• Marble tuna bun, Dh40, Reif Japanese Kushiyaki
    Marble tuna bun, Dh40, Reif Japanese Kushiyaki
  • Escargot in milk bread, Dh30, Brasserie Boulud
    Escargot in milk bread, Dh30, Brasserie Boulud
  • Chilli and mango tempura tiger prawns, Dh30, Shang Palace
    Chilli and mango tempura tiger prawns, Dh30, Shang Palace
  • Adana kebab wraps, price to be determined, Bushra by Buddha-Bar
    Adana kebab wraps, price to be determined, Bushra by Buddha-Bar
  • Braised beef, price to be determined, Rhodes W1
    Braised beef, price to be determined, Rhodes W1
  • Tiramisu, Dh 20, Fi'lia
    Tiramisu, Dh 20, Fi'lia
  • Eton mess, Dh25, The Nine
    Eton mess, Dh25, The Nine

Taste of Dubai: The city's top chefs share what signature dishes they plan to serve


Panna Munyal
  • English
  • Arabic

As open-air food festival Taste of Dubai gears up to make its return next month after a two-year hiatus, The National asked participating chefs what they'll be offering.

The event, taking place from February 3 to 5, will also include a range of masterclasses hosted by celebrity chefs, a music and entertainment line-up and a new Taste of Hilton farm-to-table pop-up.

The main event, however, is dishes served from some of the UAE's most popular restaurants at discounted prices.

The 15 restaurants taking part are: 11 Woodfire, Akira Back, Brasserie Boulud, Bushra by Buddha-Bar, Carnival by Tresind, Fi'lia, Goldfish, Indya by Vineet, Lowe, Reif Japanese Kushiyaki, Rhodes W1, Shang Palace, Sucre, The Nine and Torno Subito.

Here's some of what diners can expect.

Scroll through the gallery above for more dishes on offer at the event.

Wagyu truffle slider

Wagyu truffle slider, Dh40, 11 Woodfire
Wagyu truffle slider, Dh40, 11 Woodfire

11 Woodfire, one of 11 Michelin-starred restaurants in Dubai, will dish out its Wagyu truffle slider, with mushroom duxelles and aged gouda cheese, for Dh40 a pop. It's usually Dh85 for a full burger at the restaurant.

Chef Akmal Anuar also got a mention in the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand category for Otoro in Abu Dhabi.

Marble tuna bun

Fellow Michelin-lauded Singaporean chef Reif Othman, who helms Reif Japanese Kushiyaki, will serve an artistic-looking marble tuna bun for Dh40 that's not on the menu at his Dar Al Wasl venue. The steamed bun will also be filled with date maguro tartare and shiso tempura.

Reif Japanese Kushiyaki was honoured by the Michelin Guide Dubai in the Bib Gourmand category.

Butter chicken

Butter chicken, price to be determined, Indya by Vineet
Butter chicken, price to be determined, Indya by Vineet

Celebrity chef Vineet Bhatia will dish out his signature butter chicken, the price of which is yet to be confirmed, but is likely to be less than half of its Dh90 price tag at Bhatia's Dubai restaurant Indya by Vineet.

Burgundy snails

For a taste of French cuisine's most coveted dish, stop over at the Brasserie Boulud stall for Burgundy snails laid in a bed of milk bread with roasted garlic and parsley butter for Dh30. They're priced at Dh85 on the Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk restaurant's menu.

Lamb chops

Lamb chops, Dh40, Carnival by Tresind
Lamb chops, Dh40, Carnival by Tresind

Elsewhere, Carnival by Tresind will serve a portion of lamb chops for Dh40, which is on the non-vegetarian starters section of its menu for Dh120.

The meat is served with restaurant-style accompaniments of vegetable chokha, green pepper sauce and pickled plums.

Tiramisu

When it comes to desserts, Fi'lia is offering the Italian restaurant's version of tiramisu for Dh20. The light mascarpone cream and Savoiardi espresso syrup creation is normally priced at Dh50.

A Middle Eastern tiramisu is also be had at the Bushra by Buddha-Bar counter for Dh25. The Turkish coffee, cardamom and sweet orange blossom concoction is normally priced at Dh65.

Eton mess

Another stall offering a sweet treat is British gastro restaurant The Nine. Its Eton mess, with white chocolate, meringue and strawberries, is available at Taste of Dubai for Dh25 (down from Dh49 on the menu at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk).

Taste of Dubai is at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre from 3pm to midnight on February 3; noon to midnight on February 4; and noon to 10pm on February 5. Tickets start from Dh75, and more information is at tasteofdubaifestival.com

The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont

Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950

Engine 3.6-litre V6

Gearbox Eight-speed automatic

Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm

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Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
  • George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
  • Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
  • Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
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The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

Poland Statement
All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.

The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.

All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.

No person who has received refuge in Poland will be sent back to a country torn by war.

World Cricket League Division 2

In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.

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Updated: January 27, 2023, 10:52 AM