14 for 14: our top 14 picks of Valentine’s Day dinners in the UAE



1. If travelling to Japan was always on your mind, head to Watatsumi for a culinary journey. The restaurant at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina in Dubai will be serving a special meal from 7pm, which includes hot and cold appetisers, two main courses, dessert and a complimentary beverage. Price for a couple is Dh895. For reservations, visit watatsumi.ae.

2. The celebrity chef Gary Rhodes's Rhodes 44 restaurant's themed menu features roast beef wellington carved right at your table. The restaurant at St Regis Abu Dhabi will also offer a special menu for vegetarians. Dinner will be served from 7pm and prices start from Dh350 each. For reservations, contact 02 694 4444 or email info.abudhabi@stregis.com.

3. Couples can enjoy the sunset view of Abu Dhabi Corniche at Azura, the rooftop dinner and shish lounge this Valentine's Day. The restaurant at St Regis Abu Dhabi combines traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours in its cuisine. Guests will receive two complimentary drinks for late lunch or early dinner, or complimentary refined beverages with the Valentine's special dinner. For reservations, call 02 694 4444 or email info.abudhabi@stregis.com.

4. Looking to celebrate with the entire family? Head to Rainbow Steak House for a fix of delicacies from around the world. The restaurant will have live cooking stations with more than 150 dishes, including vegetarian options. Guests will be served a complimentary red velvet cake at the end of the meal. For reservations at their Deira and Sharjah branches, visit www.rainbowhospitalityuae.com.

5. Dine under the stars by booking the Valentine's package at Monte-Carlo Beach Club Abu Dhabi. The romantic experience is being offered to one couple only, and includes candlelight dinner on the club's boardwalk and a special six-course menu. The couple will have a butler throughout the evening and a live saxophone performance; the women get a bouquet of flowers and chocolates. Includes a limousine taxi pick-up and drop-off service from anywhere in the capital. The offer is priced at Dh8,000. For reservations, visit www.montecarlobeachclub.ae.

6. The Coral Beach Resort in Sharjah has a special offer at its Casa Samak restaurant. Couples will be served a six-course meal at the restaurant which overlooks the beach and waters of the Arabian Gulf. The menu includes treats like heart-shaped sushi and "Romeo & Juliet" beef medallion. The meal is priced at Dh125. For reservations, visit www.coral-beachresortsharjah.com.

7. Pull out all the stops for your loved one by indulging him or her in Dubai's most expensive Valentine's dinner. The Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel is offering an exclusive private rooftop dinner under the stars with a breathtaking panoramic view of the city for Dh50,000. The royal dinner includes a five-course dinner with wine pairing and live entertainment in a gazebo . The guests will receive chocolates, Dh10,000 worth shopping vouchers from Mall of the Emirates and a massage for two at the Sheraton Spa. For reservations, visit www.sheratondubaimalloftheemirates.com.

8. Celebrate Valentine’s the Mexican way at Fuego in Dubai. The day of love and friendship is known as El Dia del Amor y la Amistad in Mexico and the restaurant will be showcasing a new menu around the theme. Chef Jose will be presenting chargrilled lamb chops with seven seas enchilada in mains. The evening will end with a dessert card with a choice of crispy churros served with red berries and whipped cream and tres leches cake with sweet milk. The menu is priced at Dh499 for couples. Dinner will be served from 7pm. For reservations, call 04 449 0977.

9. Impress your partner by booking a dinner under the stars at Habtoor Grand Beach Resort and Spa, Jumeirah Beach. The setting by the pool and underneath the desert sky makes for a romantic setting to enjoy a five-course menu designed by the executive chef Paul Hague. Guests will have live music to sway. They will be welcomed with a box of chocolates and rose. The dinner date is priced at Dh700 for couples and can be booked by calling 04 408 4444 or email res.grandjumeirah@habtoorhotels.com.

10. The award-winning Italian restaurant BiCE Mare at Souk Al Bahar will serve a dedicated his and hers menu. The four-course fare created by Chef Francesco Guarracino is themed Passion, Harmony, Desire and Temptation. The first course for ladies will begin with with warm lobster and passion fruit sorbet, while the gentlemen will be offered oyster and sea bass tartare with red prawns. Mains include carnaroli rice with queen scallops for ladies and calamarata pasta with blue lobster for men. The dinner will end on a sweet note with mille feuille and zabaglione parfait with hazelnuts. The menu is priced at Dh1,600 for couples and includes complimentary bubbly. For reservations, call 04 423 0982.

11. Capt Tony’s boat tours on Yas Island is giving you a chance to get away from the city’s hustle and bustle. Make the day unforgettable by booking a sunset cruise, an island BBQ lunch or dinner or a luxury yacht lunch or dinner cruise. For reservations, call 02 650 7175 or visit www.captaintonys.ae.

12. Book an intimate dinner experience at the Azure Lounge that overlooks the Dubai Creek. Watch the lights of old Dubai flicker while you enjoy a four-course dinner menu at the Pullman Dubai Deira City Centre Hotel’s rooftop pool lunge. Meals will be served from 5pm and are priced at Dh800. For reservations, call 04 603 8201.

13. Enjoy a breezy brunch buffet at Medley’s on Valentine’s Day. The restaurant at Pullman Dubai Deira City Centre Hotel will offer special cocktails with their love-inspired menu. Prices start at Dh165 and the buffet will be served from 12.30pm. For reservations, call 04 603 8201.

14. Kris Kros in Downtown Dubai has a special menu which will be served from 6pm on Valentine’s Day. Salads, salmon and all sorts of lovely desserts are part of the multi-cuisine menu. Dinner is priced at Dh300 for couples. For reservations, call 04 453 9994.

Tuesday's fixtures
Group A
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Iran v Uzbekistan, 8pm
N Korea v UAE, 10.15pm
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

MATCH INFO

Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)

Charles 57, Amla 47

Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)

Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9

Bangla Tiger win by five wickets

Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP

Group A

Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA

Group B

Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti

Group C

Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia

Group D

Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."