Food, fun, events and studios, these are our favourite things in the UAE right now…
Starting my Christmas shopping thanks to… Namshi
I’ve been panicked by my family group Whatsapp chats into starting my Christmas shopping, and in between picking up bits and pieces for all the important people in my life, I’ve treated myself to a little festive gift, and this is one that will keep giving all December long. The Namshi Ultimate Treasures Beauty Box is filled with mini-gifts all the way up to December 31, and the incredible box of goodies features beauty faves from brands such as Estee Lauder, MAC, Rodial, Rituals, Miu Miu, Stila, Origins and Benefit. Right now you can snap it up for just Dhs399. – Alice Holtham, Group Editor
Celebrating 250 years of an iconic brand at… The Solaire Lounge
If you’re heading to Dubai Design Week and its many brilliant exhibitions this weekend, be sure to enjoy a refreshing pit stop at The Solaire Lounge by Veuve Clicquot. It’s been created to celebrate the Maison’s 250th anniversary, which has also seen the brand relaunch some of its biggest icons, including the ice jacket, ice box and the mini fridge in collaboration with Smeg. These are all on display at The Solaire Lounge, and can be bought at Al Hamra Cellar, MMI – The Greens and online via Legal Home Delivery. The pop-up is open until 8pm tonight and from 12pm to 6pm on Saturday. You need to register for complimentary tickets here to access The Solaire Lounge.
Revisiting Dubai’s oldie but goodie… LPM
For the last 13 years, LPM has been a stellar spot on DIFC’s dining scene and this summer it briefly closed for a little refresh. Now reopen, guests can look out for an updated bar, new flooring and some eye-catching artwork. This week I popped down to remind myself of how it has stood the test of time all these years. The venue has retained its signature style but feels fresh and modern, but one of the things I love about LPM is how the food is consistently phenomenal, and this visit was no different. – Elise Kerr, Deputy Editor
Discovering the newest outpost of… Couqley
Couqley has long been a favourite for its affordable ladies’ night, indulgent comfort food and friendly service, so when we heard that the team would be opening a second outpost, we were excited. However, nothing prepared us for the pleasant surprise we felt upon entering the Business Bay venue. The new version is chic, sophisticated and oh so inviting, while still placing a focus on delicious food and warm hospitality. I already can’t wait to go back. – Elise Kerr, Deputy Editor
Getting all starry eyed at… The Abu Dhabi Michelin Guide reveal
Thursday night saw the announcement of which restaurants would be included in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Michelin Guide. And whilst we had a pretty good idea who might be join the constellation of global Stars, there were also some nice surprises. The capital is now a proud daddy to a guide containing the names of a truly magnifique 42 restaurants, with four venues receiving the Bib Gourmand ‘good food at moderate prices’ award and three of the city’s best places to eat, picked up what is probably the most important prize in world gastronomy, the coveted Michelin Star. You can find the full break down here, and whilst this haul represents an excellent launch pad, we’re sure the dining scene in Abu Dhabi will be doing everything possible, to step up the game for next year. For now though, we celebrate. – Miles Buckeridge, Senior Online Reporter
Enjoying some of Dubai’s best burgers at.. Good Burger
Ok, maybe this sounds a little dramatic but, discovering JLT’s prodigious pattie pop-up Good Burger, was genuinely one of the best things to happen to me in 2020. Look it was a pandemic year OK. Still I stand by it. The magic of Good Burger is in the detail. In building what is their own vision of the perfect burger, every element, every layer has earned its place. Elected through a rigorous testing process, spearheaded by two individuals blessed with an uncommon artistry for burgers. We love the unpretentiousness of their work, the mastery of those golden fundamentals – the quality, composition and grill skills put into the serving of their smashed patties; we gusto mucho the distinct absence of grease that comes with their sandwiches, especially given their well balanced fat content. Somehow they just keep that juice locked in. Sure the name is a bold flex, but it’s writing cheques its buns have no trouble cashing. – Miles Buckeridge, Senior Online Reporter
Shopping my heart out during the 11.11 sale on… amazon.ae
I won’t say I hate shopping, it’s just that it’s so time-consuming that I only really do it when I really (really…) need something. Most times I prefer to do it online which is why I am going to shop my heart out at the 11.11 sales today and over the weekend. There are a bunch of items that are on my list that I plan on adding to cart and I plan on getting some Christmas shopping done – which is the thing I am most excited for. – Aarti Saundalkar, Online Reporter
Building my delicious pasta lunch with… Pasta Broz
It takes me forever to decide on what I want to eat for lunch when ordering in, so I tend to jump from one restaurant/cuisine to the other before I finally find something that piques my interest. This week I discovered Pasta Broz – an Italian restaurant that allows you to build your own pasta bowl. You can pick your favourite pasta from tagliatelle to penne and even gnocchi, choose from 11 sauces, add in protein and vegetables plus your toppings. It comes piping hot and wow, is it delicious. – Aarti Saundalkar, Online Reporter
Enjoying a night filled with joie de vivre at…Bagatelle
It’s just so cool. Team What’s On nights out are always my fave and I’d probably be more than happy in a fish’n’chip shop. But last night, we were lucky enough to be hosted at the effortlessly chic fine-dining French restaurant, Bagatelle. The seemingly sophisticated atmosphere and high-end menu instantly impressed. We tried the tuna tartare with avocado puree, steak tartare, truffle pizza, and burrata au melon. The dishes were lovely. By dessert, the vibe was checked: lights were dimmed, music turned up, and waiters were dancing on the tables. Just like that, it was an epic party. – Tamara Wright, Online Reporter
Getting home quicker and greener with…Tier
If you live in Dubai, you will know that the sheer volume of traffic and busyness of the city recently is absurd. Despite trying to book/hunt down a taxi from Business Bay at non-peak hours on Thursday – half an hour later – I start to lose patience. Beside me a row of bright-turquoise electric scooters sit smugly. Needless to say, I hopped on (the bandwagon) and whizzed home in precisely 10 minutes and minus Dhs13 in the bank account. – Tamara Wright, Online Reporter
Getting my Greek on at… Avli by Tashas
This week has been a very eventful and flavour filled week, which started with a visit to Avli by tashas. Walking in I was in awe of how stunning the interiors are it’s modern, its chic and light. I absolutely loved the massive window and curved walls. As always, we had a sharing style lunch which consisted of immaculate food but the true standout to me was the Dakos salad, which was crunchy and light in all the right ways. For my favourite part of a meal – dessert – we shared a Baklava Sundae, and it was decadent but refreshing. The rose flavoured Turkish delight, combined with slivered pistachios and crunchy pastry, was perfectly paired and finished off the meal in such a delightful way. – Shelby Gee, Editorial Intern
Kicking back with a film and sushi from… Sumo Sushi & Bento
Last weekend was all about rest and recuperation after a very busy week, so I headed over to my besties house and we ordered in sushi from Sumo Sushi and watched The School for Good and Evil. I’d never had Sumo Sushi & Bento and was pleasantly surprised by how yummy takeaway sushi could be. We ordered a whole host of options but one that really stood out to me was the Samurai Sush Roll, the prawn tempura topped with salmon, avo and cream cheese made for a very pleasing bite. The film was surprisingly entertaining and had a lovely message about friendship always prevailing. – Shelby Gee Editorial Intern
Seizing the day on a… morning hike in Khorfakkan
Last Sunday I decided to break up my normal routine by going on a sunrise hike. My Aunty and I set off at 5am, making our way to the sleepy coastal town of Khorfakkan. We hiked for two hours, which included some leisurely water breaks and watching the gentle rise of the sun over the Arabian Gulf. With the cooler weather upon us, we enjoyed an alfresco breakfast after our mornings hard work, with copious coffee and a beautiful view over the coastal town.– Romy Hunt, Editorial Intern
Diving into a feast at… Streetery Food Hall JLT
I’ve been making my way around the restaurants in JLT recently, and I finally ticked off Streetery this week, which has been top of my list. This one-stop eatery is able to fix all your cravings, with a mixture of flavours from Thailand, Malaysia, China and more. My personal highlights were the sesame cucumber salad, Sichuan dumplings, paratha and Laksa noodle soup.– Romy Hunt, Editorial Intern
