Visitors from many parts of the world along with a multi-ethnic resident community have ensured that a sophisticated and innovative food culture has developed in the UAE. Almost any type of food is available, from classic European to Pacific Rim. You can eat Mexican, Polynesian, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Korean, Indian, Pakistani, Persian, Italian and French cooking, and more, at some of the finest restaurants in the Middle East.
In recent years, celebrity chefs have launched a variety of fashionable pricey restaurants in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Gordon Ramsay’s Verre (04 227 1111) at The Hilton Dubai Creek was the first to open. It is now run by Michelin-starred Head Chef Scott and is famous for its chef’s table.
Gary Rhodes’ Mezzanine (04 399 8888) features many of his original British-inspired dishes in an elegant setting at Dubai Marina’s Grosvenor House. Rhodes has also opened the Rhodes Twenty10 grill at the nearby Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort .
Vineet Bhatia, the first Indian chef to receive a Michelin star, is shining bright and clear at Indego (04 399 8888) also in Dubai Marina’s Grosvenor House.
Renowned Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa produces some of his signature dishes at Nobu (04 426 26260) in Atlantis Hotel at the tip of The Palm.
Three restaurants were also launched at the newly opened One&Only The Palm resort in Dubai under the guidance of the Michelin-starred French chef Yannick Alleno. Whilst Michelin-starred French chef Pierre Gagnaire recreates French style at his richly-decorated restaurant Reflets (04 701 1111) in Dubai's Intercontinental Hotel in Festival City.
Abu Dhabi has not been left behind in the rush to open up branded restaurants with a focus on fine dining. Hakkasan (02 690 7999), famous for its flagship Michelin-starred London-based Chinese restaurant, is making a name for itself at Emirates Palace Hotel on the Corniche.
Marco Pierre White, who operates a branded restaurant Frankie’s on Dubai’s JBR Walk in conjunction with the jockey Frankie Dettori, has also opened a steakhouse and Frankie's Italian Restaurant and Bar (02 654 3238) at Abu Dhabi’s Fairmont Bab Al Bahr.
The world-famous Italian restaurant brand Cipriani’s (02 565 0010) can be experienced in all its splendour at Yas Marina Yacht Club on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island. And if you are on Yas Island, don’t forget to try Nautilius (02 656 0760) at the Yas Island Hotel, which has been getting ravishing reviews for its seafood fare.
Gourmet food, including cookery demonstrations by renowned chefs can be experienced at two unique festivals in the UAE, the Taste of Dubai Festival, which usually takes place in March at Dubai Media City and Gourmet Abu Dhabi, a celebration of culinary superlatives held in February.
International fast-food chains, serving the standard fare of hamburgers, chips, pizzas etc (McDonalds’s, Pizza Hut, Pizza Inn, Hardee’s, Wimpy, Dunkin’ Donut) are also located in the larger cities. Kentucky Fried Chicken seems to be a particular favourite. International theme restaurants such as TGI Friday’s, Planet Hollywood, Fashion Café, Hard Rock Café and Henry J Bean’s are all represented in the Emirates. If you cannot find anything to suit in that list, small ethnic cafés and corner stalls are ubiquitous. Shisha cafés offer an opportunity to smoke a shisha (hubble-bubble pipe) and serve food, coffee, tea and fruit juices and corner stalls serve sharwarmas and other sandwiches.
Gulf and Middle Eastern food is also available in a wide variety of venues, from expensive restaurants to local cafés. Fresh fish from the Arabian Gulf is always good – try lobster, crab, shrimp, or grouper, tuna, kingfish, red snapper, grilled, stuffed, or fried with spices. But it is not just a question of variety, make no mistake the food is generally good and the standard of service is high.
Pork
Muslims are prohibited from eating pork so it is not included in Arab menus. Hotels frequently have substitutes such as beef sausages and veal rashers on their breakfast menus. If pork is available, it is clearly labelled as such.
Alcohol
Alcohol is generally only served in hotel restaurants and bars (but not in Sharjah). Exceptions are some clubs (e.g. golf clubs) and associations. Restaurants that are not associated with hotels are not permitted to serve alcohol.
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