The scent of cardamom and saffron drifts from the kitchen of Sharjah's Bait Elowal, echoing the UAE's past as a vital node along the Silk Road.
Overlooking the Sharjah Creek and the vast Arabian Gulf, the new restaurant gazes upon the storied paths once travelled by traders from India, Persia and North Africa – their dhows laden with black pepper, turmeric, local fish and dates – some of the ingredients defining what is now known as Emirati cuisine.
Opening to the public on Thursday and the brainchild of Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Bait Elowal reflects this heritage through its detailed architecture and a meticulously crafted menu inspired by the raw, fresh goods once carried in ancient cargoes.
Sheikha Bodour notes that the name itself is a nod to the past travellers who found shelter – and, in some cases, a new life – upon stepping onto the shores of Sharjah.
“The name itself reflects this journey. 'Bait' means home, while 'Elowal' is an old Emirati term for the traveller who returns, not just with goods, but with knowledge, experiences and discoveries,” she tells The National. “For centuries, Sharjah welcomed traders and explorers from India, Persia, Morocco and beyond. Their ships docked along its shores, carrying silks, spices, and traditions that blended seamlessly with our own.
“I wanted Bait Elowal to reflect that sense of homecoming, a place that embraces visitors as if they were returning from a long voyage, where every dish, craft and space carries echoes of the journeys that have shaped us.”
Emirati traditions in a Moroccan setting
Nestled in the heart of Sharjah and located off Corniche Road, Bait Elowal sits in one of the emirate’s typically culturally rich coastal neighbourhoods. It is home to the Sharjah Art Foundation, the picturesque Urban Garden, and the stunning Masjid Al Zahra, a mosque that features bright decorative tile work that is heavily influenced by Iranian-Persian design.
The facade of the two-storey structure, once a century-old residence known as Bait Al Mazrou, is restored and designed to reflect traditional Emirati architecture. Its coral stone walls and carved wooden doors are materials historically chosen to insulate residents from the intense desert heat.
“Restoring Bait Elowal was about more than preserving a building; it was about safeguarding the stories and traditions embedded in its walls,” Sheikha Bodour says. “The house, originally home to the Al Mazrou family, had stood for over 100 years, witnessing the movement of travellers, merchants and generations of Emirati life. The priority was to retain its character while carefully integrating elements that allow it to serve as a welcoming space for modern visitors.”
Once inside, guests are transported to a stately Moroccan riad with a fountain at the centre of a tranquil central courtyard. The sunlight glimmers off the colourful Zellige tiles, casting shadows on creamy walls with Moorish horseshoe arches. The seats lining the courtyard are a mix of woven rattan chairs and cushioned benches adorned with colourful throw pillows. Inside, surrounding the courtyard, are several plush majlises featuring luxurious couches and artisanal rugs perfect for group tea sessions.
Also on the ground floor is Al Kutubkhana, an on-site bookstore featuring a selection of art and history books on the region’s cultural heritage, along with English translations of novels and non-fiction works by Sharjah’s ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi that explore the emirate’s past. There's also Soghat El Lowal, an arts and crafts boutique, that showcases works by local and regional artisans that embrace sustainable practices. These include Emirati hand-embroidered mkhaweer dresses, silk scarves from Uzbekistan, jewellery from India, and traditional shoes and homeware from Morocco’s Amazigh culture.
Al Marmas, the rooftop terrace, is stunning – featuring elegant archways and a majestic view of the Sharjah Creek.
Flavours from the Silk Road
Bait Elowal ’s menu is a meeting point of cultures, with each section evoking a journey across the region. Breakfast dishes are titled The Silk Road Awakens, while appetizers are dubbed Teasers – A Prelude to the Voyage. Main courses fall under Coming Back – The Journey Returns and desserts are presented as A Sweet Journey Through the Silk Road.
With more than 30 dishes on offer, priced between Dh25 and Dh190, the menu focuses less on fusion and more on highlighting the culinary connections forged through historical trade routes. An example is the roasted eggplant with red miso and feta cheese – an impactful eggplant salad that showcases some of the ancient fermentation techniques traders used to preserve ingredients on months-long journeys.
The smoked salmon and ossetra caviar tartlet, an elegant pastry appetiser, takes its cues from the historic Caspian Sea Trade – a key feature of the Silk Road. It reflects how delicacies such as caviar and fish roe were transported from places like Persia throughout the region.
The meat dishes, such as the braised lamb shank and striploin, are infused with Silk Road spices like sumac, ginger and cloves. Meanwhile, contemporary influences emerge in the quinoa-crusted octopus and chicken liver parfait. The octopus is gently braised, then coated in crisped quinoa for added texture, while the sweetness of apple and the richness of the parfait create a balanced, smooth finish.
A dessert dish that could prove popular is Hidden Treasure – a decadent Guanaja chocolate whipped ganache with crunchy cocoa nibs, sitting atop a crispy date cake and a puddle of fragrant cardamom soup.
“We wanted to celebrate this history by creating a menu that captures the essence of those exchanges,” Sheikha Bodour says. “Every dish is designed to reflect the natural evolution of flavours that have travelled across continents yet feel at home in Emirati kitchens. Some dishes pay homage to time-honoured recipes, while others reimagine these influences in new ways.”
Bait Elowal is located on Al Merraijja Square, Sharjah; open daily from 8am to 11pm; for reservations go to baitelowal.com
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
FINAL SCORES
Fujairah 130 for 8 in 20 overs
(Sandy Sandeep 29, Hamdan Tahir 26 no, Umair Ali 2-15)
Sharjah 131 for 8 in 19.3 overs
(Kashif Daud 51, Umair Ali 20, Rohan Mustafa 2-17, Sabir Rao 2-26)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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
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Company profile
Company: Eighty6
Date started: October 2021
Founders: Abdul Kader Saadi and Anwar Nusseibeh
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Hospitality
Size: 25 employees
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investment: $1 million
Investors: Seed funding, angel investors
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
BABYLON
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
RESULTS
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Isle of Dogs
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Ed Norton, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson
Three stars
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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What is a calorie?
A food calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of nutritional energy generated from what is consumed.
One calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1°C.
A kilocalorie represents a 1,000 true calories of energy.
Energy density figures are often quoted as calories per serving, with one gram of fat in food containing nine calories, and a gram of protein or carbohydrate providing about four.
Alcohol contains about seven calories a gram.
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
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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
Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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."
