Pizza Hut's latest offering - a cheeseburger and pizza hybrid - is available only in medium (Dh34) or large (Dh48). The company seems to have deduced that anyone willing to combine two different fast food favourites in one sitting just won't be interested in sampling the small version.
The Cheeseburger Crown Crust Pizza that was delivered to my door a couple of days ago looked rather more dishevelled than the one in the advert. Lifting the lid on the takeaway box revealed a messy mass of gloopy cheese, nuggets of beef, lukewarm lettuce and slices of listless tomato surrounded by a border of mini burgers (12 in total).
Even if you are able to banish thoughts of fat content and calorie count to the back of your mind, the simple truth is that the Crown Crust just doesn't taste very good. Given that it features so many ingredients, it is remarkably bland and certainly does both proper pizza and decent burgers a disservice.
Beneath the blanket of toppings, the doughy base was pale, wan and decidedly soggy. The crust (in which the beef patties are suspended) was slick with grease and the overall effect is more pie than pizza. As you might expect, the cheese topping was synthetic and plasticky, the pale grey burgers were all texture and no flavour and the lack of tomato base and addition of "special sauce" made for a sickly mouthful, with not exactly pleasant pickle undertones.
The Crown Crust's parting gift is to coat the mouth in a fatty film and leave you with a vaguely ominous knot in your stomach. I called it a day after just the one slice; may Gaviscon be with you if you attempt any more.
* Emily Shardlow
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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.
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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