Something for the Weekend #22
Market Island openings. The Italian Project *deep sigh*. UAE levels up with Michelin Key properties. This Week’s Eats, Writes and Reads. So sit back & enjoy a little Something for the Weekend.
New Mexican and Filipino openings in Market Island!
I ventured over to Market Island for a quick walk around: the self-proclaimed largest food hall in the Middle East with 50 different vendors under one roof. There are many familiar names here, but a few spoke to me.
Tacos Camino by chef Shaw Lash, the hands behind Lila Taqueria, Lila Molino and more. Think tacos, tortas and much more.
Kooya Filipino Eatery by Chef Jay left Dubai Marina to set up shop here. The short menu of must-try Filipino dishes. It should be a first entry point for those unfamiliar with Filipino food. Order the chicken wings; they are probably my favourites in Dubai.
John Dory Seafood Bar looks very promising with oysters, King crab croquettes and some interesting-looking main courses like tuna osso buco, and much more available. I bought Cantabrian anchovies to eat at home (yum!).
I hear the licensed champagne bar (with a view of the creek) will open shortly. Diners may take food into the licensed area, or one of the Market’s porters will collect and bring it for you. How Dubai!
Wawe for their cold brew (35 dhs) and the team’s GSOH.
Scarlet’s German Bakery for soft whole loaves like the Rye I took away.
Gelato ado for their small 16 DHS cups, we bought the pistachio.
I hear some vendor deals may be falling through, but go and support your favourite local restaurant. Mint Leaf and others set up offshoots of their main restaurants here. It remains to be seen if Market Island will thrive, but there is a lot of choice here for people.
The Italian Project, it’s not great news…
Last week, we learned that the steel beams under the kitchen and that side of the house were in a desperate state of deterioration.
This week revealed the true horror.
The outcome is that we need to entirely replace the steel beams between the ground floor and the basement. There are options, but the costs, time, materials and work are all TBC.
The real casualty is that we will lose the brick barrel vault in this part of the basement, which is devastating news because it is such a striking and important design feature in the basement.
Wish us luck 🍀
Writing.
I published a restaurant review about Calicut Paragon, resulting in a healthy discussion in the comments. I do enjoy the back-and-forth conversation with people below the line, so always feel free to throw your two cents in. You cannot be in this business of writing your opinion about places if you cannot take an opinion.
If you’re interested, read Calicut Paragon, Dubai: restaurant review.
MOOD.
The BEST thing I saw all week.
“A Look Inside” and the UAE comes up trumps with Michelin Keys!
Earlier this year, I launched “A Look Inside” on EatGoSee for unique, boutique or luxury stays.
These are not reviews. They are spotlights on standout properties.
The Michelin Keys
This week, Michelin further expanded its global Key programme, awarding Keys to two properties on A Look Inside, courtesy Matt Broderick, The Lana Dubai and Rosewood Abu Dhabi.
For context, Michelin introduced the Key awards in April 2024 as a parallel distinction for hotels—akin to its Michelin stars for restaurants.
They are granted in three tiers (One, Two or Three Keys) following anonymous inspections based on five ‘key’ criteria: architecture/design, service quality & consistency, character, value for price, and the property’s contribution to its locale or guest experience.
The purpose, according to Michelin, is to offer travellers a clear, trustworthy benchmark for exceptional hotel stays, elevate hospitality standards and fill a gap in rating accommodation within the Michelin Guide.
Personally, I doubt the Keys have matured to a stage where travellers treat it as a North Star for decision-making.
No one has ever described a hotel to me in casual conversation as being a “three Key hotel” in the same casual breath as they would say a three-star restaurant. Give it time, perhaps.
That said, both Dubai and Abu Dhabi fared well, with Dubai outpacing Abu Dhabi (expected).
Three Keys: one hotel in Dubai, Atlantis the Royal
Two Keys: four hotels, Burj Al Arab, One&Only The Palm, the Bvlgari Resort and the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Abu Dhabi
One Key: 15 properties, including The Lana in Dubai and the Rosewood Abu Dhabi.
Great Substack Reads.
Normal London Bloke writes about the scourge of food influencers with brilliance.
Sanjay Varman’s return with There and Back Again.
Late Filing’s piece about what a prominent divorce lawyer wants you to know.
The Usuals.
You can find out more about me here, together with my Substack page.
Flick through my Dubai Restaurant Guide here.
Find weekend inspo in one of Dubai’s best breakfast spots.
Visit the best spots in Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Dubai Hills, two Dubai dining IYKYK hotspots IMO.
Some of world’s great dining spaces.
Find me on Substack, Threads, Instagram, BlueSky or Facebook.
Liam is a restaurant critic, food and travel writer based in the Middle East. He owns EatGoSee and contributes to other publications.
Man, I miss that bathroom view of the Burj Khalifa (from The Lana). *Checks diary for special occasions coming up as a reason to stay there
I am looking forward to trying Market Island but am quite close to saying "no more food halls, please". I don't think the USP of the food halls appeals to me. I prefer intimacy, dedicated service, and knowing what I want to eat. The food hall concept is one that I tolerate, rather than enjoy.
If you ever make it to the island again, give me a holler - I would love to join you. So far it has been rather underwhelming, perhaps Kooya, Al Naqa and the taco joints make an impact. Thanks for the mention!!