London's Little Viet Kitchen chef comes to Abu Dhabi and other food news

Plus: Romana menu at Trattoria Toscana; the Long Breakfast at Mina's Kitchen; free food at Todd English; and seafood market at BFF

A dish by Vietnamese chef chef Thuy Pham. Photo: David Loftus 

The Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri restaurant has invited chef Thuy Pham, co-founder of London’s The Little Viet Kitchen, to a three-day pop-up event dedicated to Vietnamese cuisine, starting Thursday, September 26. The set menu costs Dh448 (food only) and will showcase the flavours and dishes that Pham and her mum – who will be in the kitchen alongside her – are known for. These include: passion fruit sea bass ceviche (with sweet basil and perilla leaves), pho-spiced duck and watermelon tamarind salad, king prawn rice rolls (drizzled with fish sauce), beef pho broth with six cuts of meat and Vietnamese doughnuts.

Limited-edition pizza menu at Trattoria Toscana

If crispy Roman-style crusts suit your taste, head to the Italian eatery at Souk Madinat Jumeirah this month. Trattoria Toscana has a Romana menu until Thursday, September 26, priced between Dh65 and Dh75 (its regular oven-baked pies range from Dh80 to Dh120). On the limited-edition menu are: pizza Romana alla Caprese with fresh datterino tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil and oregano; pizza Romana quattro stagioni with turkey ham, artichoke, mushroom and black olives; and pizza Romana al salmone with rocket leaves, marinated salmon, smoked burrata and lemon. “Personally, I think the Romana pizzas are the perfect starter before tucking into a hearty Italian feast,” is how restaurant’s chef Giorgio puts it.

Mina’s Kitchen serves The Long Breakfast every Saturday

If breakfast is your favourite meal of the day, head to new restaurant Mina’s Kitchen at the Westin Mina Seyahi on Saturdays from 11am to 3pm.The four-hour Long Breakfast, aka blunch, serves everything from the full English and towers of pancakes to overnight oats with toasted pecans and cedar cinnamon honey and organic cold-pressed juices. Also on the menu are: current breakfast staple smashed avocado and poached egg; star ingredient of the moment: cauliflower, in roasted hummus form served with grilled pita and raw vegetables; and a unique sourdough concoction with cottage cheese, blueberries, organic honeycomb and flaxseeds.

Children eat free at Todd English Food Hall

Long summer breaks often spell sparse larders and hastily assembled lunchboxes, which is why Todd English Food Hall has a sweet back-to-school deal for parents. Until Monday, September 30, and for every main course you order at The Dubai Mall branch, one child below the age of 12 can eat for free. The menu is extensive, and takes in cuisines including Asian, Arabic, Afghan and Italian.

Saturday seafood market at BFF

“Are you crazy for crab, mad about mussels, love lobster or just a fish fanatic?” It’s a catchy call for seafood lovers, who can now head to the Saturday market at BFF, located in Dubai’s Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate, from 1pm to 8pm.

The venue has follows a pay-as-you-go format, and offers oysters, chilled and grilled lobster, shrimp, crab, mussels and clams, with side dishes and sauces. Al la carte option include a range of shellfish, and seabass, seabream, salmon and hammour dishes served chilled, steamed with soy, ginger and onion, or grilled in oregano or spicy masalas. Prices start from Dh12 a pop for the oysters and Dh55 for the fish dishes.