Food

Meridien Village Terrace: Friday Nights are ‘Latino Latino Nights’

I can sniff the weekend! Heading off to yet another Friday brunch tomorrow? Perhaps you just want to sleep in for a change, and head out for a chillaxed feast at a leisurely 8 pm or later? I was at the Meridien Village Terrace last Friday. With a lavish spread, flowing beverages and live music to boot, their Friday ‘Latino Latino Nights’ are just the place to be!

The UAE can finally boast of breezy-beautiful evenings, and what better way to spend a laid-back Friday with friends and family than under the stars?

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Ruya Dubai: Turkish Culinary Traditions with Fine Dining Panache

‘Ruya’ translates to ‘dream’, a very apt name for one of Dubai’s most anticipated new restaurants, located in the very luxe Grosvenor House (Marina Dubai). This very stylish new Turkish restaurant pays homage to the rich culinary history of the Anatolian region.

Headed by Chef Colin Clague who has some very reputed names under his belt (including the iconic Burj Al Arab, Jean Georges Dubai, Qbara and Zuma), the dishes here are as artistic as the venue itself.

The expansive interiors are done up with a great deal of panache. Dimly lit, suave and chic, the ambiance is all at once inviting and posh.  From the traditional oven to the Cag Kebap grill, and the beautifully intricate mosaic in spurts of turquoise, a few typically Turkish accents add a touch of the exotic to the space. Ruya is a restaurant, lounge and bar, and also features an open terrace, boasting of a very scenic view of the Dubai Marina.

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WIN a Diwali Dinner for Two at Antique Bazaar (Four Points by Sheraton, Bur Dubai)

I had the pleasure of trying out Antique Bazaar’s delicious lineup of treats for Diwali this week, and I want to give you, my dear reader, the chance to win a Diwali Dinner for 2!

Antique Bazaar 4 points by Sheraton Bur Dubai review of the Punjabi food festival by The Tezzy Files UAE food and lifestyle blogger (47)

Antique Bazaar’s special Diwali menu is going to be available to the public from 29th through to the 31st of October. Indulge in a traditional feast, complete with live Bollywood-style entertainment and a stunning ‘antique-style’ ambience to boot.

To win this special treat, all you have to do is:

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Diwali at Antique Bazaar (Four Points by Sheraton, Bur Dubai)

Diwali, the auspicious Indian ‘Festival of Lights’ celebrated by Hindus the world over, is scheduled for the 30th of this month. This festival signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair (Wikipedia). It is by far, one of the grandest celebrations on India’s social calendar.

However, you don’t have to book a ticket to India to celebrate… From 29th through to 31st October, Antique Bazaar (at Four Points by Sheraton – Bur Dubai) has created a tantalizing lineup of traditional Diwali treats, complete with live Bollywood entertainment to boot!

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Friday Garden Brunch at Kempinski Hotel Ajman

We are slowly but surely heading into alfresco dining weather, and what better way to spend an idle Friday afternoon than brunching in a garden setting, complete with views of the sea?

I had the pleasure of being invited for the First Year Anniversary of Kempinski Ajman’s Friday Garden Brunch last week, and had a lovely time mingling with like-minded foodies and sampling the elaborate spread, complete with stunning outdoor views and entertainment for little ones.

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Bulbuli Aunty’s Chocolate Velvet Cream Recipe

When visiting my husband’s hometown of Shillong, the very picturesque hill-station capital of Meghalaya (India), we always look forward to visiting our very talented aunt, Mrs. Nurara Hazarika. Fondly known as Bulbuli Aunty, her talents in the kitchen have turned her love for cooking and baking into a very profitable business.

Bulbuli Aunty’s dinner parties are always an elaborate feast, with a delicious array of dishes from all corners of the globe. Over the years, she has a steady flow of novice cooks, signing up for her cooking classes and these have now expanded beyond the borders of Shillong.

Today, she has very generously shared a special cake recipe with us. Simple as it looks stunning, Bulbuli Aunty’s Chocolate Velvet Cream Recipe is sure to impress even the most cynical of dinner guests!

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Clinton Street Baking Company Revisited

If you are looking out for an All-American style diner, Clinton Street Baking Company is the real deal. Conceptualized and created by a husband-wife duo in New York, the restaurant’s iconic blueberry pancakes have won the accolade of ‘best in the city’ by New York Magazine, twice in a row! However, they are not just about baking… I raved about their life-changing 15-hour smoked beef ribs here before, and I was recently invited back, a gap of nearly a year since my last visit.

The interiors haven’t changed much, but the lighting has been dimmed down for a more cozier ambiance for the evenings. The only downside with this is that my photography skills were greatly challenged with the lack of light!

Clinton Street Baking Company Dubai food review by Th Tezzy Files Dubai food blogger Ahlan Masala 2016 best blog vote uae american food american dining (6).JPG

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An Amicable Chat With Asha Bhosle: Bollywood Legend, Restaurateur, Chef

You don’t have to be Indian to know Asha Bhosle. With a career in Bollywood spanning over six decades, generations have grown up humming her melodious tunes. Her contribution to Indian music is legendary, but what many people may not be aware of is her flare for the kitchen.

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Despite a very busy career, Asha Bhosle finds respite in creating new dishes for her family and her elite circle of friends in the Bollywood fraternity.

Seeing how much her dishes were being appreciated, Asha Bhosle decided it was time the world got a taste of her cooking too and this is how Asha’s, her chain of Indian fine-dining restaurants have spread across the globe.

Today I have the immense pleasure of sharing an excerpt of my interview with the legend herself; Asha Bhosle! She has even been kind enough to share her recipe for Muscat Gosht with us. Read on for more.

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Manhattan Fish Market: The Big Fish from The Big Apple has finally landed in Dubai

Manhattan Fish Market is Dubai’s newest seafood chain to be imported from the United States. The restaurant concept may be new to our city, but it already has a huge fan following from across the globe, with more than 67 chains spread across Asia and the Middle East, including Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Oman, India, Bangladesh and Qatar.

Inspired by the fish markets of Fulton Street that served up the freshest catch of the day right under Manhattan’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Fish Market is a restaurant concept with over 180 years of history in the making!

Dubai’s very first branch is located in Festival City Mall, and I had the pleasure of trying out quite a few of their iconic, ‘fin-tastic’ dishes last week.

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Cocoa Kitchen: A Hint of Cocoa in Every Bite

Still wide-eyed with awe after our tour around the absolutely fascinating chocolate sculptures at Boutique Le Chocolat, we were invited in for a very hearty lineup of lunch at the adjacent Cocoa Kitchen.

Yet another innovative catering concept by the MERAAS group, the restaurant revolves around one simple mono-ingredient in every dish: cocoa. You find it here in every single course; from savory starters and mains, cocoa is not just reserved for dessert.

Walking into Cocoa Kitchen is like entering a secluded world of its own. The amber lighting enhances the cocoa vibes of the place, and the interior decor take inspiration from an old chocolate factory, complete with exposed industrial piping and an open-view kitchen right at the front.

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