Five new restaurants opening in Dubai in September, from a steakhouse to a cevicheria

Winter is coming and with it follows a slew of openings, both grand and small. From a dozen new beach clubs arriving at J1 Beach (formerly La Mer) between now and December to several relaunches of family attractions such as Global Village and Sharjah Safari Park, the UAE is gearing up for a busy season.

Prominent among these are dozens of new dining establishments. Something of a year-round affair, restaurant launches go into overdrive as the cooler months approach, and September is no different.

Here are the five venues already open to sample, and one meant to open by month's end.

9th Cut

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Geared solely at meat lovers, this deli, butchery and steakhouse has teamed up with chefs, butchers and farmers from all over the world, leading to an international selection of steak.

The 9th Cut is part restaurant and part grab-and-go deli. Photo: 9th Cut

The meats range from tomahawk, rump, ox tail and brisket, to dry-aged meats, plus lamb, chicken, venison and veal. These translate into dishes such as dry-aged venison carpaccio, tamarind lamb ribs, cast-iron ox tail, smoked lamb shank mandi, Italian bistecca Fiorentina and Iranian koobideh.

The grab-and-go deli section, meanwhile, offers sandwiches, mezze, charcuterie, cheeses, marinades, olive oils and spice rubs.

Daily, noon-midnight; Novotel Hotel, Al Barsha, Dubai

Fusion Ceviche x Time Out Market

Cuisine: Peruvian

From left, classic ceviche, tuna nikkei and smoked salmon and mango. Photo: Fusion Ceviche

Chef-founder Penelope Diaz started on her UAE culinary journey by representing Peru at Expo 2020 Dubai, followed by the first Fusion Ceviche restaurant in JLT. The Time Out Market expansion includes dishes created exclusively for this outpost.

On the menu are items such as salmon chilli, scallop Parmesan and sea bass pesto, plus the popular tuna Nikkei and smoked salmon and mango ceviche, with ingredients imported directly from Peru.

Monday to Thursday, noon-midnight; Friday, noon-1am; Saturday, 10am-1am; Sunday, 10am-midnight; Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai

Isabella Cucina Italiana

Cuisine: Italian

The two-storey restaurant in Emirates Hills promises authentic Italian food and hospitality, with its head chef Ruggiero Gissi hailing from Rimini in northern Italy.

On the menu are sharing-style crudi, antipasti and mains, plus freshly made pasta such as tagliolini al tartufo nero, gnocchi gamberi, penne pomodoro and spaghetti bolognese. The 48-hour proofed pizza dough comes with toppings including tartufo and bresaola.

Daily, 11am-1am; Vida Hills Hotel, Emirates Hills, Dubai

Scalini Cucina

Cuisine: Italian

Another Italian newbie, this time in Dubai Mall, the restaurant is the casual dining outpost of the celebrity-favoured, London-born Scalini brand.

A trattoria, pizzeria and pasticceria all in one, it serves Neapolitan and Roman pizzas; veal and chicken escalope, Cacciatora-style chicken and sea bream a la meuniere. All the Italian dessert classics – tiramisu, pistachio cake, cannoli and gelato – are available, too.

Daily, 10am-11.30pm; opposite Dubai Mall Waterfall, Downtown Dubai

Zordaar

Cuisine: Indian

Billing itself as the UAE’s first restaurant to offer 75 dishes from 16 Indian states, Zordaar (which means “impressive”) is led by former MasterChef judge Ajay Chopra, who also opened Indikaya in Dubai earlier this year.

On the menu is everything from Delhi fried chicken, Kanyakumari coastal pulav, Kolkata and Goan-style fish dishes, to Hyderabadi biryani and Mumbai’s famed vada pav. Desserts include Mahabaleshwar strawberry cream and Ajmer kulfi.

Daily, 11am-midnight; Millennium Hotel, Al Barsha, Dubai

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Other workplace saving schemes

The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.

The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh135,000

Engine 1.6L turbo

Gearbox Six speed automatic with manual and sports mode

Power 165hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 240Nm @ 1,400rpm 0-100kph: 9.2 seconds

Top speed 420 kph (governed)

Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

Tips for SMEs to cope

Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
Make sure you have an online presence
Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.