A dish from Catfish of grilled peri-peri chicken, plantain, cherry tomatoes, salad and jollof rice with pineapple sriracha dressing.
A dish from Catfish of grilled peri-peri chicken, plantain, cherry tomatoes, salad and jollof rice with pineapple sriracha dressing.
A dish from Catfish of grilled peri-peri chicken, plantain, cherry tomatoes, salad and jollof rice with pineapple sriracha dressing.
A dish from Catfish of grilled peri-peri chicken, plantain, cherry tomatoes, salad and jollof rice with pineapple sriracha dressing.

Three amazing African restaurants to try in the UAE


Katy Gillett
  • English
  • Arabic

From shiro with injera bread to Nigerian-style efo riro, you don't have to look far for a taste of Africa in the UAE, thanks to the vast diaspora living here. These are three of our favourite restaurants serving up an eclectic mix of cuisine from the East to the West of the continent.

Kiza

The efo riro at Kiza is a spicy spinach and goat stew. Reem Mohammed / The National
The efo riro at Kiza is a spicy spinach and goat stew. Reem Mohammed / The National

This DIFC restaurant offers a unique upmarket dining experience in Dubai, with pan-African dishes on the menu, from Nigerian to Cameroonian and all sorts of West African additions. There are South African options, too.

Try East African Wataalamu soup, Kenyan nyama choma or Tanzinian pilau – to name a few. For the dessert, there's West African puff puff, Southern African malva pudding and East African mandazi.

It's not just about the food here; everything from the decor to the music played is infused with African spirit.

Catfish

Gbemi Giwa, owner of Catfish and newly opened The Gbemi's Kitchen
Gbemi Giwa, owner of Catfish and newly opened The Gbemi's Kitchen

Gbemi Giwa, who hails from western Nigeria, is the creative driving force behind Catfish. The Dubai restaurant, which has gathered a loyal clientele since it opened last year, showcases West African food in a holistic way, using modern cooking and wellness techniques to produce a menu free of gluten, genetically modified ingredients, dairy and refined sugar.

She’s also opened another African concept in JLT, Dubai called The Gbemi’s Kitchen. This one offers urban soul food and a menu full of Western African favourites, including jollof, eguisi and suya.

Bonna Annee

A plate of Ethiopian food from Bonna Annee, Abu Dhabi. Vidhyaa for The National
A plate of Ethiopian food from Bonna Annee, Abu Dhabi. Vidhyaa for The National

Authentic Ethiopian food is served at the two branches of this small family-run eatery in Abu Dhabi’s Tourist Club Area and Deira, Dubai, which long-term residents regularly cite as the best of its kind in the country.

Bonna Annee is a casual, budget-friendly spot with a firm fan following. It has a menu that spans the East African nation’s cuisine.

Expect meat and vegetable-based stews, tibs, shiro and plenty of injera, a high-protein, low-carbohydrate bread made of teff flour that comes with pretty much everything.

www.facebook.com/bonnaanne

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Read more:

Five Emirati restaurants to try in the UAE

12 vegan-friendly restaurants to try in Abu Dhabi

Where to eat in Umm Suqeim, Dubai: plus things to do and the best place to stay

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Profile of Bitex UAE

Date of launch: November 2018

Founder: Monark Modi

Based: Business Bay, Dubai

Sector: Financial services

Size: Eight employees

Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings

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The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

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Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

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Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

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Price: From Dh590,000

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Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

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Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

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While you're here
The biog

Name: Capt Shadia Khasif

Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police

Family: Five sons and three daughters

The first female investigator in Hatta.

Role Model: Father

She believes that there is a solution to every problem

 

Results:

5pm: Baynunah Conditions (UAE bred) Dh80,000 1,400m.

Winner: Al Tiryaq, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Abdullah Al Hammadi (trainer).

5.30pm: Al Zahra Handicap (rated 0-45) Dh 80,000 1,400m:

Winner: Fahadd, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.

6pm: Al Ras Al Akhdar Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m.

Winner: Jaahiz, Jesus Rosales, Eric Lemartinel.

6.30pm: Al Reem Island Handicap Dh90,000 1,600m.

Winner: AF Al Jahed, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel.

7pm: Al Khubairah Handicap (TB) 100,000 2,200m.

Winner: Empoli, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.

7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh80,000 2,200m.

Winner: Shivan OA, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

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Expert input

If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?

“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett

“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche

“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox

“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite

 “I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy

“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

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LIST OF INVITEES

Shergo Kurdi (am) 
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris

UAE squad

Men's draw: Victor Scvortov and Khalifa Al Hosani, (both 73 kilograms), Sergiu Toma and Mihail Marchitan (90kg), Ivan Remarenco (100kg), Ahmed Al Naqbi (60kg), Musabah Al Shamsi and Ahmed Al Hosani (66kg)

Women’s draw: Maitha Al Neyadi (57kg)