As a true blue foodie, I relish the adventure of discovering new places to eat, and my walkathon across The Dubai Mall last weekend was no exception.
The Dubai Mall, for those of you not familiar with the UAE, has been listed under the Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest number of retailers under one roof. You can therefore imagine the size of the place… its humongous! And its a great place to window-shop and burn them calories while you’re at it!
I was invited to the grand opening of Cafe Barbera at Uptown Mirdiff Mall (Dubai) last Saturday. Originating from Trentola Ducenta in South Italy, Cafe Barbera started its humble beginnings in 1870 where the Barbera family sold coffee out of a car.
Today, Cafe Barbera has over 53 outlets across the globe, and has a devoted fan following from coffee addicts who want the real Italian deal.
Last Friday saw us craving for some good, authentic Arabic grub and the first place that came to mind was Pharaoh Cafe & Restaurant, the newest addition to the restaurant offerings at Arabian Courtyard & Spa, Dubai.
We were invited to the launch of the restaurant, and were totally in awe of the stunning Egyptian-themed ambiance overlooking the Dubai Museum. If you missed my earlier post, please do have a browse of how gorgeous this restaurant looks by clicking here.
I was invited to the annual Lafayette Gourmet Food Fest 2015 that was held last Thursday, and the event was populated with the media, UAE food bloggers, and food enthusiasts.
The 3-day fest is on its fourth year running, and is being held at Galeries Lafayette, The Dubai Mall. It runs from Thursday 17th September to Saturday 19th September, and is loaded with exciting tastings, foodie workshops, and entertainment for the entire family.
The event was hosted by local and internationally renowned chefs, and I had the pleasure of tasting some gourmet dishes from around the globe. This post is a photographic tour of my experience.
Little Manila is a ‘first of its kind’ Filipino themed restaurant in Dubai, and is the global conglomerate, Al Ahli Group’s first venture into the food industry.
The restaurant has officially started business from this Monday 14th September, and I had the pleasure of being invited to the media event on Saturday.
Per Te or ‘for you‘ in Italian, has to be my favorite place for Italian food in Dubai. I raved about our dinner at their Jumeirah branch here, and also shared a few recipes by the talented Chef Glady of Per Te with you (try out his Wild Mushroom Risotto with Truffles or his super simple, yet elegant Almond Crusted Lamb Chops). So when I got an invite to visit their second branch in Business Bay, I was more than happy to oblige!
At just over a week old, Per Te is the latest addition to the row of restaurants on the Ground Floor of the Bay Avenue building in Business Bay. And when we got there for lunch last Friday, it was also the busiest! To avoid disappointment, I would recommend reserving a table (call 04 4371685).
Last Thursday saw us in Al Ain. For my day job, I put on the marketing hat for a retail giant here in the UAE, and we will be opening our very first store in Remal Mall this month.
Remal Mall is the newest addition to the mall scene in Al Ain, and is strategically located in the populated residential area of Al Sanaiya. So far only 30% of the mall is operational, and the management plan to have it up in full swing by the end of this year.
The mall has a distinctively Arabesque architecture, and after my meeting with the management, I discovered the perfect place to sit down and relax: the food-court on the topmost floor leads to the roof of the mall, and has a number of cushy seats for idly enjoying the evening breeze. I can envision this space being taken over by a shisha lounge in the near future!
You met the sauve Chef Richard of Max restaurant on The Tezzy Files earlier. Today, he has kindly agreed to share one of his favorite authentically Filipino recipes with us: Nilagang Baka sa Buko.
This is a slow-cooked beef short-ribs broth with buko (or young coconut) juice. A decadent comfort food that’s so easy to make, I hope you will give this recipe a try.
Much has changed in Palmerston North, the little township of New Zealand I fondly call home. The bustling Broadway Ave is a ghost of its former self with big retail giants like Farmers moving into the grotesquely expanding mall, The Plaza. About a decade ago, the city center of Palmerston North spread beyond The Plaza, and I quite miss the charm of walking about town for my weekly dose of retail therapy.
Although the town looks shuffled with old favorites gone, and newbies playing trumps with bigger, brighter and newer signage, a few of my favorite foodie haunts have managed to survive the tests of time.
Here are 3 must-try places for foodies visiting Palmerston North:
Yay its Thursday! I can sniff the weekend!
Stuck for ideas on how to spend your Thursday evening? How about a sip of wine over a tantalizing box of gourmet seafood?
Priced at a mere AED 150 per person, Stage 2 at Vida Downtown Dubai is your Thursday evening wish answered.
The Tezzy Files 