There is no dearth of good pizza in the UAE, with outlets offering a variety in flavours and ingredients, dietary needs and lifestyle demands, prices and cuisine-fusion (fried seaweed pizza, anyone?).
But sometimes, all you want is a hearty pizza dripping with cheese and slathered in delicious tomato sauce, with meaty toppings and a solid crust.
Enter Emmy Squared Pizza, which hit the UAE market in 2021 with a branch in Abu Dhabi, followed by a Dubai outpost in April.
The Detroit-style pizza joint is best known for its deep-dish offerings that come in a distinct square shape, following a “secret grandma-style” recipe created by co-found Emily Hyland in 2016.
But the latest Dubai branch bills itself as “designed from the ground up, and different from all of Emmy Squared Pizza's 18 locations in the US, as well as the one in Abu Dhabi”.
So, armed with my three-decade experience of eating pizzas, I head to both of the restaurant’s UAE locations, in Yas Bay and Jumeirah, to see how the two match up.
Where to sit, what to expect
My dining companion and I visit Emmy Square Pizza’s Abu Dhabi outpost on a quiet Thursday evening, but I've seen it buzzing at the weekends on previous visits to Yas Bay.
This location has a large indoor space with wicker chairs and comfy brown leather couches, plus an open-plan layout with floor-to-ceiling glass walls, and an al fresco dining area on one side.
The decor is minimalist – featuring light-blue walls mounted with black and white illustrations of seemingly random celebrities, as well the cutesy graphics of the pizza box at the beach and around town.
The Dubai venue, in Beach Walk Hotel, is easy to miss but once inside, the cosy, indoor-only space has a cheery vibe, with pink walls and red couches.
It's smaller than the Abu Dhabi outpost but filled with a few families when we visit on a late Saturday afternoon.
The music is peppy in both locations, but soft enough to comfortably have a conversation with your dining partners.
The menu
Its namesake dish aside, Emmy Squared Pizza offers a selection of starters, burgers and desserts. The Abu Dhabi venue is licensed and also serves milkshakes, which are yet to be made available at the Dubai site.
In the capital, we start our meal with chicken crunchers (Dh49) and request the heat be turned up. For our mains, we go with the server's recommendations of the Colony Squared (Dh77) and Hot Chicken (Dh55) pizzas.
The starter, despite its name, is not crunchy or spicy – and so a bit of a let-down.
The Colony Squared, which comes with a heady combination of pickled jalapenos and honey, as well as deliciously crispy Italian beef pepperoni, has an interesting flavour profile given the heat of the peppers and the sweetness of the honey.
This is a rather heavy pizza, though, and we are already full by the time the Hot Chicken arrives.
This is another indulgent piie, with chunks of fried chicken, white sauce and chopped pickles. While the chicken pieces feel too large, chunky and even greasy, the white sauce is moreish.
At the end of the meal, not only are we left with no space for dessert, but we also have enough leftovers for a full lunch the next day.
Having learnt our lesson, we go hungry and skip starters at Emmy Dubai, and opt for the Star (Dh79) and Seoul Mate (Dh57) pizzas.
Cheese-lovers will relish the first – it features Mozzarella, ricotta and pecorino that pair well with the spicy oil and red sauce. But the Seoul Mate (more on this below) is the real winner for both of us.
This time, we have just enough room for dessert and opt for a delectable banana pudding (Dh31), which is strictly one for those with a keen sweet tooth.
If you're not overly hungry, one pizza should suffice between two. The menu lists three vegan options, a few veggie pizzas and a dozen diverse meaty offerings.
Standout dish
The Seoul Mate is the highlight of our meal and one of the best pizzas I've eaten.
The Asian-inspired dish, which comes with sausage, kimchi sauce, bell peppers, mozzarella, mushrooms and pecorino cheese on a sesame crust, is a flavour bomb in each bite, and much lighter than the other pizzas we sampled.
It is available to order at both locations of Emmy Squared Pizza in the UAE and is part of the restaurant’s new menu.
A chat with the chef
Luigi Mercogliano, the head chef at Emmy Squared Pizza, is from Naples and honed his craft in Italy and London before coming to Dubai in 2013.
He juggles his time between Akiba Dori, which is known for its Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza, and Emmy Squared Pizza.
When asked about his favourite on the menu, he says: “I love a simple pizza and my absolute favourite is the burrata margherita. Playing with some of the simplest of ingredients, this pizza is full of fresh flavours that pop.
“This includes everything from the base, made with the San Marzano sun-ripened tomato sauce, going all the way to the toppings, including the buffalo mozzarella.
"The addition of the cheese adds a creamy richness to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and complements Emmy’s signature crispy frico crust."
Prices and contact information
Appetisers at Emmy Squared Pizza cost between Dh33 and Dh59; pizzas are from Dh55 to Dh89; burgers from Dh51 to Dh65; and desserts are Dh31.
Emmy Squared Pizza Yas Bay is open from noon to midnight from Sunday to Thursday, and from noon to 1am on Friday and Saturday. The Dubai branch is open from noon to midnight on all days.
For reservations, call the Abu Dhabi branch on 02 235 8763 and the Dubai branch on 04 835 9726.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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GCC-UK%20Growth
%3Cp%3EAn%20FTA%20with%20the%20GCC%20would%20be%20very%20significant%20for%20the%20UK.%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20My%20Department%20has%20forecast%20that%20it%20could%20generate%20an%20additional%20%C2%A31.6%20billion%20a%20year%20for%20our%20economy.%3Cbr%3EWith%20consumer%20demand%20across%20the%20GCC%20predicted%20to%20increase%20to%20%C2%A3800%20billion%20by%202035%20this%20deal%20could%20act%20as%20a%20launchpad%20from%20which%20our%20firms%20can%20boost%20their%20market%20share.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
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- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
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Omnibus Press
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
West Asia rugby, season 2017/18 - Roll of Honour
Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Pakistan T20 series squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammed Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin
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How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
Civil%20War
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20Znap%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarted%3A%202017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Uday%20Rathod%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%241m%2B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EInvestors%3A%20Family%2C%20friends%3C%2Fp%3E%0A