4 iftars to try
Live cooking stations and a DIY kunafa dessert counter make the Grand Hyatt Dubai iftar spread a special family outing
We are in the final days of Ramadan now and if that feast with family, friends or co-workers has yet to pan out, then here’s a grand iftar that does not disappoint.
Serving a lavish spread of Arabian favourites and international staples, the Grand Hyatt Dubai iftar is set up in a glamorous space at the hotel’s Al Ameera Ballroom. If you’ve stayed in the city long enough, chances are you’ve probably crossed its chandelier-lit threshold for at least one extravagant marriage celebration.
The iftar certainly does away with the excessive wedding paraphernalia, but it offers a meal that is just as dazzling to the senses.
Arriving just in the nick of time to break our fast, we noticed an archway pointing towards a Ramadan souq, to be explored later, before hastily making our way to the heaving tables of salads, rice delicacies and meats that commanded prime space at the very centre of the ballroom. The first sip of creamy lentil soup hit just the right spot, before we tucked into the fresh salads and cold appetisers.
While my partner was already eager to get to the mains, I was still holding out for the hot appetisers to make their way to the table, considering they weren’t served as part of the buffet. Ten minutes passed and when no bite-sized nuggets had turned up, I finally made my way over to a helpful server to make a discreet inquiry.
“Oh, they are served in the Ramadan souq,” he said. Wait, so that’s not a market for traditional handicrafts?
And off I went to uncover a treasure trove of live cooking stations, much like a street market, but packaged in five-star digs. A cart to my left had a chef frying crisp falafels, while a vendor ahead had Vietnamese dumplings and noodles ready to be sampled. A katti roll station was fired up to serve the Indian delicacy piping hot, while a spread of finger food, including mini pizzas, fatayers, kibbehs and cheese rakakats were ripe for the picking.
I was in paradise. But already more than half full. Sadly, only picking
titbits to sample (including one of the best falafels I’ve had in a while), I returned to the main buffet for the next course. Three weeks into Ramadan and having already sampled my fair share of Arabian staples, a vegetable Thai green curry was a welcome relief; although, the popular lamb ouzi and grilled meats were also on hand.
The dessert, oh boy, was a separate feast
in itself, spread across several stations in the foyer. While I was eagerly lapping up the umm ali, the partner made a beeline for the DIY Kunafa Station, which is sure to delight young ones.
Those of you who want to hang out longer, the hotel also hosts a suhoor in its Laylati Cafe Ramadan airconditioned tent, along with a ladies-only one at Hia, part of its Lebanese Awtar restaurant.