Joanna James
Although Dubai is best known as a shopper's paradise, the city is also a food lover's dream come true. Here are some of the top local dishes to sample during a getaway in Dubai.
This traditional Lebanese dish is consumed for breakfast in the metropolitan city. The crispy flatbread with a soft centre is usually topped off with a local cheese known as Akkawi and a plethora of herbs dipped in olive oil. The Za'atar herbs give the bread a special flavour while some locals are known to consume it with fried eggs or veggies.
Also known as Margoog, this iconic dish in the Emirati culinary cannon is a rich stew that uses tomatoes as its base ingredient. Enriched with a number of Arab flavours and spices, the dish also includes meat items including chicken. Served during the Iftar celebrations in the month of Ramadan, the dish is spicy in nature.
Khameer bread is sweetened with dates and is one of the best tea-time snacks to enjoy in Dubai. There are several variations of the dish which include meatballs and cheese stuffing. The best place to sample Khameer is at the Meraas shopping mall's Logma in Boxpark restaurant.
As one of the better-known staple dishes in Emirati cuisine, this tangy salad comprises of cucumber, tomatoes and onions which are topped off with lemon juice and some mint leaves. The starter dish is the perfect accompaniment to most meals and The Lebanese and Mediterranean Shababeek Gourmet is the best place in town to sample this salad apart from other fine dining restaurants in Dubai.
Another favourite during the Ramadan season, this special porridge is prepared in most households to end the fasting period for the Islamic holiday. The ground wheat soup also includes meat slices, ghee and requires hours of stove time to congeal and combine. Served at Al Jawareh Traditional Restaurant and similar venues near Avani Deira Dubai Hotel, the dish is a comfort food loved by most residents of the city.
The Levantine pastry is a sweet snack among locals that every visitors should sample during a visit. Kanafeh is made using strips of semolina dough which have been fried to perfection before being doused in sugar syrup. Garnished with pistachios the pastry also features layers of cheese and is served alongside clotted cream.
Arabic coffee or Gahwa is not only the envy of the world but also one of the best reasons to head down to Dubai in the first place. Synonymous with good hospitality, every guest who enters a UAE home is offered a cup of Gahwa according to custom. Scented with cardamom and cloves the bitter coffee is the ideal beverage for caffeine addicts.
When it comes to classic rich dishes to savour in Dubai, nothing comes close to the delicious Al Machboos. Prepared in massive clay pots with a host of ingredients including onions, meat, dried limes and an Arab spice mix, this family-style rich dish comes in seafood and chicken variations.
Comparable to doughnuts, Luqaimat is dumpling that's deep-fried and served with date sauce. Garnished with sesame seeds, it's usually consumed with a cup of coffee.
Camel milk is saltier than cow's milk but richer in proteins. Somewhat of a delicacy, the nutritious drink may not suit everyone's taste buds but is a delicacy all the same.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
