It started out with a Tweet that some deemed creative and others dubbed insanity - but it looks like the unlikely Weetabix and baked beans trend is here to stay.
After the “criminal” food pairing sent Twitter into a frenzy, numerous restaurants in the UAE started serving up their own versions of the dish.
Garden on 8 at Media One Hotel was one of the first to start serving a Baked Bean Weetabix combo, alongside a challenge: Those who ordered the dish, priced at Dh30, over the February 12 to 14 weekend, and managed to finish it, got a drink on the house.
The challenge turned out to be so popular that the restaurant extended it until the end of month. "It was such a good result, there were a lot of people doing it and posting it on social media," a spokesperson told The National.
Meanwhile, British venue Reform Social & Grill got creative too. Besides launching the “classic” Weetabix and beans combination, the restaurant has also introduced a Florentine Benedict Weetabix dish, which has proved to be even more popular than the basic version, according to its general manager Andrew Donald.
“Everyone loves beans, everyone loves Weetabix, we thought, why not?” says Donald. “Chef Yugal Kishor thought he could improve things a little bit, add his own twists here at Reform. The dishes are available for Dh40 each.
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A sous chef at Reform Social & Grill prepares baked beans with Weetabix. All pictures are courtesy Chris Whiteoak / The National -
The beans are first heated up. -
Then carefully spooned onto the popular British breakfast cereal. -
Sous Chef Usama Shah adds garnishing to the dish, which is priced at Dh40. -
British restaurant Reform Social and Grill will be serving the unusual food pairing throughout the month of February. -
General manager Andrew Donald of Reform Social & Grill says customers have been keen to try the dish. -
Reform Socal & Grill has also introduced a Florentine benedict Weetabix compination, which is proving to be more popular than the classic, according to Donald. -
Other Dubai restaurants to serve the dish include Ultra Brasserie and Garden on 8
“People have been keen to get involved,” he adds of the reaction. “Any excuse they can have to add a bit of humour at this time has been great, they sit down and have a bit of a laugh. ”
You can also find quirky Weetabix combinations over at Ultra Brasserie, another Gates Hospitality venue. The restaurant has introduced the baked beans and Weetabix dish for Dh28, a version with Vegemite and cheese for Dh28, and a third option with avocado and eggs for Dh42.
The dishes are all available until the end of February.
