Category Archive: Food

Cafe Isan: Authentic Isan Thai Cuisine at JLT, Dubai

When asked what my favorite kind of cuisine is, Thai always tops the list. I love the delicate medley of exotic spices and the fiery heat of Thai chilies. Even at home, we eat predominantly Thai inspired dishes.

So imagine my excitement when I got invited to yet another Thai gem last week! Inaugurated earlier this year, Cafe Isan is tucked away in a quiet corner of JLT (Lakefront Icon 1 Building, Cluster M) right next to Chawlas 2. We have quite a few restaurants in the UAE that specialize in Thai cuisine, but what sets this newbie apart is that their recipes originate from the Isan region of Thailand.

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‘The Art of Brunch’ (Fountain Restaurant, Movenpick – Bur Dubai)

Fridays are brunch days. After a grueling week of work, its that day of the week when the entire household rises just before noon. By this hour, its too late for breakfast yet a little too early for lunch. Either do brunch at home (which usually consists of greasy plates of hash browns, runny eggs, sausage and a copious amount of red beans), or we head out for our cusp of a meal someplace new.

Brunching has made a permanent mark in the dining-out fabric of Dubai, and last weekend we were fortunate enough to be invited for ‘The Art of Brunch’ at none other than Movenpick Hotel, Bur Dubai. This establishment is one of Dubai’s oldest 5-star properties, and its old-world charm and very central location still attracts a varied mix of tourists all year round.

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Yet the majority of the guests at The Art of Brunch were local residents like us. We all like a chilled out Friday, and when we got there, the place was absolutely packed!

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An Elaborate Indian Dinner at 25 Degrees North (Bay Square, Dubai)

What have you been up to this long Eid weekend? We decided to hibernate on Day 1, dreading the holiday rush across the city. Surely every road, every mall and every restaurant must be overflowing with people now that everybody is back from the summer break?

Well I have great news for you! I’ve recently discovered the (not so secret) secret hang-out for foodies who, like me, detest the crowds. Ironically just a few parallel roads down from buzzing Dubai Mall itself, Bay Square is a hidden gem housing some of Dubai’s most affordable restaurants under one spacious complex itself.

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I was in Bay Square about a week ago, devouring really good Thai food at Fuchsia, and just a week later I was back yet again, this time for some amazingly affordable Indian at 25 Degrees North.

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Weekend Buffet at Silk Route (Arabian Courtyard & Spa)

“Silk Route was an ancient network of trade routes that for centuries were central to cultural interaction through regions of the Asian continent connecting the West and East from China to the Mediterranean Sea.” – Wikipedia.

These legendary routes, set ablaze by none other than Marco Polo himself, was probably the beginnings of the East blending into the West. Apart from the lucrative trade of besotted silks, the West got introduced to the magic of noodles (and the Italians unabashedly turned it into pasta!). It also took heady mix of spices from the subcontinent to far reaching places and local dishes. The story is fascinating! And what better name can an Asian restaurant ask for than to be christened Silk Route?

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Located in one of Dubai’s oldest hotels, Silk Route has built a reputation for its delicious fare of Chinese and Thai dishes, and if you are looking to go out for dinner with the family this long weekend, I have great news!

Weekend Bargain Dinner Alert! Every Thursday and Friday, Silk Route spreads out an elaborate ‘all you can eat’ buffet for as little as AED 99 per head (with soft-drinks) and AED 179 per head (with alcohol).

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Global Eats: Street Foods of Shillong (Meghalaya, India)

It’s been over a month since I got back from my whirlwind trip around North East India this summer. We spent most of the holidays in my husband’s hometown of Shillong (Meghalaya), and I am really missing the cooler weather, the lazy midday siestas and the food… oh the glorious street food!

Street foods of shillong The Tezzy Files Dubai Food Travel Lifestyle Blogger UAE India (2)

I believe the food offerings of a city are a direct reflection of the cultural norms of the region, and what better way to explore Shillong than to take to the streets and eat like the locals? Being a Shillong boy himself, my husband was my most trusty food-exploring guide.

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Fuchsia: An Absolute Must-Try for Urban Thai Cuisine

Hubby and I are ardent Thai cuisine lovers and thought we knew of every major Thai restaurant in Dubai. And then I get an invite for Fuchsia, Business Bay Dubai’s newest foodie hub. But it turns out Fuchsia isn’t new at all… their first branch in Barsha has rave ratings from regulars on Zomato, and it looks like we’ve been missing out on this ‘not so secret’ secret!

Fuchsia Dubai Thai Restaurant Business Bay Barsha Review by The Tezzy Files Dubai Food Blog Blogger Zomato (1)

Fuchsia is a family-owned business, conceptualized and created by a Pakistani father and daughter duo. They are already operational in Lahore and Karachi, and after their Dubai venture in Barsha turned out to be a major success, it was time to open a second door, this time in Business Bay.

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Carnival by Tresind: A Post-Modernist Take on Indian Favorites

The wait is over. The highly anticipated Carnival by Tresind is finally opening its doors at DIFC Dubai on Saturday 3rd September. After a long week of work, I was very excited about heading to Carnival. We received a media invite to try out a set menu, and like our undeniably favorite Indian restaurant Tresind, Carnival proved to be a magical jaw-dropping experience. The only bummer was that they haven’t obtained their liquor licence yet (this will be resolved by the time they officially open).

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Walking into Carnival by Tresind is like stepping into a fantasy world. Dimly lit yet festively spruced up with gilded trees branching out at every corner, a wall of masquerade masks and an impressively stylish bar area with a backlit feature wall of empty bottles, we were showered down with a welcoming burst of bubbles as soon as we took our seats at the table.

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Blue Sapphire Chinese Restaurant (JLT, Dubai)

Hidden in a quiet nook of Jumeirah Lake Towers I is a neon-blue lit restaurant serving up a smorgasbord of Indo-Chinese delicacies. Blue Sapphire is managed by the very debonair Mr. John, who like the cuisine of the restaurant, has an Indo-Chinese background. Chinese by ethnicity, Mr. John grew up in the Eastern Indian state of Calcutta and is now proudly heading the kitchen of Blue Sapphire.

Blue Sapphire Indo Chinese restaurant JLT Dubai review by The Tezzy Files UAE Food Blogger (1)

 

The glistening play of light on the vividly blue waters of JLT gave inspiration for the restaurant’s name, and apart from the stark blue lighting (which played havoc with my camera), the interiors are clean, simple and sparsely decorated with Chinese memorabilia.

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Kebab & Biryani Festival at Asha’s

Asha Bhosle is arguably one of the greatest living legends of India. Internationally acclaimed for her evergreen melodious voice, she has been awarded the iconic status of “Most Recorded Artiste in the World” in music history by none other than the Guinness Book of World Records itself. Asha’s impressively long list of accolades includes the BBC Lifetime Achievement Award (presented by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair) and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the Dubai Film Festival in 2014.

Asha's Wafi review Kebab and Biryani Festival by Bollywood singing queen Asha Bhosle autographed Dubai Food Blog The Tezzy Files (12)

Despite being a larger than life music sensation with fans spreading across a few generations, Asha Bhosle takes time off her busy schedule to perfect her skills in the kitchen. She has a profound love for cooking and entertaining her elite group of friends from the film fraternity, and with a special collection of unique recipes created by herself, the global chain of Asha’s restaurants was born.

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Introducing Kyo Cafe & Lounge (Golden Mile 1, The Palm Dubai)

Kyo translates to ‘entertainment’ in Japanese, and that is exactly what this stylishly chic new eatery on Golden Mile 1 (The Palm, Dubai) is setting up to do. Kyo Cafe & Lounge will open up to the public around 25th August, yet I had the privilege of being invited for a pre-menu tasting early this week.

Kyo Lounge and Bar Golden Mile The Palm Dubai Japanese restaurant review by The Tezzy Files Dubai Food nd Lifestyle Blogger (5)

Created and conceptualized by a highly enterprising Egyptian management, with a kitchen headed by a French chef, Kyo serves up an unabashedly authentic Japanese fare. Multi-cultural much?! Welcome to Dubai Habibi!

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