December 2 marked National Day in the UAE - and this year the young nation celebrated its 40th birthday. I took advantage of my recent time at the Sharjah International Bookfair to visit Dubai, and had a fantastic time!
Like New York, Dubai really offers its dwellers and visitors a taste of the best the world has to offer. So much so, that many visitors find it difficult to find "local flavors." For those of you on a short day visit, here check out Al Fanar in Dubai Festival City.
The restaurant is modelled after a tawash, or the traditional home of a wealthy pearl trader (pearl trading was an important industry until cultivated pearls were developed in the eary 20th century). Machboos (rice and meat dish), Salona (chicken and rice with hard boiled eggs) , Jasheed (cracked wheat simmered with spices, clarified butter and chili peppers) and dozens of other dishes are featured on the menu. Recipes for each of these dishes can be found in my first cookbook: Arabian Delights: Recipes and Princely Entertaining Ideas from the Arabian Peninsula.
For those of you who don't mind "living like the locals" - flock to the malls, enjoy "foreign" food, and learn to ski or ice skate in the desert. These contradictions are what give the city its own unique flavor. A child of the 1970's, Dubai never new old fashioned down-towns or characteristic neighborhoods. Mall hopping is an important, guilt-free part of the social scene!
Dubai Skyline
The Gold Souk in the Mall of Dubai
Some of the things I enjoyed seeing were the attention to detail that went into making Italian and French pastries. Many people seek out the proper, traditional method instead of taking shortcuts. The Macarons in Dubai taste unmistakably similar to those in Paris, and you can also find Bomboloni (Italian doughnuts) just like those in Italy.
When I joined my friend Rashael Haddad for lunch at the More Cafe - we learned that the restaurant really lived up to it's name. Here's our order of Mousse au Chocolat - already extremely decadent on its own, served with chocolate sauce and ice cream!
The Borj al Khalifa Tower next to Dubai Mall
Indoor skiing at Mall of the Emirates
I left Dubai feeling completely inspired and invigorated. New ideas, cultures, and flavors are celebrated and appreciated on a daily basis here. It's amazing what we can accomplish in 40 years with great vision, leadership, motivation, talent, and hard work!!! Happy Birthday UAE!!!
Like New York, Dubai really offers its dwellers and visitors a taste of the best the world has to offer. So much so, that many visitors find it difficult to find "local flavors." For those of you on a short day visit, here check out Al Fanar in Dubai Festival City.
The restaurant is modelled after a tawash, or the traditional home of a wealthy pearl trader (pearl trading was an important industry until cultivated pearls were developed in the eary 20th century). Machboos (rice and meat dish), Salona (chicken and rice with hard boiled eggs) , Jasheed (cracked wheat simmered with spices, clarified butter and chili peppers) and dozens of other dishes are featured on the menu. Recipes for each of these dishes can be found in my first cookbook: Arabian Delights: Recipes and Princely Entertaining Ideas from the Arabian Peninsula.
For those of you who don't mind "living like the locals" - flock to the malls, enjoy "foreign" food, and learn to ski or ice skate in the desert. These contradictions are what give the city its own unique flavor. A child of the 1970's, Dubai never new old fashioned down-towns or characteristic neighborhoods. Mall hopping is an important, guilt-free part of the social scene!
Some of the things I enjoyed seeing were the attention to detail that went into making Italian and French pastries. Many people seek out the proper, traditional method instead of taking shortcuts. The Macarons in Dubai taste unmistakably similar to those in Paris, and you can also find Bomboloni (Italian doughnuts) just like those in Italy.
When I joined my friend Rashael Haddad for lunch at the More Cafe - we learned that the restaurant really lived up to it's name. Here's our order of Mousse au Chocolat - already extremely decadent on its own, served with chocolate sauce and ice cream!
I left Dubai feeling completely inspired and invigorated. New ideas, cultures, and flavors are celebrated and appreciated on a daily basis here. It's amazing what we can accomplish in 40 years with great vision, leadership, motivation, talent, and hard work!!! Happy Birthday UAE!!!
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