Lost and late for our reservation, my wife and I are wandering the streets of central Abu Dhabi when my phone rings. As I answer, I notice a man dressed in a pink shirt and taqiyah. Phone to his ear in one hand, he is waving us over with the other. This is no run-of-the-mill dinner reservation. The proprietor himself has come to find and escort us.
Fortunately, Ammar Pardawala knows where he is going. He began his own journey waiting tables in his home city of Mumbai for $12 a month. Twenty years on, he is cooking up a storm at his own place and racking up five-star reviews on online delivery service apps.
Owner and head chef rolled into one, Pardawala, along with his wife, invested his life savings to turn this dream into reality. His venture started in March as a delivery-only service and by summer he had opened a sit-in dining area.
Located between the Russian Embassy and Mosque Masjid on Yihalah Street, AP Kitchen Delights is surrounded by other small businesses. Standing out in this bustling part of the city is not easy. Here's what does stand out when we (eventually) arrive to sample what’s on offer.
Where to sit and what to expect
We are warmly greeted by Pardawala's wife and have our pick of 16 available seats in what feels like the family home. There is nothing pretentious about the intimate space. Fine food and superb service are the priorities here.
White tables and grey-brown chairs are surrounded by freshly painted white walls. One of them has the words “your culinary trendsetter” embossed in gold lettering and opposite it is a serving hatch behind which kitchen staff are hard at work.
The menu
The bumper menu, all 21 pages of it, is rich in diversity. A mash-up of styles and flavours from across Asia and beyond, the breakfast, lunch, main dish and light bite options are extensive and varied. It even includes a favourite dish from the family kitchen chosen by the owner's son. Creativity has no bounds here.
Eggs Benedict spinach (Dh32) and roasted bell pepper shorba soup (Dh20) are a delicious introduction as our journey begins through each section of the menu.
A colourful date and pomegranate salad (Dh25), bursting with flavour and texture, is followed by chilli cheese paratha (Dh25). The classic Indian flatbread is a thrill for the taste buds. Chicken cheese samosas (Dh25) come next and deliver more lip-smacking gratification.
And so it goes on. A smorgasbord of flavours from around the world arrive two at a time. Arab, Indian, English, Thai, Nepali and other dishes, each served with a twist.
There are the dishes Pardawala once served as a waiter, dishes he has adapted from other chefs in other kitchens, and dishes he has created himself at home.
We try chicken stroganoff (Dh35), made without traditional Worcestershire sauce; Schezwan broccoli noodles (Dh22), made using wheat semolina rather than pasta noodles; Nepali chicken momo dumplings (Dh17), served with dragon sauce; chicken red Thai curry (Dh30) with garlic rice; and roasted thyme zaatar chicken (Dh30).
What comes through in each delicious dish is the quality and the quirkiness. Some of it is unconventional but the approach is refreshing.
A chat with the chef
“We are a modest, cosy establishment, still carving out our place in the culinary scene,” Pardawala explains.
Modest but meticulous, he regularly has each dish on the menu sent by motorbike to his home to test it for taste, temperature and quality as if he were a customer.
Sit-in dining is the next step in a journey he has already mapped out for his business. He is aiming to open branches in Al Nahyan and Khalifa City so that delivery partners can cover the entire city. And after that? “Dubai, perhaps,” he says.
But for now, the “focus is on the passion and care we put into every dish”, he adds.
That passion and focus is not lost on us. Indeed, it’s exactly what makes AP Kitchen Delights live up to its name. We’ll find our way back here again soon.
Price point and information
Breakfast dishes range from Dh17 to Dh32; soups and salads from Dh10 to Dh32; parathas from Dh15 to Dh25; and mains from Dh17 to Dh41.
AP Kitchen Delights is open from 7am to midnight. It's primarily a delivery-first restaurant, but reservations can be made by calling 050 806 8522.
The review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant.
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 60kWh battery
Transmission: Single-speed Electronic Precision Shift
Power: 204hp
Torque: 360Nm
Range: 520km (claimed)
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
IPL 2018 FINAL
Sunrisers Hyderabad 178-6 (20 ovs)
Chennai Super Kings 181-2 (18.3 ovs)
Chennai win by eight wickets
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
