THE BRIGHT LIGHTS
▶ With Diwali this Thursday, restaurants and retailers in the UAE have put together plenty of themed deals to delight in, writes Janice Rodrigues
ABU DHABI Punjab Grill
If you plan to go all out, fine dining Indian restaurant Punjab Grill is offering a Diwali menu brimming with dishes curated by chef Sandeep Ail for the occasion. It features modern recreations of India’s most popular foods, so you can snack on dishes such as masala maska bun, pulled Tindle chicken raj kachori and kheema mutter karanji. Diwali is all about the sweet stuff, so do check out the festive desserts such as motichoor laddoo with chocolate cake, and zameen chakri shahi tukda.
▶ Daily until Wednesday, November 10, 12.30pm-midnight; prices vary; The RitzCarlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal; 02 449 9839
Namak
The popular Indian restaurant by Kunal Kapur is upping the ante with a Diwali dinner featuring “specifically selected dishes elevating tradition”. While dish details are being kept under wraps, separate menus for vegetarians and non-vegetarians will be available.
▶ Wednesday to Saturday; 7pm-11.30pm; Dh149 for the vegetarian option and Dh169 for the non-vegetarian menu; Dusit Thani; 02 698 8137
Rangoli
It seems only fitting to spend Diwali in Rangoli, the restaurant named after the traditional intricate floor decoration in India. The restaurant is gearing up for the occasion with a set menu designed to take diners on a culinary journey through India. You’ll get to enjoy murgh tikka, dum biryani, pulao and rasmalai, a masala chai station and, of course, a colourful rangoli display for photo opportunities.
▶ Thursday to Saturday; 6pm-11.30pm; Dh189; Yas Island; 02 656 4000
Martabaan
The “contemporary classic Indian dining destination” by celebrated chef Hemant Oberoi from Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, has a set fine-dining menu for discerning diners. Get started with an amuse bouche, followed by soup and starters such as the mint salmon with chonka prawns and lamb chop with beet. Main courses include lamb biryani and murg makhana. Expect desserts such as badami sharifa rabdi and teen halwe ka malpua. There are separate options for vegetarians. The restaurant has also launched sweet boxes, available until Friday, with prices starting at Dh206.
▶ Wednesday to Saturday; 1pm-10pm; Dh350 per person; Emirates Palace hotel; 02 690 7999
India Palace
The restaurant chain has launched sweet boxes available in three variations for the festival of lights. Choose between standard, classic and royal, all available in a gold or blue finishing. Brimming with classic Indian sweets, these make for a great gift.
▶ Available until stocks last; from Dh65 per box; outlets across the UAE; 050 444 6087
DUBAI
Fireworks and promotions Dubai Festival City Mall
The mall will ring in Diwali with a one-off version of its laser show Imagine, which visitors can enjoy to the beats of Bollywood song Let’s Nacho. Elsewhere, an ongoing night market called Ripe By The Bay will offer decorative trinkets and homeware, while a fireworks display is set to take place on Thursday, at 9.30pm.
Visitors to Dubai Festival City Mall can also enter a draw for a chance to win a Honda Accord EX Turbo 2021, with a spend of Dh300 at the mall or at Ripe By The Bay.
▶ Until Saturday, November 13; www.dubaifestivalcitymall.com
The Waterfront Market
The fresh food market offers visitors a chance to catch up on their festive shopping at a Diwali pop-up, which offers everything from traditional sweets to Indian clothing and accessories. Watch a rangoli artist in action, enjoy dance performances to popular Bollywood and bhangra beats, or sign up for workshops to paint diyas (lamps) and make Diwali themed cards.
▶ Until Friday; 2pm-10pm; free; www.waterfrontmarket.ae
Bluewaters Island
The island will light up the skies with a fireworks display set to take place at 8.30pm on Thursday, with Dubai Marina glittering away in the background, and visitors can also enjoy live entertainment and food stalls all weekend long.
▶ Thursday to Saturday; free; www.bluewatersdubai.ae
Expo 2020 Dubai
The world fair will celebrate the festival of lights with some sparkle of its own. A tailor-made show will be performed in Al Wasl Plaza, while on the Jubilee Stage, Late Nights @Expo will feature performances inspired by Diwali, with artists such as When Chai Met Toast, Shilpa Ananth and Dhol Tasha in attendance.
▶ Until Thursday; times vary; www.expo2020dubai.com
The Pointe
On Friday, the Palm Fountain, the world’s biggest, will dance to the beats of the foot-thumping song Malhari from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2015 film Bajirao Mastani. The show will play every hour from 8pm to 10pm.
▶ Friday; free; Palm Jumeirah; www.thepointe.ae/en
Gold giveaways and offers
As per Hindu tradition, Diwali is considered one of the most auspicious times to buy gold. This year, the City of Gold Diwali Glow offer, organised by Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group, will give those who buy the precious metal at any of the 125 jewellery retailers the chance to win Dh150,000 in vouchers. Free gifts and discounts of up to 50 per cent on select purchases are also up for grabs.
▶ Until Saturday; www.dubaicityofgold.com/ diwali-glow/
Restaurant offers and deals Diwali afternoon tea
The hospitality team at Address Hotels have gone all out with a festive afternoon tea, a inspired British-meets-Indian infusion that offers a spread of egg burji (Indian-style scramble), cottage cheese wraps, kulfi cheesecake, saffron choux and cardamom cream.
▶ Daily until Friday; 3pm-7pm; Dh175 per person; Lounge at Address Downtown, Patisserie at Address Sky View, Tea Lounge at Address Fountain Views and Al Bayt at Palace Downtown; www.addresshotels.com
Kaleidoscope
The all-day restaurant at Atlantis, The Palm is celebrating Diwali with a festive dinner buffet. From 6pm onwards, festival revellers can tuck into dishes such as Malabar-style crab curry, biryani and rumali roti, and indulge in the live chaat corner, Indian bread station, carving station and seafood bar. Apart from all the dishes and sweets (there will be fresh gulab jamun, rasgulla and a jalebi station), there will also be dance performances, rangoli art, henna painting and more for the evening.
▶ Thursday to Saturday; 6pm-10pm; Dh255 for adults and Dh127.5 for children; ; 04 426 2626; www.atlantis.com/dubai/restaurants/ kaleidoscope
Dhaba Lane
The restaurant is offering a set festive menu that includes a beverage, cold starter, hot starter, main course, dal makhni, biryani, assorted bread and two desserts for Dh52 (vegetarian) and Dh55 (non-vegetarian). Dishes include favourites from across India, from Moradabad’s veg seekh kebabs and Hyderabad’s mutton biryani served in an earthen pot to Kolkata’s fish curry patta and a cooling shikanji (Indian version of lemonade) beverage.
▶ Until Wednesday, November 30; on weekends, the festive menu is available as a la carte; Karama and Garhoud branches; dhaba-lane.com
Khau Galli
There’s no such thing as too many sweets during Diwali. For giving purposes, consider hampers from Khau Galli, which come in various options including wooden baskets decorated with festive themes and traditional brass jars filled with dry fruits. Authentic Rajasthani and Gujarati gift boxes are also available in small, medium and large sizes. The festival hampers can be customised to suit individual budgets and sweetmeat choices.
▶ Available until stocks last; prices from Dh50; Cluster T, Lake Level, Jumeirah Lakes Towers; 050 925 6061
Khyber
Decked out for Diwali, the North Indian restaurant on Palm Jumeirah will offer a three-course Diwali menu, available in vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. On offer are dishes such as murgh nimbu kali mirch, bharwan tandoori aloo and family-style sharing platters that can be enjoyed against a backdrop of foot-thumping beats by a DJ on Friday and Saturday.
▶ Wednesday to Saturday; 5pm-11pm; Dh185 per person with soft drinks; Dukes The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel; 04 455 1111
Project Chaiwala
The home-grown brand has launched a limited-edition Diwali collector’s box. Great for gifting, each box features sachets of tea, a three-in-one mix blend of karak and masala chai from Project Chaiwala, and a candle, made with pure soy wax and contained in an upcycled concrete jar. Since playing cards is a Diwali tradition, Project Chaiwala has also teamed up with Lebanese artist Nourie Flayan to create a custom-made deck of cards with themed illustrations.
▶ Delivery across the UAE until stocks last; Dh375; www.projectchaiwala.com/pages/ happy-diwali
Sthan
The restaurant that prides itself on serving “food beyond borders” has a set Diwali menu for two, which takes in two starters, a biryani, two main courses and two desserts for Dh139. On the menu are dishes such as kadak palak chaat, machi Ambarsari, biryani Awadh ki, achari paneer, dhaba da murgh and more. Wrap up the meal with assorted Diwali sweets or a Parle G sandwich.
▶ Thursday to Saturday; Dh139 for two; Zabeel Road, Al Karama; 04 399 7775
Sagar Ratna
The vegetarian restaurant is celebrating Diwali with a limited-time Marwari thali inspired by Rajasthani food culture. On the platter are dishes such as dal batti churma, gatta curry, mirchi kutta, garlic chutney and rice, along with a glass of lassi for Dh30. To sweeten the deal, anyone who orders the Diwali special vegetarian Marwari thali will be served complimentary ghee motichoor laddoo. The restaurant has also put together gift boxes with various Indian sweets, including kesar katli and kaju pista rolls.
▶ Thursday to Saturday; Dh30 for the thali with the complimentary laddoo, Dh80 to Dh120 for the sweet boxes; branches in JLT and Oud Metha; 04 379 5493