When it comes to restaurant options in Abu Dhabi, the world is your oyster. Or your oyster mushroom, if you really aren’t feeling the seafood.
Such variety can sometimes leave your belly empty and mind full of indecision as you chew over what to have for dinner. Mexican? Italian? Something more regional? The medley of menus can be tricky to navigate, but Graphos Social Kitchen at Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island aims to provide diners with a map that begins at the door and leads through a maze of cooking stations where dishes from around the world are prepared.
What to expect and where to sit
The vast indoor dining space is divided into about a dozen sections, creating the feeling that the restaurant is still a cosy place to eat. As I am led through the double doors, there are small tables on the right, with wooden chairs and longer tables with cushioned seating, all arranged under low-hanging colourful lanterns. There is also a curtained area where diners can eat in privacy.
Outdoor seating is available near the hotel pool, and seems to be a popular spot on the evening I visit. But I am led to a table near the middle of the restaurant that offers a view of a fountain outside, and a clear run at the maze of cooking stations.
Graphos operates as a buffet-style restaurant during its breakfast and dinner services – lunch is a la carte – with dishes prepared in small kitchens dotted around the centre of the space. They are separated by geography, with eastern and western cuisine meeting at the salad bar.
The menu
Given the variety of food on offer it is advisable to take a gastronomic gambol through the buffet maze to help map out your personal menu. My first steps take me past an East Asian station with vegetarian sushi and tuna sashimi on display, opposite the delightfully colourful salad spot.
Ahead of me lies a selection of house beverages, priced up and arranged on a central table, and an area devoted to all manner of breads. There is also a “children’s section”, complete with cupcakes, doughnuts, jars of marshmallows and sprinkles, and a chocolate fountain.
Restaurant manager Shemeer is on duty and introduces himself with a playful quip that all guests are free to use the fountain, because “there is no age limit here”. He steers me towards the eastern half of the restaurant, where I find hot mezze, such as crispy kibbeh, and mains including Arabic mixed grill, lamb curry and pad Thai, with chefs ready to serve me a plate.
Meanwhile, my dining partner’s culinary compass points west towards a station where the component parts of a classic roast dinner are being prepared – the lamb and chicken are cut and plated by the chef on duty – as well as two pasta dishes. Slices of aubergine are cooking away on a grill, creating a delightful sizzle and reminding you the dishes are made fresh.
At the western frontier of the buffet space is a large assortment of desserts. All are arranged on a variety of small stages – from wooden boxes to a bird cage cake stand – and vie for the spotlight as diners pass by. The raspberry almond slices are among the more delectable options at first glance. Clear glass panels separate the sweets from guests, preventing me from snatching a couple to sample as I make my way back to my table.
Standout dishes
An issue with buffet-eating is that food is often plated by the guest, preventing chefs from assembling dishes that are a feast for your eyes, as well as your Instagram followers. At Graphos, staff fill the plates for you, but portion sizes are still much at the whim of the customer. There is also a strong temptation to mix and match dishes as you pass by – you can combine potato harra and pasta in tomato sauce simply to save yourself a second trip.
That may place a greater burden on the restaurant to deliver on taste, but it hits the mark with some well-prepared offerings. The freekeh with roast chicken was pleasantly flavourful – and the portion of meat was generous – but I found myself returning for another helping of dal palak that, while understated, was packed with flavour and went down a treat.
The lemon mint avocado shooter from the salad station also deserves a mention. It provides a light, refreshing start to a meal and is served in a shot glass, making it fun to drink and allowing you either to sip it or gulp it down before heading back to choose a main.
A chat with the chef
John Buenaventura, executive chef at Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, has worked mostly in the UAE, including almost two years at the hotel in Yas Bay. Originally from the Philippines, he follows the culinary tenets that food should be “simple, straightforward and nostalgic”. He describes the Graphos menu as “familiar” and says the restaurant’s east-meets-west concept is designed to give guests a “homey feeling when dining”.
Value for money and contact information
Graphos charges Dh120 ($30) a person for the breakfast buffet; Dh145 for lunch, and Dh190 for dinner. That may leave your wallet feeling lighter, but the sheer variety of dishes and potential for several helpings mean you probably won’t.
Graphos Social Kitchen is open from 6.30am to 11pm. For reservations, call 02 208 6900.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
Freezer tips
- Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
- If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
- Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
- The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Naga
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
Company%20profile%20
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Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
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.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
KINGDOM%20OF%20THE%20PLANET%20OF%20THE%20APES
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wes%20Ball%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Owen%20Teague%2C%20Freya%20Allen%2C%20Kevin%20Durand%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,200m
6.30pm: Liwa Oaisi Group 2 (PA) Dh300,000 1,400m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
The National selections: 5pm: Flit Al Maury, 5.30pm: Sadah, 6pm: RB Seqondtonone, 6.30pm: RB Money To Burn, 7pm: SS Jalmood, 7.30pm: Dalaalaat
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
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Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
RESULTS
5pm Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Munfared, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Sawt Assalam, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Dergham Athbah, Pat Dobbs, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Rajee, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
7pm Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Kerless Del Roc, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Pharoah King, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8pm Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Sauternes Al Maury, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Company%C2%A0profile
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BlacKkKlansman
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver
Five stars
