Celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor needs no introduction. A food icon whose popularity and repute can be compared to the very launching pad that introduced him to the world, I have fond childhood memories of my mother tuning into his ‘Khana Khazana’ cookery show on the Zee TV Network. His ‘Shyam Savera’ recipe has become a party staple from my mother’s kitchen, and it is heartening to see he has branched out as a restauranteur in the foodie scene of Dubai.

I have dined at ‘Options by Sanjeev Kapoor’, and recently got invited to the fine-dining equivalent by the lovely Deepti Chandak from the Jive With Deepti blog. ‘Signature by Sanjeev Kapoor’ is located in Melia hotel, Bur Dubai and we were here for a sneak peek of the restaurant’s Iftar offerings.

I’ve been raving about my dinner at Siraj, the Emirati restaurant with a contemporary twist located in Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai. One of the decadent desserts I had the pleasure of tasting was their Luqaimat, a well loved Emirati delicacy of deep fried dumplings.

samosa recipe

Crisp on the outside and dreamily soft inside, with the delicious flavours of cream, sugar and cardamom kicking in with every mouthful, these delicious plump little pillows truly are hard to resist – in fact why resist at all?

We were invited to a mock-Iftar party at Al Khaimah last night. Located in one of Dubai’s oldest hotel establishments, Al Khaimah at the Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa is a spacious banquet hall that has been accentuated with beautiful Arabesque decor. The interiors look rather vintage, and have these gorgeous Aladdin lamps and Persian carpets displayed at every corner.

Al Khaimah Iftar at Arabian Courtyard and Spa (2)

Unlike many other hotels who have to revamp their space for that localized touch this Ramadan, Al Khaimah already has the much sought-after look and feel of the season.

Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, is scheduled to commence next week. With a plethora of Iftar options being offered around the city, Dubai diners are truly spoilt for choice. Fancy having an Iftar meal in the majestic surroundings of an Arabesque majlis? Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre is revamping the interiors of their Falcon Ballroom this Ramadan.Ā Enter the Layali Zaman Ramadan Majlis, and embrace the auspicious grace of the holy month.

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Ramadan, the holy month of fasting observed by Muslims the world over, is set to commence from the 6th of June this year. I love the charms of living in the UAE during this beautiful month. Office hours are shortened, malls are open till early dawn, and a whole list of enticing Iftar and Suhoor buffets make for the perfect excuse to catch up with friends and family over delicious, Arabesque meals.

Warwick Iftar Ramadan 2016 (2)

I was invited to an Iftar preview at Warwick Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road – Dubai. Bayty, the all-day dining restaurant at Warwick, gets a makeover reminiscent of the Arabian Nights. With festive Ramadan lanterns lit at every corner, the Arabesque setting boasts of an elaborate buffet featuring Mediterranean favorites.

I am a huge fan of Fume, the quirky neighbourhood eatery with dishes as innovative as their zany menu names. I’ve been to their branch in Pier 7 a number of times (click here to read my very first Fume post, and here for a recent family brunch post), and recently got invited for an Iftar preview at Fume, Manzil Downtown Dubai.

This was my very first visit to Fume, Manzil Downtown Dubai. This branch is on the ground floor of Manzil Downtown, and has a patio boasting of spectacular views of the Burj Khalifa. Two long tables were reserved for the media, and we had a lovely time dining alfresco, cooled by the cooing breeze of the giant heavy-duty fans in the background.

Given the eclectic nature of the brand, I was curious to see if Fume could pull off something as soberly traditional as Iftar. The restaurant has created a set menu for Iftar,Ā and although the dishes stay true to the traditional Arabesque flavours of the month, each and every treat has been given a signature ‘Fumastic’ twist.

Ramadan Table

I’ve been fortunate to have attended a number of Iftars this Ramadan, and it’s been pretty challenging keeping the weighing-scale in check!

Living in Dubai, foodies are truly blessed with the plethora of dining options and today’s post is a round-upĀ of some of the scrumptious Iftars I’ve had the pleasure of trying this past few weeks.

On Tuesday evening, we had a media invite for Iftar at Panorama Restaurant, Emirates Grand Hotel. Centrally located on Sheikh Zayed Road, the restaurant boasts of great views from the 43rd floor.

Image taken from the restaurant's website.
Image taken from the restaurant’s website.

This was my first time at Emirates Grand Hotel, and I was therefore unsure of what to expect. I read a review on Zomato where a contributor had given Panorama Restaurant a scoring of 4.5 out of 5 for being the perfect choice for an intimate, undisturbed date. However, as a media event, our Iftar was far from ‘intimate’ and every table was packed!