When it comes to food, nothing quite says opulence like a garnishing of gold.
With the UAE being home to some truly exquisite fine-dining establishments, gilded dishes and drinks form a common sight on menus.
It is a bit surprising, especially since the glittering material doesn’t offer anything in terms of taste. Edible gold, which is usually 23- to 24-karat, and served crushed as a powder for garnishing or pounded into a fine sheet, is flavourless.
That has done little to slow its demand, with a number of restaurants launching new dishes or limited-edition items for that extra wow factor.
Thinking of getting a taste of opulence? Check out these UAE dishes that are, well, worth their weight in gold.
The dishes can be seen in the gallery above.
22-karat gold O'vada pao from O’Pao
You can now elevate your pao with a touch of gold at O'Pao. The Indian outlet in Karama, Dubai, is now serving 22-karat gold O'vada pao sliders, priced at Dh99 – a jump from the majority of the eatery's Dh10 to Dh20 menu options.
The pao is served in a carved wooden box, with a side of theatre by way of liquid nitrogen, along with a portion of sweet potato fries and mint lemonade.
The vegetarian vada pao is filled with cheese and French truffle butter and topped with mint mayonnaise. The vada, a seasoned potato dumpling, is then wrapped in 22-karat gold leaf.
24-karat gold burrata from Marea Dubai
The DIFC haunt is the latest to launch a glittering offering, and there really is something about a golden burrata that screams Dubai.
The newly launched dish comprises handmade burrata flown in from southern Italy, coated with 24-karat gold leaf and accompanied by fresh tomatoes, Taggiasca olive oil and salsa verde, all for Dh220.
Glittering dim sum from Hakkasan Abu Dhabi
Hakkasan has long been known as a king of luxury Cantonese food. Its Abu Dhabi branch, located at Emirates Palace, serves up a gold leaf har gau as part of its supreme dim sum platter, priced at Dh135.
Earlier this year, the Dubai branch, located at Atlantis, The Palm also launched a limited-edition gold-coated duck, in celebration of the Chinese Golden Week. The duck is no longer available, but it’s well worth keeping an eye out to see whether the dish, part of a three-course meal priced at Dh418 per person, will make a reappearance.
Armani Golden Cappuccino from Armani Hotel Dubai
The hotel’s gilded drink, available at Armani/Lounge, is made from Arabic beans and 23-karat gold. The “luxury in a cup”, as they call it, goes for Dh80.
Gold striploin steak from Doors Freestyle Grill
The steakhouse has something for guests who want to “dine like royalty” – a succulent striploin steak coated in a fine sheet of gold. The extravagant dish is yours to carve up for Dh786. The restaurant can also add gold on to other dishes upon request.
Black Diamond sundae from Scoopi Cafe
The cafe located on Jumeirah Beach Road offers what may well be the UAE’s most extravagant dessert. The Black Diamond sundae is made with vanilla bean ice cream from Madagascar, saffron from Iran, rare black truffles from Italy and 23-karat gold edible flakes and powder, all served in a Versace bowl with a Versace spoon – which you get to keep. It’s little wonder this ostentatious dish is priced at Dh3,000.
Gold offerings from Emirates Palace
Edible gold seems to be something of a theme at this luxury hotel in the capital. Le Cafe, within the hotel, is known for its gold-topped chocolates and ice cream cones, while the Emirates Palace cappuccino (Dh69) also has a sprinkling of 23-karat gold flakes.
Sticky date pudding from Ce La Vi Dubai
The luxurious Singaporean restaurant that opened on level 54 of the Address Sky View hotel earlier this year has a number of tempting options, including the black truffle sushi rice risotto and roasted black cod. Round off your meal with their sticky date pudding (Dh65), made with medjool dates, candied walnuts, brown butter ice cream and hot toffee sauce. And a sprinkling of gold, of course.
Everything at 24 Karat Dubai
Those looking to elevate their food can head down to 24 Karat Dubai, which offers diners the chance to have gold sprinkled on any of their dishes. Each dish comes with two price tags, one for the normal version and one for the gold version.
A strawberry tart from Shimmers
Those looking for a luxe sweet treat can head over to the Mediterranean restaurant in Jumeirah Mina A'Salam. The strawberry tart there comes with orange blossom cream, a Modena balsamic vinegar reduction and a touch of gold. It is priced at Dh64.
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Meydan race card
6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; (D) 1,200m
7.40pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (D) 1,900m
8.15pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 2,000m
8.50pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; (D) 2,000m
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
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
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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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
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Stage results
1. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 4:39:05
2. Michael Matthews (AUS) Team BikeExchange 0:00:08
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma same time
4. Jack Haig (AUS) Bahrain Victorious s.t
5. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe s.t
6. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates s.t
7. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ s.t
8. Sergio Higuita Garcia (COL) EF Education-Nippo s.t
9. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek-Segafredo s.t
10. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers s.t
Brief scoreline
Switzerland 0
England 0
Result: England win 6-5 on penalties
Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England)
THREE
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INDIA'S%20TOP%20INFLUENCERS
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The specs: 2019 Jeep Wrangler
Price, base: Dh132,000
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 285hp @ 6,400rpm
Torque: 347Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.6L to 10.3L / 100km
Ten10 Cricket League
Venue and schedule Sharjah Cricket Stadium, December 14 to 17
Teams
Maratha Arabians Leading player: Virender Sehwag; Top picks: Mohammed Amir, Imad Wasim; UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Zahoor Khan
Bengal Lions Leading player: Sarfraz Ahmed; Top picks: Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman; UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Rameez Shahzad
Kerala Kings Leading player: Eoin Morgan; Top picks: Kieron Pollard, Sohail Tanvir; UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Imran Haider
Pakhtoons Leading player: Shahid Afridi; Top picks: Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal; UAE players: Amjad Javed, Saqlain Haider
Punjabi Legends Leading player: Shoaib Malik; Top picks: Hasan Ali, Chris Jordan; UAE players: Ghulam Shabber, Shareef Asadullah
Team Sri Lanka Cricket Will be made up of Colombo players who won island’s domestic limited-overs competition
UAE squad
Rohan Mustafa (captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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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MATCH INFO
Mainz 0
RB Leipzig 5 (Werner 11', 48', 75', Poulsen 23', Sabitzer 36')
Man of the Match: Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
HOW TO WATCH
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