MIDDLE EASTERN NEWCOMERS AND THEIR TOP DISHES
▶ One Carlo Diaz rounds ups 11 restaurants that opened this year on the regional cuisine scene
The Middle Eastern restaurant scene in the UAE has been heating up this year, with almost a dozen newcomers joining established names. The cherry on the cake was Emirati restaurant Erth winning a Michelin star this month. Here are 11 Middle Eastern venues that opened in Abu Dhabi and Dubai this year.
Alya
Alya, in Al Zahiya, Abu Dhabi, pays homage to the Levant and is inspired by the Mediterranean artichoke. It opened last month and offers Lebanese dining – but not as you know it. It’s familiar, though anything but traditional.
“In the UAE, diners are used to trying traditional-style dishes with a modern spin,” consultant chef Charbel Safi, who helped shape Alya’s menu, tells The National.
“You will struggle to serve dishes like this in Lebanon, even though they’re dishes that are found across the country, only elevated.”
Five to try
Artichoke hummus with marinated artichoke and Parmesan; Lebanese ceviche with lemon-cured white fish; kebab halloumi with caramelised molasses sauce; cheesy truffle kebbeh nayyeh with crispy Lebanese crackers; and mhalabiyeh pistachio cigar with white chocolate Valrhona.
Daily, noon-11pm; Beach Rotana Residences, Al Zahiyah; 02 555 0018
Babel
The Lebanese fine-dining restaurant opened a 9,500-square-foot location at The Dubai Mall’s Fashion Avenue in August, including a terrace overlooking The Dubai Fountain.
With a flagship restaurant in Dbayeh, Lebanon, Babel is named after the ancient city on the banks of the Euphrates.
Five to try
Smoky caviar hummus; kibbeh nayeh; falafel truffle; smoked short ribs; and baklava pistachio for dessert.
Daily, noon-midnight; The Dubai Mall; babelrestaurant.com
La Sirene
Launched in April, the restaurant in Avani Palm View Dubai Hotel & Suites draws inspiration from Beirut’s contemporary cafe culture and sharing-style dishes.
Look out for artworks by contemporary Lebanese painter Michel Rouhana. He has created seven pieces for the restaurant using his popular waves motif in keeping with the venue’s name “sirene”, which comes from the French word for “mermaid”.
Five to try
Sea bass sayadiyah with roasted fish sauce, fried onions, pine nuts and rice; tiger prawns and avocado salad; grilled octopus; red snapper with potatoes ragout, tahini and pine nut sauce, artichokes and black lemon powder; and makanek ghanam (Lebanese lamb sausages).
Daily, noon-3pm, 6pm-10pm; Al Sufouh 2, 04 604 2220
Erth
Taking the “love local” motto to heart, Erth promotes Emirati culture through its food, design and even its location.
The restaurant, which opened in January, sits between Qasr Al Hosn, the oldest building in Abu Dhabi, and the Cultural Foundation.
It was rewarded with one Michelin star, making it the world’s first and only Emirati restaurant to win one.
Ingredients are sourced from farms across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Hatta, while the dining area is inspired by a traditional majlis and carved out of a raised floor.
Erth was designed by the architects from Bone Studio in collaboration with multidisciplinary designer Aljoud Lootah and furniture designer Khalid Shafar.
Five to try
Mini taquitos of Emirati prawns with green curry paste, coconut milk and black garlic; bzar-marinated beef short ribs; torched salmon crudo with mango and fennel; margooga ravioli in Parmesan sauce with charred asparagus and confit tomatoes; and gahwa chocolate cake with sidr honey mousse and honeycomb. Daily, noon-11pm; Al Hosn; 02 679 4014
Grand Beirut
The clue lies in the name, as Grand Beirut – which first opened in Silicon Oasis in Dubai – brought its authentic Lebanese dishes to the capital with its Al Qana outpost in September.
The colourful restaurant is known for its olive oil and vinegar tastings, which diners can sample as they wait for their food.
Five to try
Lobster with tahini salsa and Parmesan; salt-crusted sea bass; baby chicken marinated in citrus and garlic sauce; baby octopus and calamari with lemon butter and coriander salsa; and baked kofta stuffed with aubergine, cheese, walnut and pistachio.
Monday to Friday, 8ammidnight; Saturday to Sunday, 8am-12.30am; Al Qana; 050 442 9211
Kababji
The growing restaurant chain from Beirut opened its second outpost in the UAE capital at The Galleria Al Maryah Island in May. The venue offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is an extension of the brand’s original food counter concept.
It is popular for its extensive grilled meats.
The expansive menu is divided into salads, sandwiches, grill platters, hot and cold mezze and rice dishes.
Five to try
Shish taouk; balila and pine nuts; quinoa tabbouleh; chicken kabsa; and mohalabiya and date pudding.
Daily, 10am-11.45pm; The Galleria Al Maryah Island, 600 595951
Karaz
Opened in September at Yas Mall, chefs at Karaz aim to put a modern spin on traditional homemade dishes from across the Levant including Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Jordan. Similar to Kababji, the venue’s menu covers grill platters, mezze, sandwiches and rice dishes – with refreshing cool drinks, too.
Five to try
Shakshuka; mansaf; maqloubeh with meat; chicken freekeh; and fish siyadieh. Daily, 9am-1am; Yas Mall, Yas Island; 050 494 5471
MouzMari
While this is an Argentinian steakhouse, there is an Emirati twist at the heart of everything chefs do. It may sound more like confusion than fusion, but the result is one of the bestkept secrets in Abu Dhabi. The restaurant has been accepting diners since its soft opening in May, but had its grand launch this month.
MouzMari is named after owner Moadad Almazrouei’s children, Mouza and Mariam, and is on Reem Island’s waterfront.
MouzMari is a carnivore’s dream and its sharing-style menu can ignite even the most seasoned palettes.
Five to try
Oven-cooked papa gratinada potatoes with Parmesan foam and onion charcoal powder; classic rack of lamb presented as a reinterpretation of Emirati machboos; muhammar paella; otoro bluefin tuna drizzled with aji amarillo (hot pepper) and black garlic emulsion; and Wagyu tenderloin with steamed corn in cheese sauce.
Monday to Thursday, 2pm11.30pm; Friday, 2pmmidnight; Saturday and Sunday, 3pm-midnight; Marina Bay 1, Al Reem Island; 02 626 6344
Somewhere
The Dubai Mall’s popular resto-cafe opened its first branch in the capital at Marina Mall in June, quickly followed by one in Yas Mall. They offer Middle Eastern fusion dishes. Each branch is inspired by a city. The Corniche outpost pays homage to Abu Dhabi with its camel motif, and sand dune and gold leaf-inspired decor.
Five to try
Truffle and cheese batata
harra fries; halloumi focaccia; shawarma bao buns; shrimp kunafa; and coffee baklava. Sunday to Thursday, noon10pm; Friday and Saturday, noon-midnight; Marina Mall and Yas Mall; 056 141 5517
Soul Kitchen
The restaurant pays homage to the Arab diaspora across Latin America and the niche popularity of Levantine cuisine in Buenos Aires and Mexico City.
Its UAE outpost, which opened in Dubai in September, has chic interiors, too.
Five to try
Sheri fish crudo infused with tabbouleh water and jicama crudite; grilled calamari with achiote spice; tamarind-glazed lamb chops; chicken
Mouz Mari is a carnivore’s dream and its sharing style menu can ignite even the most seasoned palettes
shawarma empanadas; and lychee ceviche for dessert. Sunday to Thursday, 5pm-1am; Friday to Saturday, 5pm-2am; Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront; soulkitchendxb.com
Terra
Al Qana’s Terra combines regional cuisines with a Mediterranean twist at its industrial-chic venue, which offers plenty of greenery, too. It has a branch in Dubai, but its Abu Dhabi venue opened in May. Five to try
Watermelon feta salad; crab and lobster salad; sea bass ceviche; sticky date pudding; and caramel spice cake.
Daily, noon-midnight; Al Qana South; 02 562 0233