Having recently celebrated the second anniversary of its opening, Agadir has established itself as the capital's leading exponent of choice Moroccan culinary delights - and you suspect that would be the case even if Abu Dhabi could muster a more contemporary contender than the Millennium Hotel's somewhat dated rival, Marakesh.
It's an almost exotic experience, no doubt in part thanks to Morocco's status as the most far-flung of all the Mena nations from the Gulf, but if there's one lasting impression of the nation's cuisine from a visit to Agadir, it's the sheer generosity of its portions. Going by the ambitious scale of every single menu option that we were presented, it's a minor wonder, frankly, that the country is currently a whopping 92 places below the UAE in the world obesity rankings.
While there was no suggestion that you should be indulging in the Arabic tradition of communal sharing between diners, the dishes were nonetheless sized on that premise.
My partner's salade fawakeh bahr starter, a seemingly bottomless seafood salad that was overflowing with mussels, marinated sea bass, clams and calamari (the squid executed as delicately as any in the city), was topped with king prawns so large that they were in danger of being moved up a pugilistic division to lobster weight.
My hamame confit au huile d'argan was only a smidgen smaller, delivering a veritable spread of sliced pigeon and duck breast decorated with argan oil, ras al hanout spice and cardamom that delivered a subtle tang to the rich meat.
Both dishes blended the traditional with the 21st century with ease, which is an overarching theme at Agadir, nicely complemented by a romantic, enveloping darkness on the terrace. The genuinely warm Moroccan staff, coupled with the use of imported North African materials throughout the building, added to that sensation.
By this juncture, the dinner conversation turned to exactly how large the mains must be. We didn't have to wait long for an answer: the daurade royale Casablanca could almost have made Moby Dick blush. A whole, deboned, baked sea bream, filled with mixed seafood and vermicelli and haloed by baby vegetables. I gladly accepted the challenge of extracting the gorgeous white flakes of flesh from beneath a slathering of tomato - my only criticism is that the filleting process probably could have been more thorough.
Meanwhile, the tagine m'rozia, hearty chunks of braised lamb doused in ras al hanout and flecked with caramelised onion, almonds, sesame seeds and - a little incongruously - raisins, was unveiled from under a colourful tagine pot lid. While it wasn't insanely ginormous, the North African predilection for meat, and shedloads of it, guaranteed a weighty second course.
There was only minor respite within the dessert menu. The almost ubiquitous ras al hanout made a late return in a Moroccan take on crème brûlée - part of the twist being that it's served on a soup-bowl scale - and while the sugary crust lacked the requisite crunch, the saffron-infused delights that lay below more than compensated.
Agadir's era-melding theme also received a reprise in the tagine de banane d'Agadir, a fruity finisher of roasted banana with orange, honey, cinnamon and vanilla ice cream, that made use of the traditional Moroccan cooking-pot process.
Abandon your belts and book in a trip to the tailor for the day after you visit Agadir, because you'll experience à la carte dining of waist-widening scope. Yet, unlike some other international cuisines, the quantity never once compromises the quality.
. A meal for two at Agadir, Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa, costs Dh500. For reservations, call 02 616 9999. Reviewed meals are paid for by The National and are conducted incognito
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The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
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Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
UFC Fight Night 2
1am – Early prelims
2am – Prelims
4am-7am – Main card
7:30am-9am – press cons
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Sting & Shaggy
44/876
(Interscope)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
