Dubai's bustling Hessa Street is delivering a bite-sized taste of Beirut to the UAE's dining scene.
A cluster of Lebanese eateries have set up home in the area, serving up culinary comfort to the country's natives in the city, while also introducing their national cuisine to a whole new audience.
Lebanese citizens who have lived in Dubai for years regularly make the journey to the growing dining district near the Saudi German Hospital in Al Barsha for a generous helping of home-grown nostalgia and meals like their mother used to make.
For some, it is reminiscent of Hamra Street in Lebanon's capital, which boasts a popular strip of restaurants.
'I feel like I'm back in Beirut'
Qalat Baalbak, which has one of its three Dubai branches in Hessa Street, has all the right ingredients for Lebanese interior designer, Amin Riachy, 47.
“As soon as I step foot here, I feel nostalgic for the warm home I left,” he said.
“I feel like I’m visiting a restaurant on Beirut's streets.”
He speaks fondly of the mezzes and salads and the shawarma sandwiches, but it's about more than just the menu for him and many other customers hungry to rekindle happy memories.
“The first time I visited this place, I felt like I’m eating in a diner in Zalka or Beirut. When I eat tabbouleh here, I feel like my mother prepared it,” he said.
Ten meals a week for loyal diner
One long-time Dubai resident has made Qalat Baalbak a home from home, enjoying about 10 meals there each week.
The family feel is a big part of the appeal for Lebanese citizen, RN who has lived in Dubai for 22 years.
“I come down to this restaurant because I live nearby and because I love Lebanese food,” said RN, who asked to be referred to by his initials.
“It’s extremely healthy. I am diabetic so I cannot have junk, pasta, or Italian foods that are full of carbs.
"I come here very casual, on my bike, and the restaurant is reasonably priced. Most importantly, it feels like home here. I know everyone here. They are part of my family.”
While he has a well-established favourite eatery, RN is glad to see so many options for fans of Lebanese food.
“To a certain extent, Hessa Street is reminiscent of Hamra Street — which is full of life — but Hamra Street has a deeper cultural history beyond the food," he said.
"But yes, the fact that we have Barbar, Allo Beirut and Malek Al Tawouk brings a flair of Lebanon.”
Street food on Hessa Street
Renowned Lebanese street food restaurant Barbar opened its doors in Hessa Street last year.
Established in Beirut in 1979, it has risen from its humble beginnings as a bakery serving citizens during the country's civil war, which lasted from 1975 to 1990.
The Hessa Street branch serves up a host of staple dishes that are pulling in the crowds.
They include IT worker, Chris Chedid, 38, who often pops in for a bite on his way home to Dubai Hills.
“In Lebanon, we are used to a variety of restaurants, and I think that it is similar here,” he said.
“To me, Barbar is the ideal place if I’m looking for practicality, authenticity, affordability, quick service, and good-quality food.”
Going back in time
Allo Beirut, which opened in 2018, celebrates Lebanon's rich history.
The restaurant is adorned with vintage telephones and colourful graphic art covers its walls.
Sweet aromas drift in from the open kitchens, offering a reminder of the bustling street corner eateries populating Beirut.
The menu attracts not only Lebanese customers but people of all nationalities in the multicultural melting pot of Dubai.
It also has a wide variety of vegan dishes, including warak enab, tabbouleh, fattouch, falafel and the much-loved manakeesh.
Helping pave the way
Charbel Khalil, operating manager at Qalat Baalbak, said it was the first restaurant to open in the area, about six years ago.
The venue continues to be in high demand, so much so that it recently expanded its dining space.
“To accommodate the heavy footfall and reduce long queues outside, it was crucial to expand.” Mr Khalil said.
Diners walking through its doors, are transported to Beirut. Walls are decorated with pictures of famous Lebanese singers and of cedar trees and the country's Baalbek Roman ruins.
Classic music from Lebanese legends serenades guests savouring a taste of tradition.
For a flavourful slice of Lebanese life, Hessa Street is set to remain high on the menu of food fans in Dubai and beyond.
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UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
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- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?
The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.
Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.
New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.
“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.
The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.
The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.
Bloomberg
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Grubtech
Founders: Mohamed Al Fayed and Mohammed Hammedi
Launched: October 2019
Employees: 50
Financing stage: Seed round (raised $2 million)
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
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