Something for the Weekend #7
Dubai’s steams towards winter, some big openings appear and I slipped off to the Himalayas.
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As our front door opened, a thick waft of humidity walloped me in the face. It’s the thump that comes from leaving the curated confines of air conditioning and venturing into the spectacles-steaming world outside. My neighbour’s terraced villa, only metres away from mine, rendered a hazy vision filtered through wisps of low-lying, ribbon-like mist.
We do not live in some bog or Tolkien shire. This is Dubai. This is September.
Winter Is Coming
These are the telltale signs that the oppressive, stupor-inducing heat is tipping towards those glorious months we laughably call winter as Dubai residents luxuriant al fresco in bars and restaurants.
Odin’s dog walks will be easier. Soon we will press boots and paws into the sands of Wadi Shawka.
Now, suddenly, the city sprung to life like an Attenborough time-lapse. These are the best times to visit the UAE and, if you don’t believe me, watch flights and hotel prices change dramatically after 30 September.
September happenings
I hit September running at full pelt. There’s a lot going on at work, plus some exciting new writing assignments and the usual punching through some dense, long-term projects. All good problems to have
This—plus childcare—restrains my ability to spend as much time as I would like sitting in restaurants (usually alone) perusing a menu and just getting a feel for the place. There are so many places I want to visit still.
It has not been all work. I did sneak out to Himachal Pradesh for the weekend which subscribers and followers all about below!
This is a mini-series meets photo video diary of my recent travels to Himachal Pradesh, but also a reflection on years of traveling to India.
There is a restaurant nestled within these Himalayan mountains that is the chatter of fine dining cognoscenti. It is NAAR. I went, I ate, drank wine, laughed and wrote about it on the flight back home. It’s one to watch. Read more about it below.
Michele Johnson of Pitfire Pizza and I caught up (finally!) at Maison Mathis where the escargot may feature in a little something that old Matt Broderick and I are working on. Coming soon where, like snails, such commentary can’t be rushed.
The very same Matt Broderick punched out a review of The Lana for EatGoSeethe week before it landed on the 2024 World’s 50 Best Hotels List. What timing! You can read more here about his plans to sweep his beloved Heather off her feet after 10 years of marriage.
I enjoyed a media preview of FZN by Björn Frantzén, opening at Atlantis the Palm on 8 November (just in time for a certain awards below). It was a beautifully calibrated evening of excellent food, service and sublime wine. Eyebrows were raised, questions asked, like…
Seoul Street Cafe is the re-branded Kaffe Bloom inside 1004 Gourmet in The Greens. Casual, easy Korean and Japanese offerings at ultra reasonable prices. Their cold brew coffee is one of Dubai’s best if you ask me. Also, get the shaved ice bowls.
Chez Wam is Chef Hadrien Villedieu’s love child that seeps through in pores of this laisser faire can’t-quite-define the cuisine restaurant that leans French with an Asian accent. Three of us arrived because their dessert menu out foxed other options on Palm Jumeirah, and they did not disappoint. Note: Chez Wam’s bar also makes a mean Manhattan.
Tasca eluded me for years. A smart, Portuguese restaurant under the wing of the talented Jose Avillez in Lisbon, Portugal. With 1 Michelin star and the beaming smile of Chef José Barroso, we brunched for a close friend’s birthday (Dubai brunch hits different). It broke a year long dry spell of brunching; moreover, it is in the conversation as one of the best brunches I’ve been to in Dubai. For transparency, our brunch was comp’d much to my surprise, but I would have gladly paid the AED650 for our mid-tier brunch package.
Wine of the Month
Unsurprisingly, FZN poured some very memorable bottles. A Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint Aubin Premier Cru Hommage a Marguerite 2019, a long French word for Burgundian Chardonnay. Complex, with lovely balanced oak, freshness, creamy texture and slight smoke. I was one of those “ABC” wine drinkers for years but a combination of making better choices and winemakers’ styles changing brings me back to Chardonnay, even the oaked stuff, from time to time.
News & Things on the horizon…
The Best Chefs 2024 Awards will be hosted in Dubai—the worst-kept secret. We heard rumours about this for a month, and the heavily weighted Dubai restaurant content in the run-up to the host announcement almost gave it away. Some of the world’s best and brightest chefs will descend on Dubai for a week or so.
There’s a raft of new menus out now after the summer season.
Avatara launched its new menu, RASAS 6 Tastes in Ayurveda menu, which promises to take Indian vegetarian fine dining to new heights. I have not tried the menu myself, but I am very keen to do so!
Tresind Studio also launched its Rising India new menu retaining some favourites and injecting new dishes into the mix. I am looking forward to trying it next week! (FYI, I wrote the forward for Tresind Studio’s menu).
DUO Gastrobar launched a new pairing menu including cocktails with ceviche and margaritas as well as scallops, rib eyes and cocktails.
Ossiano has a new 8-course tasting menu called Anchored which also comes with wine and non-alcoholic pairings. My friend
wrote about it below (and it sounds wonderful):Fusions Ceviche opened in Time Out Market, which is a GREAT opportunity for the wonderful chef Penelope to be in a prime Downtown location and showcase her wonderful Peruvian food. So happy for her.
Viva La Goa is a new lounge that’s opened in the One&Only Royal Mirage that *puts on glasses* is meant to be a blend of Portuguese and Indian influences. The drinks are made by Shefali, who I know makes a mean cocktail. Worth a date night me thinks.
The Lighthouse Restaurant and Bar is opening in Dubai Hills shortly. This is another iteration of a well-known, homegrown chain in Dubai. I will check this out as the food is usually good at The Lighthouse and it is NOT in DIFC (yay for that).
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What a busy month! I’ve blinked and it’s disappeared - but here’s to the more autumnal weather than October brings…
I don't think you could've done more in September if you tried! Avatara is on my (too long) list, and I have to agree - the team at Tasca showed up. I think the birthday boy brunch was one for the books.