From new openings and special dishes to updated menus, here's what’s new on the UAE's food scene this week.
Italian restaurant Sole opens in Abu Dhabi
Sole, which launched at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers on Tuesday, November 10, aims to transport guests to Italy with its authentic ingredients. The restaurant’s fun-loving nature, meanwhile, comes through in its whimsically named dishes. We’ve Twisted a Classic, for instance, is a double-dough ravioli with spinach, homemade ricotta, butter-poached prawns and artichoke crisps. What a Catch is a combination of poached sea bass, herbs, roasted garlic, fresh tomato broth and charred lemon.
For dessert, try Trust Me, I'm from Napoli, a dish of Italian cream and berries. The restaurant is headed by Italian chef, Simone De Vivo from Naples, and features outdoor seating, pops of greenery and statement chandeliers.
Spanish restaurant Asador de Aranda opens in Dubai
Asador de Aranda, a veritable Spanish institution, has opened its doors at The Address Downtown Hotel. The restaurant, founded in Castilla y Leon, has hosted everyone from royalty to celebrities, and specialises in dishes prepared in a manual wood-fired oven that gives them a distinctive taste and texture. Its most famous dish is el cuarto de asado, roasted suckling lamb leg. Other meat-based dishes to savour include spare ribs, grilled entrecote steak, lamb chops and kidneys, while vegetarians can enjoy gazpacho and roasted red peppers.
The interior is marked with rustic white oak flooring, wood-panelled tables, plush green sofas and chandeliers, while diners who want to enjoy the cooler weather can head to the terrace and take in the lights of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard with their meal.
Enjoy three-course meals for Dh99 at Yas Flavours Festival
More than 45 restaurants at Yas Island have come together for the inaugural Yas Flavours Festival, which is running as part of Abu Dhabi Culinary Season. Diners in the capital will get a chance to enjoy three-course set menus across three price points until Saturday, November 28.
The Taste Makers package (Dh99) is valid at casual dining outlets such as Mr Miyagi's at Yas Marina, Black Tap at The Fountains and L'eto, Le Brioche and La Taqueria at Yas Mall. Those looking for something slightly more upscale can try the Food Vibes package (Dh129) at Belgian Cafe at Radisson Blu, Stars & Bars at Yas Marina and Rainforest Cafe at The Fountains. Finally, the Gourmet Goals package (Dh149) includes a meal from outlets such as Filini Garden at Yas Plaza Hotels, Aquarium at Yas Marina and Pachaylen at Anantara Eastern Mangroves. For the full list of deals and packages available, visit yasisland.ae.
Thai restaurant Benjarong reopens in Dubai
Benjarong, Dusit Thani’s signature Thai restaurant, has locations in Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Cebu, Davao, Doha, Guam, Hua Hin, the Maldives and Manila – and on November 8, its branch in Dusit Thani Dubai reopened to the public. The interiors have been transformed to include vibrant colours, European motifs, plush velvet sofas and hand-woven lanterns. The menu features all the classic curries from Thai chef de cuisine Wichit Panyo, plus a grilled chicken burger topped with mushroom, basil sauce, a Thai fried egg and steamed rice.
Hakkasan Abu Dhabi brings back night 'brunch'
The Cantonese restaurant in Emirates Palace Hotel will serve its popular night brunch every Friday, between 8pm and 11pm, offering guests a chance to try its signature dishes for Dh388. The evening will begin with the supreme Peking duck with caviar served with pancakes, baby cucumber and spring onion, plus a selection of dim sum. The starters are followed by salt and pepper squid, vegetable and pine nut lettuce wrap, chicken satay skewer, wasabi prawns with salmon roe and jasmine-tea-smoked Wagyu beef ribs. For views of the city skyline, book a table on the restaurant’s labyrinthine outdoor terrace.
Attend a Japanese-Italian pizza party at d3
To celebrate the ongoing Dubai Design Week, Japanese street-food restaurant Akiba Dori in Dubai Design District is hosting a pop-up garden party, complete with neon lights, until Saturday, November 14. Guests can kick back and enjoy the cool weather while listening to hip-hop and RnB tunes, and tuck into the Tokyo-Neapolitan pizzas such as five-formaggi, marinara or chef Luigi-San’s special, made with datterini tomatoes, smoked provola, pecorino romano, basil leaves and olive oil.
Sample Korean bulgogi in burger form at Ugly Burger
Bulgogi, meaning fire meat, is made by cooking thin marinated slices of beef on a barbecue or stove-top griddle. And now, UAE residents can get a taste of the much-loved Korean dish in burger form, with home-grown burger joint Ugly Burger's latest launch. Priced at Dh38, the Bulgogi burger features griddled, marinated sliced beef, mixed grilled mushrooms and onions, toasted sesame seeds, and cracked black pepper bulgogi mayo on a bed of lettuce. Perfect with a side of kimchi fries.
LAST 16 DRAW
Borussia Dortmund v PSG
Real Madrid v Manchester City
Atalanta v Valencia
Atletico Madrid v Liverpool
Chelsea v Bayern Munich
Lyon v Juventus
Tottenham v Leipzig
Napoli v Barcelona
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
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.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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