For Diwali, India Palace has introduced classic sweet boxes. Photo: India Palace
For Diwali, India Palace has introduced classic sweet boxes. Photo: India Palace
For Diwali, India Palace has introduced classic sweet boxes. Photo: India Palace
For Diwali, India Palace has introduced classic sweet boxes. Photo: India Palace

Lifestyle

Food

Diwali 2021: best ways to celebrate the festival of lights in Abu Dhabi

Dinners, deals and sweet boxes to try in the capital

Janice Rodrigues
Janice Rodrigues

October 31, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Diwali, the celebration popularly called the festival of lights, falls on November 4 this year. If you're looking to add a little extra flavour to the festivities, here's a look at some places that are having special celebrations and menus in Abu Dhabi.

Punjab Grill

The motichoor laddoo and chocolate cake from Punjab Grill's Diwali menu is a sweet ending to the festive meal
The motichoor laddoo and chocolate cake from Punjab Grill's Diwali menu is a sweet ending to the festive meal

If you plan to go all out, fine dining Indian restaurant Punjab Grill is offering a Diwali menu brimming with dishes curated by chef Sandeep Ail for the occasion. It features modern recreations of India’s most popular foods, so you can snack on dishes such as masala maska bun, pulled Tindle chicken raj kachori and kheema mutter karanji. Diwali is all about the sweet stuff, so do check out the festive desserts such as motichoor laddoo with chocolate cake, and zameen chakri shahi tukda.

Available daily, 12.30pm-midnight; until November 10; prices of dishes vary; Punjab Grill, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal; 02 449 9839

Namak

The popular Indian restaurant by Kunal Kapur is upping the ante with a Diwali dinner featuring “specifically selected dishes elevating tradition”. Separate menus for vegetarians and non-vegetarians will be available, with plenty of kebabs and masalas to indulge in. Expect dishes like Konkan prawn masala and murgh tikka kheema masala featuring in the non-vegetarian menu, and subz begum bahar in the vegetarian one. End the meal on a sweet note with some imarti with saffron mawa rabri.

Wednesday to Saturday, November 3 to 6; 7pm-11.30pm; Dh149 for vegetarian option, and Dh169 for the non-vegetarian option; Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi; 026988137

Rangoli

Rangoli is a modern Indian restaurant on Yas Island. Delores Johnson / The National
Rangoli is a modern Indian restaurant on Yas Island. Delores Johnson / The National

It seems only fitting to spend Diwali in Rangoli, the restaurant named after the traditional Indian floor decoration. And the restaurant is gearing up for the occasion with a set menu designed to take diners on a culinary journey through India. You'll get to enjoy murgh tikka, dum biryani, pulao and rasmalai, a masala chai station, and a colourful rangoli display for photo opportunities.

Thursday to Saturday, November 4 to 6; 6pm-11.30pm; Dh189; Yas Island; 026564000

Martabaan

Martabaan will be having a set menu for Diwali. Photo: Martabaan
Martabaan will be having a set menu for Diwali. Photo: Martabaan

The “contemporary classic Indian dining destination” by celebrated chef Hemant Oberoi has a set fine-dining menu for discerning diners. Get started with an amuse bouche, followed by soup and starters such as the mint salmon with chonka prawns and lamb chop with beet. Main courses include lamb biryani and murg makhana. Expect desserts such as badami sharifa rabdi and teen halwe ka malpua. There are separate options for vegetarians. The restaurant has also launched sweet boxes, available until Friday, with prices starting at Dh206.

Wednesday to Saturday, November 3 to 5; 1pm-10pm; Dh350 per person; Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi; 026907999

India Palace

For Diwali, India Palace has introduced classic sweet boxes. Photo: India Palace
For Diwali, India Palace has introduced classic sweet boxes. Photo: India Palace

The restaurant chain has launched sweet boxes available in three variations for the festival of lights. Choose between standard, classic and royal, all available in a gold or blue finishing. Brimming with classic Indian sweets, these make for a great gift.

Available until stocks last; prices from Dh65 per box; outlets across the UAE; 050 444 6087

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.”

More from Tom Fletcher
On Women's Day
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

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

India squads

T20: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Shivam Dube, Shardul Thakur

Test: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant

The biog

Name: Fareed Lafta

Age: 40

From: Baghdad, Iraq

Mission: Promote world peace

Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi

Role models: His parents 

On Women's Day
Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

The specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

Torque: 849Nm

Range: 456km

Price: from Dh437,900 

On sale: now

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6.5-litre%20V12%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E725hp%20at%207%2C750rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E716Nm%20at%206%2C250rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQ4%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C650%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)

Power: 141bhp 

Torque: 250Nm 

Price: Dh64,500

On sale: Now

UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Updated: November 04, 2021, 6:42 AM
Abu Dhabi