INTERNATIONAL IFTARS: WHERE TO FIND THEM AND WHAT’S ON OFFER
▶ There are plenty of options for those looking for a variety of flavours when breaking the fast this Ramadan, writes One Carlo Diaz
The diversity of the population in the UAE has helped to make a wide variety of cuisines popular and easily available in the country, with several international restaurants serving iftar during Ramadan.
From Greek and Georgian to Japanese-Peruvian, here are 12 restaurants in which to break the fast this holy month.
Zoe Modern Greek Kouzina Abu Dhabi
Cuisine: Greek
The venue behind The Abu Dhabi Edition hotel offers soup – options change daily – followed by a Greek salad with crumbled, barrel-aged feta or charred corn and tomato salad with lemon and paprika dressing. Feta sambousek and tomato keftedes will also be served for starters.
Main courses include slowcooked beef, crispy-skinned marinated chicken with potatoes and chicken rigatoni pasta. Other options include grilled souvlaki with skewers of chicken, lamb and beef, served with rice, tzatziki dip, piccalilli and pitta.
Desserts include rice pudding or Greek baklava rolls. Throughout Ramadan; from sunset; Dh129 per person; Marsa Al Bateen Marina; 056 305 0703
Belgrave Abu Dhabi Cuisine: Iranian
The London-born restaurant in Abu Dhabi has an all-youcan-eat offer for iftar, featuring Iranian flavours.
Options include soup of the day and various bread baskets, as well as a choice of Shirazi salad or cucumber yoghurt. Unlimited mains include lamb koobideh with aromatic rice, chicken masti, chicken saffron and chicken reyhani. Throughout Ramadan; 6.30pm2am; Dh105 per person; Al Rawdah, Abu Dhabi;
02 584 8383
Punjab Grill
Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Cuisine: Indian Emirati-inspired Indian dishes are on offer at the restaurant’s two branches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The six-course menu includes dishes such as zaffrani jhinga with namkeen balateet and coconut korma, Hyderabadi dum ka murgh with masala-crusted kulcha, and khabees with passion fruit yolk and shrikhand. Throughout Ramadan; sunset7.30pm; Dh250 per person; The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal; and Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel
Clay Dubai
Cuisine: Japanese-Peruvian
The restaurant on Bluewaters Island is offering a fourcourse Nikkei cuisine menu for iftar, with dishes such as prawn apaltado maki, tori lemongrass skewers and miso soup for starters. Main course options include robalo concolon rice and niku udon, while kunafa cheesecake will be served for dessert. Throughout Ramadan; sunset8pm; Dh350 per person; Bluewaters Island; 04 422 5600
Hotel Cartagena Dubai Cuisine: Latin-American
The JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai restaurant in Business Bay is offering a set iftar menu that includes lentil and chorizo soup, plus a choice between baby gem avocado salad and Argentina empanadas for starters. For mains, guests can choose between lamb short ribs with glazed rocoto puree and tamarillo or pan-seared sea bass with mussels, coconut and chilli veloute. Yucca fries or coconut rice will be served on the side.
The night ends with a dessert platter of fudge cake, churros with chocolate, dulce profiterole and key lime pie. Throughout Ramadan; sunset10pm; Dh250 per person; Business Bay; 050 119 7743
Rang Mahal Dubai
Cuisine: Indian
Head to the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai venue for a selection of Indian dishes. Plates include lamb shorba simmered with broken wheat, green cardamom and fennel; chicken tikka blended with spices and garlic; and lamb shank stew with Kashmiri chilli, yoghurt and ginger powder.
Meat-free options are available, such as lentil broth simmered with garlic and fenugreek and lime, as well as minced vegetable skewers.
For dessert, choose between Hyderabadi-style bread pudding or shahi Umm Ali. Throughout Ramadan; sunsetmidnight; Dh225 per person; Business Bay; 04 414 3000
Bella Restaurant Dubai Cuisine: Italian
The Grand Millennium Hotel Business Bay restaurant combines Middle Eastern and Italian cuisines by way of a sixcourse menu.
The meal starts with an assortment of sourdough bread, dried fruits and nuts with date butter. Next, guests will be served puntarelle salad, halloumi cheese wrap with pine nuts, parsley and dates, as well as fritto misto and arayes with minced beef and potato with Parmesan and tomato sauce.
Mains include risotto with pilaf rice, capsicum, pistachio,
raisins, saffron and confit lamb shoulder, followed by a choice of Wagyu short rib or breaded swordfish.
Dessert is gelato made with camel’s milk, cherries and almond crumble or a healthier fruit platter.
Throughout Ramadan; sunset9pm; Dh199 per person; Business Bay; 04 873 3377
Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites
Dubai
Cuisine: Turkish
A buffet of delights awaits diners at this Rixos property, courtesy of not one but two onsite restaurants from Turkey: A La Turca and Turquoise.
Guests can expect dishes such as tomato salsa with fresh herbs, potato salad, olive oilbraised okra, lamb stew with yoghurt and shallots, Turkish butter rice and fried aubergine served with mince. Throughout Ramadan; from sunset; Dh275 per person; Palm Jumeirah; 04 457 5454
Odeon
Dubai Cuisine: French
Coffee, Medjool dates and lentil soup aside, the restaurant on Jumeirah Beach Road is offering diners an iftar of French cuisine.
Appetisers include cheese gougeres, pizza twists and burrata ratatouille.
From mains, diners can choose from roasted chicken with onion-mustard sauce and mashed potato, and the catch of the day, which is served Grenobloise-style, as well as a pilaf rice Dauphine ravioli with buttered chicken stock and Comte cheese.
Dessert is a platter of assorted bite-sized sweets and fruit. Throughout Ramadan; sunset9pm; Dh249 per person; Jumeirah 3; 04 340 2272
Roberto’s Dubai Cuisine: Italian
Iftar at the Dubai International Financial Centre restaurant starts with chickpea soup with parsley oil and zaatar powder; braised lamb, potato and spinach croquette; and an Italian manakish topped with spicy tomato sauce and smoked mozzarella cheese.
For mains, diners can choose between pan-seared sea bass fillet with fregola pasta, saffron and green peas or chargrilled lamb loin with pistachio, marinated red onion and mashed potato. The night ends with hibiscus panna cotta with rose water gel.
Throughout Ramadan; sunset8.30pm; Dh290 per person; the DIFC; 04 386 0066
Mogao Dubai Cuisine: Pan-Asian
The restaurant in Dubai Silicon Oasis is serving a health-focused (and distinctly
South-East Asian) menu created in collaboration with Fakeeh University Hospital.
The six-course meal starts with dates and juice followed by a vegetable Thai coconut soup. Other dishes on offer include Thai beef skewers, crystal vegetable dumplings, avo mango roll, stir-fried beef with dragon fruit and black pepper chicken.
Guests can choose from three desserts: tahini miso brownie; coconut mousse with passion fruit ganache and pistachio monte with caramel gel; and pistachio sponge, dulce cremeux and matcha soil. Throughout Ramadan; sunset8.30pm; Dh120 per person; Dubai Silicon Oasis;
04 554 8220
Hutong Dubai Cuisine: Chinese
Some of China’s best delicacies are on offer at this restaurant in the DIFC.
To start, diners can choose from chicken broth with mushroom dumplings or asparagus yellow bean soup, followed by hot dim sum including lam char siu bao, prawn roll and artichoke and lily bud.
Steamed cod and fresh Sichuan green pepper and chicken stir-fried in truffle sauce will be served for mains, while guests can also order roasted Peking duck with pancakes for an additional cost.
A warm date pudding will be served to round things off at the restaurant.
Throughout Ramadan; 6.30pm8pm; from Dh198 per person; the DIFC; 04 220 0868