantine's Sports Club caters to the fitness enthusiast, complete with a pickleball court, beach volleyball and an outdoor gym deck.

Food is exceptional, serving a Mediterranean menu complete with panzanella salad (Dh80), grilled octopus (Dh155) and truffle fries (Dh155), among many other options. As part of the La Cantine Sports Club there is also a healthier menu available, which includes juices, protein shakes, salads and grilled entrees.

Leave room for dessert, though. The cheesecake mousse with speculoos (a Lotus-style biscuit) and raspberry (Dh70) is outstandingly moreish.

Cheesecake mousse. Photo: La Cantine Beach
Cheesecake mousse. Photo: La Cantine Beach

The jewel in the beach club’s crown has to be the Ain Dubai view. Towering over the venue, the mammoth wheel makes for a striking Instagram backdrop when posing poolside.

Daily, 10am-midnight; Dh200, Monday-Friday; Dh250, Saturday and Sunday (entry non-redeemable); Delano Dubai, Bluewaters Island; 04 556 6622

– Farah Andrews, head of features

Karma Kafe for vintage charm

Tenderloin with caramelised teriyaki and shallot miso puree. Photo: Karma Kafe
Tenderloin with caramelised teriyaki and shallot miso puree. Photo: Karma Kafe

While there is something to be said for bird's-eye views from the many, many high-rise restaurants dotted around Dubai, Karma Kafe's first-floor terrace looks out on to something altogether more entertaining, even relaxing: the Dubai Fountain.

The usually chill vibe does get a tad disturbed when dozens of diners rise as one to capture the fountain show every 30 minutes, but that's testament to popularity of this Souk Al Bahar restaurant, which is celebrating its crystal anniversary this year.

Karma Kafe has been a mainstay of Dubai's fine-dining scene for 15 years. Chef Rob Rathbone, the culinary director of Solutions Group, recommends some dishes that have stood the test of time. Among the appetisers, the shrimp tempura with mango kimchi (Dh95) is gone before you can say sweet peanut chilli sauce.

The tenderloin (Dh215) from the robata grill is melt-in-mouth soft and saucy thanks to a caramelised spicy teriyaki and shallot miso puree. The overly salted katsu curry leaves much to be desired, though, as it's more akin to a Thai red curry (Dh130) and not a very good one at that.

- Panna Munyal, lifestyle editor

Chouchou for luxe privacy

French onion soup. Photo: Chou Chou
French onion soup. Photo: Chou Chou

Of the 13 newly minted beach clubs at J1, Chouchou is the only venue that is open to members only. The private club offers access to its own strip of the beach, plus the pool and expansive second level of the restaurant. Membership rates start at Dh15,500 per person per year, with other packages available for couples and families. Members can bring up to three guests, who pay for a day-pass fee, from Dh250.

Within, it's all earthy tones – think mocha mousse, soft greens and warm terracottas – complemented by wicker and rattan accents that channel the laid-back sophistication of a classic French Riviera retreat.

While natural light floods the indoor restaurant through expansive windows, the outdoor terrace is an idyllic extension of the venue's relaxed elegance, furnished with comfortable dining sets that overlook the pool and the beach. Beachside seating is on comfy sofas rather than traditional sunbeds, while white wooden cabanas line up on one side for those who want even more privacy.

Three tried-and-tested dishes include an artichoke salad (Dh140) infused with truffle water, with green beans, mushrooms and truffle shavings; a French onion soup (Dh80) with a caramelised onion base and topped with a golden, bubbling layer of Comte cheese; and tresor de Saint Pierre (Dh345 for 150g), with grilled john dory fish served with whelks, soft-boiled quail eggs, vegetables and a saffron-tinted rouille sauce.

9am-1am; J1 Beach, Jumeirah 1; 04 558 4877

– One Carlo Diaz, lifestyle reporter

The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm

Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Price: from Dh317,671

On sale: now

CREW
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'Worse than a prison sentence'

Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.

“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.

“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.

“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.

“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.

“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS

Women:

55kg brown-black belt: Amal Amjahid (BEL) bt Amanda Monteiro (BRA) via choke
62kg brown-black belt: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Ffion Davies (GBR) via referee’s decision (0-0, 2-2 adv)
70kg brown-black belt: Ana Carolina Vieira (BRA) bt Jessica Swanson (USA), 9-0
90kg brown-black belt: Angelica Galvao (USA) bt Marta Szarecka (POL) 8-2

Men:

62kg black belt: Joao Miyao (BRA) bt Wan Ki-chae (KOR), 7-2
69kg black belt: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Gianni Grippo (USA), 2-2 (1-0 adv)
77kg black belt: Espen Mathiesen (NOR) bt Jake Mackenzie (CAN)
85kg black belt: Isaque Braz (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE), 2-0
94kg black belt: Felipe Pena (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL), 4-0
110kg black belt final: Erberth Santos (BRA) bt Lucio Rodrigues (GBR) via rear naked choke

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

Company%20profile
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Tips for SMEs to cope
  • Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
  • Make sure you have an online presence
  • Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
  • Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
    Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
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
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WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Results

Stage 5:

1. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Jumbo-Visma  04:19:08

2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates  00:00:03

3. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers

4. Sergio Higuita (COL) EF Education-Nippo 00:00:05

5. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:06

General Classification:

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 17:09:26

2.  Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers 00:00:45

3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:01:12

4. Chris Harper (AUS) Team Jumbo-Visma 00:01:54

5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo 00:01:56

'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness' 

   

 

Director: Sam Raimi

 

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams

 

Rating: 3/5

 
Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Best Foreign Language Film nominees

Capernaum (Lebanon)

Cold War (Poland)

Never Look Away (Germany)

Roma (Mexico)

Shoplifters (Japan)

Results

2pm: Serve U – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Violent Justice, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)

2.30pm: Al Shafar Investment – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: Desert Wisdom, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ahmed Al Shemaili

3pm: Commercial Bank of Dubai – Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Fawaareq, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson

3.30pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer

4pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Rakeez, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar

4.30pm: Al Redha Insurance Brokers – Handicap (TB) Dh78,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Capla Crusader, Bernardo Pinheiro, Rashed Bouresly

Updated: December 07, 2024, 5:12 AM`