Stacie Overton Johnson
Daily Market Lunch
Try the new Daily Market Lunch at BOCA in DIFC, Dubai, for a fresh take on lunchtime grub. The menu will change daily and feature dishes made with local fish and vegetables the chefs pick up at the market each morning. Guests can choose three of the six daily fresh options for Dh115 (inclusive of taxes). Sunday to Thursday from noon until 3pm. Call 04 323 1833.
British all-day dining
Fortnum & Mason has launched a new all-day dining menu to mark its first anniversary in Dubai. The menu features classic British dishes such as Welsh rarebit, mushroom and tarragon soup, roast rack of lamb and baked wild sea bass. There’s even a banana-and-lime Eton mess on the dessert menu. Fortnum & Mason is located in Downtown Dubai, opposite the Burj Khalifa. It’s the first overseas location for the iconic British brand. Call 04 388 2627.
Seafood for the soul
Take a gastronomic journey in Ras Al Khaimah with Banyan Tree Al Wadi’s new Soul Food concept, where you will visit the fish or poultry market with one of the resort’s chefs, who will show you how to select fresh, local ingredients. Then return to the hotel for interactive cookery classes, learn how to prepare the dishes you’ve chosen, and then sit down to enjoy the result of your efforts. The Soul Food package is available every Saturday from Dh290. Advance bookings are required. Call 07 206 7777.
For curry lovers
Get yourself to Ajman Palace Hotel and try the limited-time curry promotion at Dragon's Place. A variety of special curry dishes will be on offer until May 10, including seafood curry from the Philippines, Vietnamese chicken curry, beef randang curry from Indonesia and more. Visit www.theajmanpalace.com.
Weekend mornings at the Hiltonia
Vasco’s restaurant at the Hiltonia Beach Club (beloved for its Corniche water views) has started serving breakfast on Fridays and Saturdays. Bonus: those who start their morning with breakfast at the restaurant will get a 30 per cent discount on the entry fee to Hiltonia Beach Club for the day. Breakfast is served each weekend morning from 8am to 11am. Call 02 681 1900.
Fanar expands to Al Ain
Al Fanar Restaurant and Cafe, which offers traditional Emirati cuisine in a rustic setting, is opening a branch in Al Ain next month. This will be Al Fanar's largest restaurant, with the capacity to seat 600 guests. Another branch of the restaurant will open in Yas Mall after Ramadan to mark the celebration of Eid Al Fitr. Al Fanar already has two restaurants in Dubai (Dubai Festival City Mall, Town Center Jumeirah) and in Abu Dhabi at the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal. Visit www.alfanarrestaurant.com.
Breakfast, Japanese style
Mikado Cafe in Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi, has just introduced a new breakfast menu carefully designed by executive chef Fabio Nakazato. Options include traditional Japanese dishes as well as European favourites such as waffles, pancakes and Nutella-banana crêpes. Guests can order from the breakfast menu from 8am to 11am on weekdays and from 8am to 4pm on weekends. Call 02 667 7557.
sjohnson@thenational.ae
