Let's face it: Etoiles, the exceptionally glitzy nightspot at the Emirates Palace hotel, is all about the flash and the cash, although most of its patrons would equate it more with a night of dancing, seeing and being seen than with fine dining. Indeed, when someone suggested eating there last week I was underwhelmed, envisaging the overpriced spring rolls and satay that often pass for bar food in many establishments.
Clearly, I'd missed a trick. The food at Etoiles is, in the main, fantastic: technically accomplished, gorgeously presented and tasty, with a well-balanced (if disconcertingly long) menu. And, in the spirit of a place that is defined by its style-conscious clientèle, the dishes are well dressed with a fashionable selection of foams and jus and fondants. The length of that menu does cause some difficulties, though: with 10 starters, 12 mains and three pasta dishes, each described in exhaustive detail, there was a considerable period of studied silence as we went through the options. Would we go for the Carpaccio of Black Angus beef, truffle egg dressing, pickled mushrooms, rocket and Parmesan? Or perhaps the roasted halibut, caramelised endives, blood orange dressing, brown shrimps and capers? Or maybe we'd join up and go for the Etoiles Surf & Turf: roasted chateaubriand, whole roasted Canadian lobster with garlic and herbs, spring onion mashed potato and red jus? They might as well have printed the recipes.
For our starters, we found ourselves choosing the sweet butternut squash soup, Parmesan foam, sour apples and pine nuts for my companion and roasted diver scallops, fennel purée, wilted greens, micro cress and pea foam for me. The soup was silky and luxuriant, though the Parmesan foam, in a little jug ready to be spooned over the broth like a cappuccino, seemed like a lot of fuss for very little flavour. Shaved fresh Parmesan would have packed more of a punch in the face of a sweet soup.
The scallops, meanwhile, were nicely cooked, though chopped up, allowing for none of that variation in texture that is so satisfying in a large scallop. Unlike the Parmesan, the pea foam on this dish was powerfully flavoured and delicious, light as air and a fine accompaniment to the seafood. Even better, the micro cress was delicate, piquant and fresh: a wonderful change from the bland mixed lettuces that too many salads rely on.
These were, though, sizeable portions, leaving little room to explore the mains fully: for my companion, sea bass, braised fennel and cabbage, mustard seed vinaigrette and deep fried scallop bonbon; for me, a rack of grain-fed Australian lamb, Dijon and herb crust, Dauphinoise potatoes and tomato basil jus. The sea bass was very nicely cooked, with the aromatic fennel and mustard flavours adding some zing to the flesh. The scallop bonbons, though, were an odd addition, rather like three spring rolls piled on top of the fish.
The lamb was perfectly cooked, though was not the rack I was expecting; rather it was two pieces of lamb, one large and one small. I was sorry to be denied those sweet nuggets of meat to be found in a rack, but it was tasty, with a succulent, minty layer of herbs on the outside (added later rather than as a cooking crust). Full though we were, we took a warm chocolate and orange fondant with kumquat ice cream for dessert, the fondant perfectly gooey inside, accompanied by a little tart of kumquats - a rarely seen ingredient here - and an ice cream that tasted of little but was refreshing for all that.
It was a hefty repast, and rather than twirling off on to the dance floor, we regretfully waddled away. Did style win out? Perhaps, but there was substance to spare as well. Etoiles, Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi (02 690 9000). Our reviewer's meal for two at Etoiles cost Dh535 without beverages. Restaurants are reviewed incognito.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
'Of Love & War'
Lynsey Addario, Penguin Press
Sri Lanka squad for tri-nation series
Angelo Mathews (c), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Shehan Madushanka, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan and Wanidu Hasaranga
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
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
SEMI-FINAL
Monterrey 1
Funes Mori (14)
Liverpool 2
Keita (11), Firmino (90 1)
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20electric%20motors%20with%20102kW%20battery%20pack%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E570hp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20890Nm%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%20428km%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C700%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now