Ready-to-go BBQ boxes are convenient for outdoor gatherings or last-minute trips. Photo: Kabab Al Shandagha
Ready-to-go BBQ boxes are convenient for outdoor gatherings or last-minute trips. Photo: Kabab Al Shandagha
Ready-to-go BBQ boxes are convenient for outdoor gatherings or last-minute trips. Photo: Kabab Al Shandagha
Ready-to-go BBQ boxes are convenient for outdoor gatherings or last-minute trips. Photo: Kabab Al Shandagha

Pit stop: Seven ready-to-go barbecue boxes available in the UAE


Nour Ibrahim
  • English
  • Arabic

Winter is upon us in the UAE, bringing with it a chance to head outdoors and enjoy a barbecue. Whether it’s a trip into the desert, a family outing at the park or a backyard gathering, the cooler months offer the ideal setting to fire up the grill.

Here are some places offering ready-to-go BBQ boxes that include everything needed for a hassle-free grilling experience.

Kabab Al Shandagha

Those too lazy to marinate or prep for an Arabian-inspired BBQ, might consider Kabab Al Shandagha's ready-to-grill-and-serve BBQ box. It includes half a kilo (so seven skewers) each of yoghurt-marinated lamb, lemon lamb, ribs, herbal ribs, yoghurt chicken and spicy chicken. It comes complete with salad, yoghurt, hummus, soft drinks, and freshly baked bread, all for Dh475.

To order, call 050 911 4445 for the Al Barsha branch or 050 911 4442 if you're closer to Al Khawaneej.

Drizzle

Drizzle BBQ box, from Dh210. Photo: Drizzle
Drizzle BBQ box, from Dh210. Photo: Drizzle

The BBQ boxes from Drizzle aim to provide everything needed for a seamless feast. The six-piece box, for instance, features Black Angus beef burgers, chicken breast burgers and a choice of beef or chicken hot dogs. It also comes with buns, cheese, toppings and dipping sauces, all for Dh210. For bigger gatherings, the 12-piece box offers double the portions, for Dh330.

The boxes are available at multiple locations – including Khalifa City (02 626 6665), Al Shamkha Baniyas Club (054 777 5120), Global Village and Umm Al Emarat Park (050 312 1388 for both) – but need to be ordered an hour in advance.

BBQ Station

International winter box, from Dh105. Photo: BBQ Station
International winter box, from Dh105. Photo: BBQ Station

There is something for every taste in BBQ Station’s winter boxes, which include meat and chicken skewers, burgers, seafood, kabsa, pizza, mussels, lasagne and even desserts such as Umm Ali and kunafa – all designed to be cooked on the grill. The boxes come prepped and ready for barbecuing.

Prices range from Dh105 to Dh730, and BBQ Station delivers across the UAE. Orders must be placed at least one day in advance by calling 054 400 5308.

Prelo

S’mores box, Dh210. Photo: Prelo
S’mores box, Dh210. Photo: Prelo

If dessert is on the menu, Prelo’s S’mores Box brings all the sweetness required for a cozy night wrapped front of a bonfire. It includes a crackers selection with waffle cones, tea biscuits, pretzels, a s’mores dip, crunchy flakes and a lighter and handy recipe card to make it all come together.

Priced at Dh210, the box is available with free delivery across the UAE. It needs to be ordered 24 hours in advance by calling 050 918 8719.

Just Burger

Burger box, from Dh139. Photo: Just Burger
Burger box, from Dh139. Photo: Just Burger

The BBQ box offered by Just Burger has a charming tent-inspired design, cozy bonfire illustration and glowing fairy lights. Inside is everything needed to build a burger, including a choice of Angus beef patties or marinated chicken breast, vegetables, pickles, jalapenos, and buttery brioche or potato buns. It also includes signature spices, salt and pepper, cheese, sauces and even plastic gloves,

Available in sizes of four, eight, 10 or 12 pieces, with prices ranging from Dh139 to Dh269, the box suits both small gatherings and bigger feasts.

Order two hours in advance for delivery across the Emirates by calling 600 50 2005.

Reif Japanese Kushiyaki

Chef Reif Othman's BBQ box, Dh299. Photo: Reif Japanese Kushiyaki
Chef Reif Othman's BBQ box, Dh299. Photo: Reif Japanese Kushiyaki

Singaporean chef Reif Othman, who runs a number of Japanese and Korean restaurants in the UAE, offers a flavourful BBQ box through his OG venue Reif Japanese Kushiyaki. It includes three pieces each of beef skewers, chicken thigh skewers, chicken breast skewers and chicken wing skewers.

Each box also comes with 200g of truffle mayo, black pepper teriyaki, yuzu miso and kokuto marinade sauces. Condiments such as lime, Maldon salt and shichimi pepper are included also with a cooking instruction booklet.

The box is priced at Dh299 and is available in Dubai. Call 042 555 142 to order.

Savoury Box

Mediterranean-Arabic BBQ box, from Dh146. Photo: Savoury Box
Mediterranean-Arabic BBQ box, from Dh146. Photo: Savoury Box

An Arabian-Mediterranean barbecue can be had courtesy of the Savory Box. It includes pitta bread, cheese, minced beef, yoghurt, olive oil, pomegranate molasses and lemon – all the ingredients to make grilled arayes for eight to 10 people. The box also comes with a side of creamy hummus. Other packages include a chicken shawarma box and, for dessert, a French toast box.

For Dh190, Savory Box includes two hot flasks, allowing customers to enjoy a warm drink with their meal. The selection includes pistachio, hot chocolate, custard, karak, milk with zatar, rose milk or Arabic coffee.

Boxes are priced between Dh146 and Dh220 and are available across all Emirates, (orders for Abu Dhabi and Al Ain must be placed one day in advance), by calling 050 242 0988.

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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

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Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi

Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni

Rating: 2.5/5

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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

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.”

Europe wide
Some of French groups are threatening Friday to continue their journey to Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the European Union, and to meet up with drivers from other countries on Monday.

Belgian authorities joined French police in banning the threatened blockade. A similar lorry cavalcade was planned for Friday in Vienna but cancelled after authorities prohibited it.

Three trading apps to try

Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:

  • For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
  • If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
  • Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
Defence review at a glance

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%

• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade

• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels

A Dog's Journey 

Directed by: Gail Mancuso

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott

3 out of 5 stars

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

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The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

Updated: December 25, 2024, 10:01 AM