This year is set to be a veritable culinary treat for Dubai diners on the prowl for new restaurants. Some openings were pushed back in 2020 owing to the pandemic, while a fresh crop of established chefs and franchisees look to the emirate for their forthcoming ventures.
Here is a list of restaurants to look forward to in 2021.
Bla Bla
Opening this month is a gargantuan space that stretches from The Walk in JBR through the beach up to The Beach Mall. The 9,300-square-metre venue will include 20 bars, three restaurants and a beach club, in a bid to cater to every personality and pocket.
The project includes Bla Bla Beach Club and three restaurants. The former is located opposite Bluewaters Island, which has a Bali-themed bar on the ground floor and eight concepts on the first floor, including an Irish bar, a Hollywood-inspired space and a vinyl-clad record room and bar.
The three licensed restaurants will serve Italian and Japanese cuisines, and Texas-style barbecue.
The remaining 10 or so bars will be housed in a 2,000-square-metre tent, also due to open this month.
Time Out Market
Also due to open in the first quarter of this year is the largest food hall in the UAE, which will feature 17 local restaurants and concepts at its Souk Al Bahar space in Downtown Dubai. The 13 confirmed so far are: Reif Japanese Kushiyaki; Little Erth by Nabz&G; The Mattar Farm Kitchen, which does smoked meat; Scoopi Cafe; Two Leaves by Project Chaiwala; Masti; BB Social; Folly by Nick & Scott; Vietnamese Foodies; Pickl; Pitfire; Brix; and Nightjar.
The Dubai outpost marks the seventh Time Out Market, which has branches in Lisbon, Miami, New York, Boston, Montreal and Chicago, with Porto, London and Prague to follow.
Baoli
The Cannes hotspot was meant to open in 2020. One of the French Riviera’s most famous party spots, Baoli is popular with the likes of Bono, Jay Z and Eva Mendes. The ninth-floor spot is likely to follow a similar concept as its flagship – a restaurant, bar and outdoor terrace – when it opens its doors, (“soon”, we are told) at Gate Village 11 in DIFC. It will serve a fusion of Mediterranean and Asian fare, with a focus on fresh seafood.
Sushi Samba
Another restaurant that was meant to open in 2020, the New York import is now scheduled for the last quarter of 2021. Its lofty location (the 51st floor of The Palm Tower) and vibrant offering (a blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine, culture, music and design) remain unchanged.
With branches in London, Miami, Las Vegas and Amsterdam, Sushi Samba is a well-established presence on the culinary map, perhaps thanks to its ability to adapt to local palates. Its Dubai outpost, for instance, already has brunch on its agenda.
Sushi Samba's chief operating officer, Omar Gutierrez, told The National: "When we designed the restaurant we were conscious of how we incorporate that Friday and Saturday brunch feel … we don't want it to feel like an afterthought."
Atlantis, The Royal restaurants
The (new) crown jewel of Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah, Atlantis, The Royal, is slated to be completed by the end of this year. Also throwing open doors in late 2021 is its roster of high-end restaurants from some of the world’s most sought-after chefs and franchisees.
Here are some you could score a table at come New Year’s Eve 2022.
Ling Ling
Hakkasan Group will bring the third outpost of its resto-lounge Ling Ling to Dubai in late 2021. The dining-to-dancing concept draws inspiration from izakayas, the pairing of craft beverages with Cantonese food. Designed by Parisian studio Gilles & Boissier, Ling Ling Dubai will be located on levels 22 and 23 of Atlantis, The Royal, overlooking the luxury resort's 90-metre sky pool.
Ling Ling currently has branches in Oslo and Marrakesh, with one planned for Mexico City later this year.
Little Venice Cake Company
British baker Mich Turner will open her first cake atelier outside the UK at Atlantis, The Royal, also at the tail end of this year. On the menu are the celebrity-favourite cake artist’s homemade fudge and florentines, “posh” doughnuts, tea loaf cakes, layer cakes and pinata cakes, fruit tarts, biscuits and all things chocolate. The cafe will double as a showroom, thanks to its a peek-in-and-drool glass kitchen, and chefs will hold masterclasses there, too.
Through Little Venice, Turner has created cakes for the British royal family, including Queen Elizabeth II, as well as Emma Thompson, Madonna, Pierce Brosnan and David Beckham, among others. Chef Gordon Ramsay has described Mich as "the Bentley of cake makers".
La Mar
The brainchild of chef and restaurateur Gaston Acurio, this Peruvian restaurant focuses on a specific food category called novoandino (literally new Andean) cuisine. On the menu are mashed potato dumplings topped with seafood, Peruvian-style sashimi, street food such as chicken thighs, veal heart and octopus in potato cream, ribeye chimichurri and braised Asado beef cheeks.
Acurio is best known for his Peking guinea pig or cuy, served with a rocoto pepper hoisin sauce and wrapped in a purple corn pancake. This will be served on a made-to-order basis with a leche de tigre citrus-based marinade of lime and aji peppers.
La Mar Dubai’s interiors, meanwhile, are inspired by the design of a “fisherman’s wharf”.
The cevicheria also has branches in Lima, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Miami.
Estiatorio Milos
Greek chef Costas Spiliadis opened his famed Mediterranean restaurant in Montreal in 1979, and it now boasts outposts in New York, Athens, Las Vegas, Miami and London.
The sharing-style concept will focus on fresh seafood, grilled or baked in sea salt to concentrate on its natural flavours – a Milos signature.
A raw bar with wild Greek oysters, whole-fish sashimi and tartar aside, the restaurant’s signature dishes include the Milos Special, a tower of paper-thin, crispy fried courgette and aubergine slices over rich tzatziki and Kefalograviera cheese.
At Atlantis, The Royal, Estiatorio Milos will feature six-metre-high ceilings, Greek marble, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and an open-show kitchen, as well as rooftop seating.
Ariana’s Persian Kitchen
Iranian-American chef Ariana Bundy will debut her restaurant named after her cookery and travel series Ariana's Persian Kitchen.
From Caspian-style fillet kabab and rose-scented sea bass to Persian ice cream with saffron, pistachios and rose water, the restaurant will serve Persian classics with a twist on a garden terrace at Atlantis, the Royal, while a show kitchen and private dining room feature within.
Jaleo
Chef Jose Andres had a dream to introduce the flavours of his native Spain – from tapas to traditional cheeses – to the United States. In 1993, he opened the first Jaleo in Washington, followed by branches in Maryland, Virginia, Las Vegas and Florida.
The UAE’s first outpost will offer sharing-style small plates that combine authentic Spanish and local ingredients.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The experimental British chef is known for adapting food traditions that date back to the 1300s, a concept he will also bring to his Dubai arm at Atlantis, the Royal, at the end of this year.
The London and Melbourne branches of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, for example, features roast marrowbone (c1720), spiced squab pigeon (c1780), goats' milk cheesecake (c1390) and meat fruit (c1500), a chicken liver parfait dish that looks like an unpeeled mandarin.
The chef developed an interest in the history of food, particularly European medieval cuisine, after reading The Vivendier manuscript that details French recipes from the 1400s.
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
RESULTS
2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m. Winner: Masaali, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
2.30pm: Handicap Dh 76,000 (D) 1,400m. Winner: Almoreb, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
3pm: Handicap Dh 64,000 (D) 1,200m. Winner: Imprison, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m. Winner: Raahy, Adrie de Vries, Jaber Ramadhan.
4pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (D) 1,000m. Winner: Cross The Ocean, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
4.30pm: Handicap 64,000 (D) 1,950m. Winner: Sa’Ada, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash.
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
It's Monty Python's Crashing Rocket Circus
To the theme tune of the famous zany British comedy TV show, SpaceX has shown exactly what can go wrong when you try to land a rocket.
The two minute video posted on YouTube is a compilation of crashes and explosion as the company, created by billionaire Elon Musk, refined the technique of reusable space flight.
SpaceX is able to land its rockets on land once they have completed the first stage of their mission, and is able to resuse them multiple times - a first for space flight.
But as the video, How Not to Land an Orbital Rocket Booster, demonstrates, it was a case if you fail, try and try again.
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.”
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
