Brunch has long moved on from its associations with eating breakfast for lunch on a leisurely Sunday – having evolved into part-meal, part-party at any time of the day. In the UAE at least.
The country is one of the top trendsetters, with plenty of restaurants in Abu Dhabi and Dubai offering brunch deals for breakfast, lunch and dinner – for every palate and pocket.
Here are eight to try.
Breakfast brunches
LDC Kitchen + Coffee, Dubai
With five branches across the emirate, LDC Kitchen + Coffee offers early birds across Dubai an all-you-can-eat breakfast brunch, starting from 8am at weekends.
On the menu are classics such as avocado toast, buttermilk pancakes with almond streusel and French toast with crispy brioche, plus aubergine shakshuka, salmon or garden benni, vegan coconut almond pancakes and gluten-free porridge with chia and fruits. It's also a snip at Dh69.
Saturday and Sunday, 8am-2pm; Dh69; various venues across Dubai
Otantik, Abu Dhabi
Otantik offers great breakfasts.
The Turkish restaurant’s platter for two is a traditional Mediterranean start to the day, which includes eggs two ways (the shakshuka is a must-try), various cheeses including spicy feta and grilled halloumi, kaymak served on top of honey and sujuk, plus Turkish tea or coffee.
Saturday and Sunday, 9am-2pm; Dh99; Al Zahiya; 02 681 2294
Afternoon brunches
Tiki Pacifico, Abu Dhabi
Barbecue lovers will find themselves right at home at the Tiki Pacifico’s brunch. The Polynesian restaurant offers a wide range of grilled meats and seafood, which can be enjoyed alongside waterside views of Al Raha Creek.
Saturday, noon-4pm; from Dh199; Al Bandar; 050 696 9298
Yalumba, Dubai
Yalumba’s child-friendly entertainment, games, magic shows and crafts corner make its Sunday family brunch a perfect spot for families. The international buffet caters to a range of tastes and features everything from pizza and steak to shawarma and biryani.
Sunday, 1pm-4pm; from Dh225 for adults, Dh75 for children; Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre, Garhoud; 04 702 2455
Soul Street, Dubai
This restaurant at the Five Jumeirah Village is a hit with fans of international street food, offering dishes such as chole samosa chaat, sushi, tacos, barbecue sliders and churros.
With outdoor pool access and a live DJ, Soul Street also doubles as a party spot, though it might be wiser to enjoy the food and music indoors during the summer months.
Saturday, 1pm-4pm; from Dh349; Five Jumeirah Village Hotel, JVC; 04 455 9989
Evening brunches
Amerigos, Abu Dhabi
This Mexican restaurant’s evening brunch is a great way for people to begin the weekend and can be enjoyed alongside foot-tapping live music.
On the menu are an array of appetisers such as ceviche, tacos and empanadas, as well as dishes straight from the grill, such as pastor chicken and achiote marinated prawns.
Friday, 7pm-11pm; from Dh169; Park Inn by Radisson Abu Dhabi, Yas Island; 02 656 2000
Pacific Groove, Dubai
Pacific Groove’s Cali Flow brunch transports diners to America's West Coast. Along with its chilled music, the restaurant serves California-inspired surf and turf dishes, including brisket empanadas, grilled octopus and yellowfin tuna tartare.
Friday, 8pm-11pm; from Dh275; Damac Towers Paramount, Business Bay; 055 180 7559
Chanca by Coya, Dubai
Those wishing to mix fine dining with partying should look no further than Chanca by Coya, where guests can dance to South American courtesy of in-house DJs.
The restaurant at Four Seasons Resort has a set brunch menu, including Peruvian-style prawn and sea bass gyoza, yellowfish tacos, baos, Wagyu short ribs and orange and lime churros.
Thursday, 9pm-midnight; from Dh489; Four Seasons Resort, Jumeirah Beach Road; 058 194 5873
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
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.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
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
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
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The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The Gentlemen
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant
Three out of five stars
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5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 (PA) Listed Dh230,000 1,600m
6.30pm: HH The President’s Cup (PA) Group 1 Dh2.5million 2,200m
7pm: HH The President’s Cup (TB) Listed Dh380,000 1,400m
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,200m.
