From K-pop to K-drama, the export of South Korean entertainment is in full flow.
But it’s not merely the eyes and ears being stimulated by the cultural takeover, now chef Reif Othman’s latest venture, Hoe Lee Kow, is captivating taste buds with off-the-wall Korean barbecue.
And, despite the K-ringeworthy name, it’s quickly building a reputation for memorable dishes.
Where to sit and what to expect
Hoe Lee Kow is opposite Dubai Hills Mall, tucked away in the nearby business park. However, it’s close enough for a brisk walk from the mall’s multistorey car park.
Inside, there are an assortment of tables for two, private booths with soft-to-touch fabric backings and a New York Art Deco-style central bar. It’s low-lit, straddling the classy side of darkness, with a few pops of flair by way of pastel-coloured fans adorning one wall, and Hahoetal theatrical masks on the other. The faces range from coy smirking to maniacal grinning and date from the 12th century when they were used in traditional dances.
The menu
I’ll confess, aside from whacking spoonfuls of kimchi on to my plate in pursuit of overnight abs on the advice of internet health gurus, I’m a novice when it comes to K-food. Chef Othman promises “unconventional” Korean dishes, but it's lost on me – I don’t know my gimbap from my galbi.
I presume the menu – one of the most exciting I’ve seen in months – is fusion in full flow. Ninety per cent of it is made up of small plates, with a smattering of bigger mains such as grilled steaks and fish.
And while the majority of them are Korean dishes, the unconventional part comes by way of the international ingredients used – Wagyu beef, Australian lamb, Irish duck, Scottish salmon – and spins on classic recipes.
Thankfully, no doubt after seeing my struggles and worrying about having a half-wit on her hands, the friendly waitress kindly points out that I can see pictures of the dishes by scanning a QR code on my phone.
Much better, it’s like a Christmas catalogue (ask your parents) and my dining partner and I can point gormlessly at the photos to order rather than butcher the pronunciations and hope for the best.
Soon, the kitchen is firing out plates on a served-when-ready basis. The chicken mandu are four delicate dumplings packed with divinely seasoned fillings in a shallow bath of peanut sauce split with chilli oil; the Wagyu steam bun is a pocket-sized burger with mighty flavour; the banchan potato are baby roasties that are so soft they’re almost velvety and served on a fiery kimchi sauce; and the crispy baby calamari is a playful Korean riff on the Italian classic.
But it's not all fun and squid games, there is some serious technical skill on show. The house gimbap is a delicate nori roll that has been deep-fried tempura-style before being stuffed with raw tuna and dabbed in diced chives on either end. It’s like a savoury cannoli, served alongside truffle mayo.
The simply outstanding tteokbokki – more on it later – brings the inventive, eccentric small plates to a close.
Mains of grilled mackerel fillet and thinly sliced flame-grilled Wagyu strips – nothing too unorthodox here, I should note – extend the prowess Othman has built his name on in the city.
There’s just enough time (and room) to get back to the slightly bonkers recipes with a sweetcorn ice cream so good, it makes one wonder why all vegetables aren’t served this way.
Stand-out dish
The tteokbokki is one of Dubai’s best dishes, hands down. The dish, I learn, is a twist on the traditional garaetteok street food, which are 5cm cylinders of rice flour that are typically left plain and used to dip in sauces.
Here, they’re given a crunchy coating before being supremely well seasoned and deep fried. They’re finished with grated Manchego and maple beef bacon jam, and sit in an aerated cheesy, silky foam dip. It’s a bowl of unbridled happiness and, if this is unconventional food, I’m all ready to embrace the new norm.
I leave with a grin wider and more delirious than any Hahoetal mask and carrying the hope food is South Korea's next big export to our shores.
Price points and contact information
Kimchi and small sides range from Dh20 to Dh58; hot and cold starters range from Dh46 to Dh128; ramen and rice dishes range from Dh70 to Dh130; and mains and grills cost up to Dh328.
The restaurant is open noon to 11pm, Sunday to Thursday; and noon to midnight, Friday and Saturday; Building 4, Dubai Hills Business Park. Reservations can be made at hoeleekow.com.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Scores
Scotland 54-17 Fiji
England 15-16 New Zealand
If%20you%20go
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Rajasthan Royals 153-5 (17.5 ov)
Delhi Daredevils 60-4 (6 ov)
Rajasthan won by 10 runs (D/L method)
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
'How To Build A Boat'
Jonathan Gornall, Simon & Schuster
Islamic%20Architecture%3A%20A%20World%20History
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eric%20Broug%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thames%20%26amp%3B%20Hudson%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20336%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20September%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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.
What should do investors do now?
What does the S&P 500's new all-time high mean for the average investor?
Should I be euphoric?
No. It's fine to be pleased about hearty returns on your investments. But it's not a good idea to tie your emotions closely to the ups and downs of the stock market. You'll get tired fast. This market moment comes on the heels of last year's nosedive. And it's not the first or last time the stock market will make a dramatic move.
So what happened?
It's more about what happened last year. Many of the concerns that triggered that plunge towards the end of last have largely been quelled. The US and China are slowly moving toward a trade agreement. The Federal Reserve has indicated it likely will not raise rates at all in 2019 after seven recent increases. And those changes, along with some strong earnings reports and broader healthy economic indicators, have fueled some optimism in stock markets.
"The panic in the fourth quarter was based mostly on fears," says Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. "The fundamentals have mostly held up, while the fears have gone away and the fears were based mostly on emotion."
Should I buy? Should I sell?
Maybe. It depends on what your long-term investment plan is. The best advice is usually the same no matter the day — determine your financial goals, make a plan to reach them and stick to it.
"I would encourage (investors) not to overreact to highs, just as I would encourage them not to overreact to the lows of December," Mr Schutte says.
All the same, there are some situations in which you should consider taking action. If you think you can't live through another low like last year, the time to get out is now. If the balance of assets in your portfolio is out of whack thanks to the rise of the stock market, make adjustments. And if you need your money in the next five to 10 years, it shouldn't be in stocks anyhow. But for most people, it's also a good time to just leave things be.
Resist the urge to abandon the diversification of your portfolio, Mr Schutte cautions. It may be tempting to shed other investments that aren't performing as well, such as some international stocks, but diversification is designed to help steady your performance over time.
Will the rally last?
No one knows for sure. But David Bailin, chief investment officer at Citi Private Bank, expects the US market could move up 5 per cent to 7 per cent more over the next nine to 12 months, provided the Fed doesn't raise rates and earnings growth exceeds current expectations. We are in a late cycle market, a period when US equities have historically done very well, but volatility also rises, he says.
"This phase can last six months to several years, but it's important clients remain invested and not try to prematurely position for a contraction of the market," Mr Bailin says. "Doing so would risk missing out on important portfolio returns."
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
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Results
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1hr 32mins 03.897sec
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) at 0.745s
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 37.383s
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 46.466s
5.Sergio Perez (Red Bull-Honda) 52.047s
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59.090s
7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1:06.004
8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) 1:07.100
9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:25.692
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:26.713,
Name: Colm McLoughlin
Country: Galway, Ireland
Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free
Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah
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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