What's cooking in the UAE food scene: dishes inspired by art and a new Jones the Grocer in Dubai

Plus, children eat for free at The Galleria Al Maryah Island and there's a new maritime-inspired restaurant in Ras Al Khaimah

From new openings and special dishes to updated menus, here's what is new in the UAE's food scene this week.

Trattoria launches limited-time artistic dishes

The Italian restaurant at Souk Madinat Jumeirah will serve two dishes per week, until Saturday, November 28, inspired by the artists showcased at Dubai’s newly opened Theatre of Digital Art.

This week, guests can dig into the Van Gogh (Dh65), a dish of potato millefoglie with veal bacon, onion petals and sour cream, available until Saturday, October 31. The team has created a sunflower design with the potatoes and onions to pay tribute to the artist's famous painting series. Also on offer until Saturday is the Wassily Kandinsky (Dh30) a strawberry panna cotta, inspired by Kandinsky's Squares with Concentric Circles.

Georges Seurat (Dh60) is a vegetable tart with Gorgonzola cheese sauce, inspired by the painting Farm Women at Work. It will be available from Sunday to Saturday, November 1 to November 7.

Also available that week is the Robert Delaunay (Dh70), a beef carpaccio with root vegetables and Parmesan fondue, plated to mimic Delaunay’s strong colours and geometric shapes.

From Sunday to Saturday, November 8 to November 14, feast on the Edvard Munch (Dh95) Italian salted cod with black squid ink and red and yellow bell peppers. The colours of the dish are reminiscent of the sunset in Munch's famous painting The Scream. The Juan Gris (Dh80) risotto, cooked in whey and dry spices, is an ode to Gris's Cubist style.

Between Sunday to Saturday, November 15 to November 21, sample the Paul Klee (Dh80), a dish of tuna tataki with squid ink, tomato coulis and yellow bell pepper, the vibrant colours of which mimic Klee's artworks, which were influenced by Expressionism, Cubism and Surrealism. Also available that week is the Claude Monet (Dh40), a green pea veloute with a soft-boiled egg and herb salad, inspired by The Luncheon, Monet's painting featuring a family lunch scene.

Children eat for free at The Galleria Al Maryah Island

The mall in Abu Dhabi has brought back its Kids Eat Free campaign starting this week, with more than 20 restaurants and dessert parlours offering a complimentary meal for children upon the purchase of every adult meal.

The offer is valid from Sunday to Thursday at outlets including La Brioche, Blaze Pizza, Taqado, Nolu’s, Eat Greek, Bombay Canteen, Royal Orchid, Sushi Art, Tortilla, Biryani Pot, LPM Restaurant & Bar, Raising Cane’s and Charley’s.

To further sweeten the deal, families can also get a free dessert with a regular menu item from Wonderbee, Joga, Loca, Shake Shack, Pinkberry, Coffee Hat and Maison Samira Maatouk.

Jones the Grocer is coming to West Palm Beach

Jones the Grocer will throw open the doors to its first waterfront, pet-friendly cafe on Dubai’s latest beachfront promenade, West Palm Beach, Palm Jumeirah, next month.

The space is strewn with beanbags, and also features a wood-fired oven, beach bar, pastry and sandwich counter, and cheese and charcuterie walls.

Known for its fresh flavours and artisanal ingredients, Jones at the Palm will serve what it calls “sunshine food” – from wood-fired peri peri octopus and Fraser Island spanner crab sliders to delicious surf and turf options. Plus signature dishes such as Wagyu burger, garlic and chilli linguine and chargrilled chicken harissa.

Rosewood Abu Dhabi introduces Wood & Fire menu

Cashing in on the cooler weather, Rosewood Abu Dhabi has launched a Wood & Fire dining experience at its open-air restaurant Glo. Chef Jaka Akbary and his team will use firewood, and American and Komodo pressure grills to cook the a la carte menu that features smoky flavours and dishes such as Jimbaran-style red snapper, lamb rump, short rib, lobster and a 12-hour-smoked beef brisket. The dining space will be connected to the cold preparation bar, where chefs will also shuck oysters, prepare fresh lobster and whip up salads.

Maritime-inspired restaurant opens in Ras Al Khaimah

Nautical-themed venue Anchor Brew & Grill has set up sail at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Ras Al Khaimah.

The upscale sports bar features exposed brick walls, cosy booths, television screens playing sports and a games area with dart boards, and foosball and pool tables.

On the menu is gastropub fare, such as signature ribs prepared in a wood-burning stove and paired with home-made sauces, Buffalo wings, nachos, fish ‘n’ chips and steak. To celebrate its launch, diners will get a 50 per cent discount on the bill until Saturday, October 31.