Dubai’s culinary scene is a shifting, swirling cauldron of constant change.
Over the past few decades, restaurants by celebrity chefs have come and gone, home-grown concepts have made their mark, some beloved hidden joints have rebranded or shut shop. Meanwhile, Instagram has driven food trends, cloud kitchens have gained a foothold and influencer marketing has become a thing.
And while change is the only constant, there are some restaurants that have managed to stand the test of time. Here's what Dubai's golden oldies have learnt over the years to survive in a fickle landscape – and how they're using that knowledge to make it through the pandemic.
Al Ustad Special Kabab: low prices and good service
Ask anyone where to enjoy tender kebabs and saffron rice, and they will probably direct you towards Al Ustad Special Kabab. Launched by Mohammed Ali Ansari about 43 years ago, the restaurant in Al Fahidi area has racked up a loyal following over the years for its delectable Iranian cuisine and wallet-friendly prices.
But even with its enviable popularity – past customers include Bollywood actors and royalty – Abbas Ansari, son of Mohammed, says customer demands have changed drastically over the years, presenting some challenges.
“Back in the day, we had few cuisines. But the UAE has so many nationalities today and everyone brings their national food with them. Today, the sheer number of options is surprising. All you have to do is drive 20 minutes and you’ll find something new,” says the co-owner, who runs the restaurant along with his brothers, Majed and Taleb.
“Meanwhile, people expect more for less as the cost of living increases. In Dubai, you can fill your stomach for Dh8 or Dh800. With the new restaurants opening constantly, there’s plenty of choice.”
In this truly competitive market, Abbas says their secret to surviving is keeping business costs low behind the scenes, so customers can continue to enjoy wallet-friendly prices front-of-house. The home-grown restaurant manages to do so by getting discounts on suppliers through cash payments, and running business operations between them. To this day, the brothers take on the roles of public relations officer, supervisor and even deliveryman.
“We are carrying a legacy, which is why we never compromise on quality or raise prices – even if the costs are high,” says Abbas. The family even travel to Iran themselves to buy some of the spices they need for cooking.
“Service is another thing, second only to quality – no one wants a waiter in a bad mood.”
With the brothers working six-and-a-half days a week, Al Ustad Special Kabab runs like a well-oiled machine. But even they felt the pinch in 2020, when restaurants had to rely on delivery for survival.
“The restaurant is usually so busy, bustling and colourful, but during that phase, people were scared to dine in," says Abbas. "The only people that could be there were my brothers and our staff. There was nothing to do but look at the pictures on the walls and remember fond memories of the restaurant. At that point we realised that the beauty of our business did not lie in its legacy, but its customers."
It was money saved for a rainy day that helped the restaurant survive, which is why Abbas recommends all entrepreneurs keep emergency funds aside.
The dedication has paid off. With Dubai residents unable to travel much in 2020, well-loved restaurants saw business pick back up in the last quarter. This includes Al Ustad Special Kabab, where sales returned to 100 per cent, despite its limited seating.
True to form, Abbas is modest about this achievement. "It's the love from customers and God's blessing that has helped Al Ustad survive."
Casa Mia: building a solid foundation
Fine-dining Italian restaurants might be a dime a dozen in the UAE, but even in an oversaturated market, Casa Mia, at Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre, manages to stand out.
The trattoria-style joint recently marked its 27th anniversary, something Philip Hardie, complex assistant director of food and beverage, credits to its “simple, homely style”.
“Even now, in 2021, when everything is modern, chic and cool, and Instagram is the direction everyone’s heading, Casa Mia holds the right charm. It’s not the biggest of restaurants, but that’s part of the allure. It is cosy, intimate, something of a hidden gem.”
A visit to the restaurant might feel “like a warm hug”, according to Hardie, but it's taken great knowledge to survive in Dubai’s competitive environment.
It all comes down to the basics, says Hardie. “Dubai, as a city, is ever-progressing, ever-growing. The food industry is going to become more competitive. But once you are past that five or 10-year mark, you have a stronger hold on the market.
“As a restaurant, you need to play to your strengths. If you are known for a certain style, stay true to that.”
That isn’t to say that restaurants should not modernise or join the social media movement. “Once the basics are there, you can incorporate those added-value moments,” Hardie explains. “But if you constantly want to move with the times, you might lose what has been built over the past 25 years."
Once a restaurant has its “mission statement” down pat, hiring the right people is of utmost importance, he continues. “When you look after your employees and your customers, your business can be sustained for another 27 years. The people make the restaurant.”
Despite getting everything right, there will always be certain events that threaten to destroy everything. Hardie lists the 2008 financial crisis and the pandemic as examples. Like all other restaurants, Casa Mia was affected, but Hardie is taking it in his stride.
“This industry is very much about ups and downs. You have to remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You can’t sustain a legacy overnight. An economic crisis may rock the house, but it won’t fall down, if you have 25 years of groundwork and a strong foundation.
"It’s not going to be easy – it’s a quick and ever-changing market. But if it's a brand you believe in, everything will be good.”
Boardwalk: sailing with the times
Most residents know Dubai Creek Marina's boat-shaped restaurant well – it's part of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, which is a landmark in its own right (the shape of the clubhouse has even found its way on to the Dh20 note) – but few may know Boardwalk turns 26 in 2021.
It has certainly come a long way in that time, says food and beverage manager Pattabi Raman. “Boardwalk started as a small mini brasserie-gastropub for captains in the marina. It was a very small opening at that time. But as Dubai grew, we kept extending with it and adding new decks. Today, we are a seafood Mediterranean restaurant, more refined with our offerings.”
It is the restaurant's ability to keep moving with the times and trends that has helped it stay afloat, he says. "Twenty six years ago, hotel restaurants were a driving force, but then concept restaurants became a standard. We noticed that there was a strong push towards healthier food, which is why we introduced the seafood concept. We then went further by sustainably sourcing all our fishing products. We always cater to the market."
Being part of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and near Park Hyatt Dubai also helps, says Raman, as many people have booked staycations at the hotel over the past year and venture to nearby restaurants for a bite to eat.
The restaurant’s unusual shape and water views are designed to make residents feel as though they’re on holiday or on a cruise, which is another strong selling point as people have travelled less over the past year. “The location is something that has stayed the same – although there are a lot more skyscrapers in the view now,” he says.
For these reasons and more, the business “exceeded expectations” in the last quarter of 2020 – something Raman credits to the UAE’s government’s able handling of the pandemic.
“We had a lot of customers bring friends and family to remember the good times and relive memories from when they’ve been here before. We’ve had people who have met here for the first time, now they bring their children here. It’s such a wonderful feeling.”
LPM Restaurant: Innovating while staying true to one's roots
Staying classic while also moving with the times could seem like a mixed message. But Nicolas Budzynski, global operations director of LPM Restaurant & Bar, which marks its 10th anniversary in 2021, puts it in a simpler way: “Remaining consistent, while being innovative and adaptable, is key for the longevity of any restaurant."
He adds: “Restaurants here have carved an identity for themselves that sets a good foundation for everything else that they do."
LPM might be younger than other brands mentioned above, but it still happens to be one of Dubai’s most popular restaurants and, pandemic notwithstanding, is still growing. The restaurant is in the process of opening a sixth global location in Saudi Arabia.
"The pandemic affected everyone, especially those in the dining-out culture of the UAE – this is no secret," Budzynski says. But the team used this trying time to incorporate new measures. An example of this was its home deliveries, aimed at recreating the fine-dining experience at home.
“The pandemic opened a plethora of opportunities and made us challenge ourselves to ensure we consistently do better each day.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Start-up hopes to end Japan's love affair with cash
Across most of Asia, people pay for taxi rides, restaurant meals and merchandise with smartphone-readable barcodes — except in Japan, where cash still rules. Now, as the country’s biggest web companies race to dominate the payments market, one Tokyo-based startup says it has a fighting chance to win with its QR app.
Origami had a head start when it introduced a QR-code payment service in late 2015 and has since signed up fast-food chain KFC, Tokyo’s largest cab company Nihon Kotsu and convenience store operator Lawson. The company raised $66 million in September to expand nationwide and plans to more than double its staff of about 100 employees, says founder Yoshiki Yasui.
Origami is betting that stores, which until now relied on direct mail and email newsletters, will pay for the ability to reach customers on their smartphones. For example, a hair salon using Origami’s payment app would be able to send a message to past customers with a coupon for their next haircut.
Quick Response codes, the dotted squares that can be read by smartphone cameras, were invented in the 1990s by a unit of Toyota Motor to track automotive parts. But when the Japanese pioneered digital payments almost two decades ago with contactless cards for train fares, they chose the so-called near-field communications technology. The high cost of rolling out NFC payments, convenient ATMs and a culture where lost wallets are often returned have all been cited as reasons why cash remains king in the archipelago. In China, however, QR codes dominate.
Cashless payments, which includes credit cards, accounted for just 20 per cent of total consumer spending in Japan during 2016, compared with 60 per cent in China and 89 per cent in South Korea, according to a report by the Bank of Japan.
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.”
Planes grounded by coronavirus
British Airways: Cancels all direct flights to and from mainland China
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific: Cutting capacity to/from mainland China by 50 per cent from Jan. 30
Chicago-based United Airlines: Reducing flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong
Ai Seoul: Suspended all flights to China
Finnair: Suspending flights to Nanjing and Beijing Daxing until the end of March
Indonesia's Lion Air: Suspending all flights to China from February
South Korea's Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air and Jin Air: Suspend all flights
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Griselda
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Andr%C3%A9s%20Baiz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ESof%C3%ADa%20Vergara%2C%20Alberto%20Guerra%2C%20Juliana%20Aiden%20Martinez%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
The fake news generation
288,000 – the number of posts reported as hate speech that were deleted by Facebook globally each month in May and June this year
11% – the number of Americans who said they trusted the news they read on Snapchat as of June 2017, according to Statista. Over a quarter stated that they ‘rarely trusted’ the news they read on social media in general
31% - the number of young people in the US aged between 10 and 18 who said they had shared a news story online in the last six months that they later found out was wrong or inaccurate
63% - percentage of Arab nationals who said they get their news from social media every single day.
JERSEY INFO
Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%2060kW%20lithium-ion%20phosphate%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20Up%20to%20201bhp%3Cbr%3E0%20to%20100kph%3A%207.3%20seconds%3Cbr%3ERange%3A%20418km%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh149%2C900%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GOODBYE%20JULIA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohamed%20Kordofani%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiran%20Riak%2C%20Eiman%20Yousif%2C%20Nazar%20Goma%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TOURNAMENT INFO
Opening fixtures:
Friday, Oct 5
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers
Saturday, Oct 6
4pm: Nangarhar Leopards v Kandahar Knights
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Balkh Legends
Tickets
Tickets can be bought online at https://www.q-tickets.com/apl/eventlist and at the ticket office at the stadium.
TV info
The tournament will be broadcast live in the UAE on OSN Sports.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
