Stasha Toncev may run Dubai's preeminent Balkan bistro, but for the time being, it has been transformed into a "flower shop".
In the 24 hours since 21 Grams reopened, following almost three months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, Toncev says she has been "completely overwhelmed" by the feedback from her returning patrons.
"We have been turned into a flower shop. There are more than 15 bouquets here," she tells The National, the day after she reopened her doors.
"My heart is just forever grateful to those people who have recognised all the hard work we've done."
We're going to fight and we'll keep fighting. We built such a beautiful community, we have so many beautiful things to be proud of
Toncev reopened her popular Jumeirah Beach Road restaurant on Monday, July 20, after announcing she could not "sustain" operations in April and closing indefinitely.
It was tragic news for fans of the eatery, which had amassed a loyal customer base over more than two years, many who flocked there on the weekends for its piquant pindjur eggs, brothy Komplet eggs and perfectly flaky burek. At the time, it was not clear if the pandemic was to mark 21 Grams' complete demise, like so many other restaurants around the world that have fallen victim to economic uncertainties stemming from Covid-19.
However, Toncev says this was never the case.
"We were always going to come back," she says. "For a brief moment it didn't look bright, but I really strongly believe we had to find a way to come back. I just didn't know how at the beginning."
Toncev says she made the decision to close after first trying to operate a delivery-only model, and finding it was not "who we are". The restaurant struggled trying to translate its concept and dishes into plastic containers and delivery drivers, which is something, she says, it was never supposed to be.
"We are food and service, not just food. Once we shifted to delivery, nothing was the same and it definitely didn't work for us. We lost that personal contact with our guests."
And so, Toncev shut up shop. For the first two weeks, the whole team just took a break. But after that, it was time to get to work.
She wanted to take a step back from the business to figure out "what we want to do and who we want to be" after the pandemic. And over the proceeding two months, she says, that's exactly what they decided.
The new 21 Grams comes with new operating hours, a new food concept, and a "new point of view".
While the cafe's menu was previously something of a catch-all – a meal suitable for breakfast, lunch or dinner – Toncev has changed its hours to instead focus on breakfast and lunch, meaning they now operate only between 8am to 5pm.
As for the food, Toncev says customers can still expect modern takes on traditional Balkan fare (a geographical area that includes Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, mainland Romania, southern Serbia, and even bits of Greece, Turkey and Italy), but they've tried to move away from the "starter, meal, dessert" idea and more towards a sharing concept with plenty of smaller plates.
The menu will now also be broken up into three parts: "Balkan our roots" for traditional dishes, "connecting the dots", which fuses the traditional and modern, and "Dubai our home", which relies on local, seasonal ingredients to "honour Dubai as the place where we call home and to follow the heartbeat of the city".
New menu items include sarma, sour cabbage rolls with minced beef and smoked wagyu brisket; Adriatic octopus with fennel sauce; and Wagyu beef cevap tartare.
However, purists shouldn't fret: Toncev has promised that their hugely popular breakfast dishes, such as the Komplet egg and the cheese burek, will still be on offer.
But, despite completely overhauling her operation, she says her "greatest achievement" is not making a single staff member redundant. While they all took pay cuts, Toncev says she ensured their "living costs were covered".
On Monday, the day they got back to business, Toncev says 21 Grams welcomed about 80 people. Most were regulars. Upcoming weekends are fully booked for breakfasts – down to new social distancing requirements that have limited capacity, as well as overwhelming demand.
The moment I stepped back and saw the response, from the closing and the reopening, I realised how much we meant to people
"We are great, we are the happiest. We missed all the people and the operation. This was the longest three months ever," she says.
"Our souls and hearts were full of excitement to see our community and our guests and to show them what we've been doing the past few months."
In the end, Toncev says, temporarily closing may have saved the business from closing permanently further down the line. The short break allowed them time to "change things to make them better" and realise their own worth.
"It's easy to be good when things are good but it's not easy when things are south.
"The moment I stepped back and saw the response, from the closing and the reopening, I realised how much we meant to people.
"We're going to fight. and we'll keep fighting. We built such a beautiful community, we have so many beautiful things to be proud of."
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Read more:
Hidden gems: Can Dubai's answer to Serbian fare stack up to the real thing?
Discovering Balkan flavours at Dubai restaurant 21 Grams
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Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
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Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
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Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
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."
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
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