Global Village has returned for another season of fun and excitement — and a whole lot of food. In fact, the experience is incomplete without taking a bite or two out of the park’s diverse culinary offerings.
More than 200 restaurants, cafes and street food options are on-site this season, making Global Village a must-visit for foodies.
Scroll through the gallery above to see dishes you can try at Global Village
In the vast sea of choices are a mix of Global Village favourites, including the always-busy Bosnian House, as well as new arrivals including Indian casual dining concept Khaojee by Michelin-lauded chef Rohit Ghai.
“We try and have new concepts every year, so people can try stuff they wouldn’t be able to anywhere else,” Jaki Ellenby, the park’s executive marketing director, tells The National.
She says the park, which is open during UAE's cooler months, has become an incubator of sorts for entrepreneurs — both seasoned and young ones — as they navigate how to enter the bustling food and drink community of the country. "People can come and see if a concept works," says Ellenby. "We have a lot of entrepreneurs that are trying for the first time to see if they want to get into this industry."
Culinary tourism plays a crucial role in the success of the park, which welcomed a record-breaking 7.8 million guests during its previous season. Last year, Global Village launched a guided tour called Culinary Trails, where guests were treated to a food-themed walk around the park, trying the offerings from various vendors. The tour is back this season too.
The park, which spans 1.6 million square metres, assembles the food options in groups, so that a food walk feels more intuitive. One of the most popular chow corners in the park is the Floating Market, which serves a number of cuisines from Asia, including grilled seafood, chicken skewers, Vietnamese pho and Korean dumplings, among many other dishes. The famed mango sticky rice dessert is also on offer.
The juicy chicken barbecue skewers served at one of the stalls in the market are indeed reminiscent of the South-East Asian street food scene — particularly the popular food carts peppered across Manila in the Philippines.
Other food spots serving a variety of street food-style options such as cheesy baked potato and crispy fried chicken are spread across the eclectic Happiness Street, Fiesta Street and Indian Chaat Bazaar.
There are also some interesting kiosks this time around, notably the Emirati gabgoob at Crab Kiosk. A creamy dish served in a crab shell, it is the perfect mix of cheese with a seafood flavour.
One prominent area this year is Restaurant Alley, which features four two-storey restaurants including Khaojee, as well as Belgrave, a Persian outlet by award-winning chef Amin Ebra, whose grandfather served as a head chef for the Iranian royal family.
The massive selection of food and beverage in Global Village truly speaks to its aim of bringing diverse cultures under one proverbial roof. "Global Village is all about people discovering other cultures and one of the best ways to experience any culture is through its cuisine," said Ali Al Hashimi, director of commercial and sponsorship at the park.
Although the park has many other attractions, which have significantly expanded over the years, there are still many visitors who come mainly for its culinary offerings. The restaurants are a given, but another one of Global Village's allure is what you can find to eat at the various pavilions.
"In the pavilions, there are a lot of ingredients, like beautiful spices, for cooking," Ellenby says. "If you are a foodie, it's also worth visiting the pavilions and trying the special food products from different countries."
Global Village is open from 4pm to midnight from Sunday to Wednesday and 4pm to 1am from Thursday to Saturday. More information is available at globalvillage.ae
Scroll through the gallery below to see the newly opened ice rink at Global Village
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did
We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Essentials
The flights
Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes.
The stay
A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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