There is no shortage of sensational dining experiences in the UAE, but there is always extra hype when some of the biggest restaurants from around the world come to the country for one-off, pop-up experiences.
Here, we round-up three pop-up restaurants that are coming to Dubai and Abu Dhabi this autumn.
Ministry of Crab is coming to Dubai
Popular Sri Lankan restaurant Ministry of Crab is coming to Palm Jumeirah's Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort from November 3 to 7.
Chef Dharshan Munidasa's seafood place in Colombo has been named one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, and will be serving up its giant Sri Lankan crab in a five-day pop-up.
The five-course, nightly menu costs Dh425 ($115) per person, and includes crab liver pate to share, baked crab and the signature Sri Lankan pepper crab. There will also be a garlic chilli prawn dish and coconut creme brulee to finish.
Sri Lankan crab is known for its size, abundance of meat and creamy texture.
Chef Dharshan promises to "share the rich Sri Lankan seafood and ingredients we have on offer at Ministry of Crab with the diners of Dubai".
Poolside at Anantara The Palm Dubai, Palm Jumeirah; Wednesday to Sunday, November 3 to 7; Dh425 per person; 04 567 8304; restaurants.dubai@anantara.com
Dh5,000 multi-sensory meal at Sublimotion
Ibiza’s famed multi-sensory dining experience Sublimotion is bringing a pop-up to Dubai from Monday, November 4 until February 4, 2022, accommodating only 12 diners each night.
Located at the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, a meal at Sublimotion is described as "whimsical". Expect a 10-course molecular gastronomy and haute cuisine dining experience, which evolves throughout the night and pairs the finest ingredients with interactive performances.
There will be 360° screens and images projected onto every surface, from walls to tables, turning the dining room into a stage.
The menu is a closely guarded secret, part of the performance of the evening.
“The truth is that one of our dreams was always to be able to turn the table into a stage,” says Chef Paco Roncero, who launched Sublimotion alongside creative director Eduardo Gonzales in Ibiza in 2014.
"And today, at Sublimotion, the table is a stage where many things happen on it and around it. Quite simply, we have made a change to the way we eat."
The experience, however, does not come cheap. The meal costs Dh5,000 per seat, or it can be upgraded with a one-night stay at the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira for the Dh19,000 Ultimate Sublimotion Experience package. The package includes two seats at Sublimotion, round-trip transfers in a Tesla Model X, one night in a sea or skyline-view suite and a 60-minute spa treatment for two.
Mandarin Oriental Jumeira; 6.30pm and 9pm daily; from Dh5,000 per person; 04 777 2250; mandarinoriental.com/dubai
New York's The Flower Shop in Abu Dhabi
A little bit of New York’s Lower East Side is coming to the UAE capital this month with The Flower Shop bar and restaurant pop-up.
The famed Flower Shop will set up shop at Semi Permanent Middle East festival in Saadiyat Island. The hot spot is known for its eccentric interiors and refined but accessible menu, which includes delicacies such as pink moon oysters and wakame seafood salad, alongside classics including fried buttermilk chicken and fish and chips.
Manarat Al Saadiyat; Thursday to Saturday, October 14 to 16; semipermanent.com
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Feeding the thousands for iftar
Six industrial scale vats of 500litres each are used to cook the kanji or broth
Each vat contains kanji or porridge to feed 1,000 people
The rice porridge is poured into a 500ml plastic box
350 plastic tubs are placed in one container trolley
Each aluminium container trolley weighing 300kg is unloaded by a small crane fitted on a truck
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
The specs: 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali
Price, base / as tested Dh207,846 / Dh220,000
Engine 6.2L V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque 624Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined 13.5L / 100km
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Landfill in numbers
• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away
• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition
The bio
Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist
Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi
Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup
Hobbies: Reading and drawing
