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Food, fun, events and studios, these are our favourite things in the UAE right now…
Staying up past my bedtime at… Electric Pawn Shop
Dubai earns a new, vibey nightlife option with the opening of Electric Pawn Shop featuring cool music courtesy of co-owner and legendary local DJ Lobito Brigante. Located at the H Hotel, though accessed via an unassuming side door down an alley, its shtick is recreating a no-nonsense 70s-style dive bar from Chinatown, New York. Cool music, imaginative cocktails and retro design are where Electric Pawn Shop really shine. Mingle amongst the crowd, drink and dance through the night – you’ll have a great time. – Laura Coughlin, Head of Content
Eating messy burgers and shakes at… Black Tap Dubai
We’re all creatures of habit, but if you can bypass Black Tap’s regular menu for one week, it’s worth sinking your teeth into the Cadillac burger (Dhs149). It features a juicy piece of prime beef fillet steak customised with a rich, creamy truffle-mushroom sauce, piles of golden shredded crispy potatoes, spring onions, finely grated parmesan cheese, truffle aioli and a generous showering of fresh black truffle. In a word, it’s indulgent. But it comes with a potential trip to New York. For every person who orders off the Cadillac X Black Tap special menu, will be entered into a draw to win a trip to the Big Apple. Read here for more. – Laura Coughlin, Head of Content.
Tasting my way through a top menu at… Trèsind Studio
The impending arrival of the first Michelin Guide in Dubai might have a few of Dubai’s top culinary talents feeling the heat, but if that’s the case with chef Himanshu Saini, you couldn’t tell. His exquisite modern Indian menu, a 16-course discovery of flavours and influences from across India, is one of Dubai’s finest, which is why we awarded Trèsind Studio restaurant of the year at the What’s On Awards Dubai 2022. His new spot on the rooftop of Nakheel Mall has the same inviting intimacy and a fabulous show kitchen, with each course presented with impossible finesse. Go, ASAP. – Alice Holtham, Group Digital Editor
Pretending summer isn’t here at… White Beach
Each year as summer rolls around and the temperatures soar skywards you’ll mostly find me in the shallow end of Dubai’s coolest swimming pools, pretending like I’m not melting and willing it to be October again. One of the best spots I’ve found for this is White Beach, which offers instant on-holiday vibes with its gorgeous décor, swift service and a roster of some of the best resident DJs in the city. – Alice Holtham, Group Digital Editor
Soaking up the vibes at… Cool Runnings Party
There’s a new party spot in town, and last Sunday I went to check it out. Cool Runnings at 25hours Hotel One Central is the new pool party with major Caribbean vibes. There’s a live barbecue with jerk meats, pineapple skewers and empanadas; DJ Crown Prince and friends on the decks, and a crowd of Dubai’s trendy residents sitting poolside. What’s not to love? – Elise Kerr, Deputy Editor
Tasting unique creations at… Le Guepard
Le Guepard is a cool restaurant pop up in the space previously occupied by Inked. I headed to Alserkal Avenue this week to try its four-hands menu, which surprised me in so many ways. The space is industrial yet eccentric, with a large chandelier hanging from the warehouse roof, while the restaurant is surrounded by thick red curtains to create an intimate dining room. Throughout the night we tried unique dishes from ‘destructured’ egg with truffle to burnt leek draped over wild cod, each paired with a different tea with infusions from garlic to truffle. If you’re looking for something more adventurous for your next dinner date, check out Le Guepard. – Elise Kerr, Deputy Editor
Discovering more epic Abu Dhabi pizza at… Talea
There is so much incredible Italian food I could gush about at new Abu Dhabi restaurant Talea (in fact you can read the full gush report in our review), but it’s their contribution to Abu Dhabi’s bizarrely blossoming, Cowabunga-worthy pizza scene that I’m going to rattle on about here. Talea’s margherita (Dhs85) passes the pizza test with flying carbs. It’s all about the details, the authentic rustic tones of the base, the smoky char of the woodfire bake, the deep European tang of the tomato sauce, bold garden-fresh basil and characterful mozzarella. One of the capital’s best. – Miles Buckeridge, Senior Online Reporter
Skipping through the fractured fractal worlds of… Ted Chiang
About 10 years ago I read a collection of short stories by a man named Ted Chiang, the compilation was called Story of Your Life and Others (fun fact the — the movie Arrival was actually based on one of the stories in the book), recommended to me by a close and (book) trusted friend. I’d never experienced short-story telling like it, before nor have I since, sci-fi tales built from bewilderingly deep thought experiments, that leave you chewing over ideas and dilemmas long after you’ve put the book down. Over a decade later, Exhalation: Stories, is the long awaited, but absolutely worthy follow up collection — and after finishing it this week I got the honour of lending it to the friend who first sparked my interest in the first one. The loop is closed. Time to sleep. – Miles Buckeridge, Senior Online Reporter
Checking out the food at… Eunoia by Carine
I have a foodie confession: I’ve never eaten at a Chef Izu restaurant. So I was excited to finally visit one – the new Eunoia by Carine, no less – and see what I was missing out on. The sophisticated space is so bright, thanks to its floor to ceiling windows, but ditch the poolside view for an open kitchen view. Watch the chefs create French Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, which includes a sharing spread: crunchy carrot salad, a fluffy onion tart and a roasted chicken with olives, which was the right balance of crispy skin and soft meat. The waiter’s recommendations were spot on, as the simple dishes, which we would initially have overlooked, surprised us the most. So, not only can I now say I’ve eaten in a Chef Izu restaurant, but that I’ll be coming back for seconds. – Kohinoor Sahota, Online Reporter
Speed dating and wine tasting at… Drink This’ new event
Drink This is a monthly subscription service, which delivers a box of four carefully curated wines to your door. Our glasses were half full after attending its first Speed Dating and Wine Tasting at CMP Bar & Grill. I can confirm it’s better than swiping, people. The night is hosted by the talented duo, Emma Cronin and Sway Kumar, who are passionate about wine. We started off with a cocktail making ice breaker, followed by four sit-down dates, where a different glass accompanied a different date. Plus, the cards with conversation prompts meant you could avoid any tumbleweed moments. The next event is on July 28, so keep an eye on its Instagram for details. And, if you don’t fall for the dates, you’ll definitely fall for the wine. – Kohinoor Sahota, Online Reporter
Taking a break from my desk and lunching at… Certo
I rarely head out of the office for lunch, but my most visited spot is Certo in Radisson Blu Dubai Media City. They serve up great Italian grub and currently their new chef is perfecting and revamping the dishes on the menu. There’s a three-course business lunch for just Dhs120 or a two-course lunch for Dhs100. I’m also looking forward to revisiting their Friday night brunch as there’s cool live jazz music. – Aarti Saundalkar, Junior Online Reporter
Getting a whole lot of reading done at… Mohammed Bin Rashid Library
I used to read a lot as a child, then the hobby abruptly stopped and I found myself only reading when I was on vacation. Thankfully, I picked up the habit again during the pandemic and haven’t looked back since. And now since the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library has opened its doors so close to home, the passion has only been fuelled. The book-shaped building is packed with knowledge and they even have one entire section of one floor dedicated to my favourite genre – art history, so you’ll know where to find me. – Aarti Saundalkar, Junior Online Reporter
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