There’s a new Friday Brunch at Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi
There’s a new Friday Brunch at Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Foodie News: A new Thai dessert platter, kids eat free at Lana’s Partiperfect Cafe and more



• Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center in Abu Dhabi debuts its Big Brunch tomorrow (August 7) in The Bistro. The best part? It’s a value brunch that won’t break your bank account. Diners can feast on a buffet featuring international cuisine with unlimited soft beverages for just Dh135. For unlimited select beverages, it’s Dh250. Main dishes include a range of tastes such as seafood thermidor; lamb navarin (French lamb stew); wok-fried roast beef with Sichuan pickles; and Cajun chicken breast. There’s also a seafood bar, live pasta station and meat carving station. For kids, there’s a movie corner, face painting and more. Fridays from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. For reservations, call 02 698 2222.

• Head over to the Eastern Mangroves Resort & Spa by Anantara and try the new Thai dessert sharing platter at Pachaylen. The platter includes four desserts: sticky rice and sweet mango; coconut sago; tapioca pudding; and baked bean cake. The platter serves two people and is available nightly from 7pm to 11pm for Dh85 (through August 31). For reservations, call 02 656 1000.

• Take the kids over to Lana’s Partiperfect Cafe where they’ll eat for free each Saturday throughout August. Kids under age 12 can choose one free meal from the kids’ menu with each adult meal purchased. Adults will have no problem finding a satisfying meal for themselves. The menu features an extensive selection of wraps, sandwiches, salads, pizzas, pasta dishes, mains, sushi, dim sum and more. Lana’s is open from 8am to 6pm Saturday through Thursday. Marina Office Park, Villa A56. 02 681 0090.

• To celebrate their one-year anniversary, Choice Cut Steakhouse in the Novotel Abu Dhabi Al Bustan is treating guests throughout the month of August. Guests who dine at Choice throughout August will receive a voucher for 50 per cent off their next meal at the restaurant. In the year since Choice opened, Chef Akil Ahmad and his team have honed their meat-cooking skills as they’ve served up nearly 5,000 French tenderloin steaks, more than 900 rotisserie chickens and more than 500 one kg tomahawk steaks. The promotion ends August 31. For reservations, call 02 501 6444.

• The Japanese restaurant and bakery Mikado Cafe in Khalidiyah has just launched a new bread basket promotion. Sure to be a hit with carb-lovers, the bread basket comes with a selection of 15 fresh-baked goods from the cafe including green tea biscuits, custard cream bread, dorayaki and almond chocolate bread. The bread basket, available for takeaway and delivery, is Dh170. To order yours, call the cafe at 02 667 7557.

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Bio

Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind. 
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

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Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)

Power: 141bhp 

Torque: 250Nm 

Price: Dh64,500

On sale: Now

Results

5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)

6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby

7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES

SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities

Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails

Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies

Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments

The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport


Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial


Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says. 

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

MATCH INFO

Asian Champions League, last 16, first leg:

Al Ain 2 Al Duhail 4

Second leg:

Tuesday, Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha. Kick off 7.30pm

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills