Book that personal trainer now: February is set to be a belly-buster with the launch of Dubai Restaurant Week, where you can get a three-course meal at some of Dubai’s top eateries for Dh189.
That means you can eat at the likes of Gordon Ramsay’s new restaurant at Atlantis, Bread Street Kitchen; our favourite new steakhouse, The Hide; or top-rated fine-dining Indian restaurants Junoon and Rang Mahal, for a fraction of what you’d normally pay. The meals, served from February 25 to March 5, are in a set menu format.
The event runs for 10 days (yep, we know that’s not quite a week) at 30 outlets; the others are Alta Badia, Ashiana by Vineet, Atelier M, Boca, Cafe Belge, Fogueira, Fume, Garden, Hoi An, Junoon, JW’s Steakhouse, Kiku, Mint Leaf of London, Okku, Pai Thai, Positano, Qbara, Rivington Grill, Sea Fu, Seven Sands, Social By Heinz Beck, The Croft, The Ivy, Thiptara, Vivaldi by Alfredo Russo, Yuan and Zheng He’s.
Laila Mohammad Suhail, CEO of festival organisers Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), recommends booking early. “Restaurant Week is a global phenomenon that is celebrated in the best cities across the world,” she says. “As the region’s leading food festival, we cannot wait to introduce the concept to Dubai in 2016. The city’s residents, foodies and visitors are encouraged to book early to avoid missing out on this unique experience.” Head to dubaifoodfestival.com.
Restaurant Week is a new addition to the annual Dubai Food Festival, which is now in its third year. The 17-day festival will be based out of its hub at the Beach Canteen, which debuted last year. Free to attend, the Beach Canteen will have 15 home-grown restaurant concepts, celebrity chef appearances, live music, activities, beach sports and an official Festival information kiosk.
In addition to the Restaurant Week, which celebrates the city’s higher-end eateries, the Hidden Gems promotion celebrates residents’ secret favourites. Submit your top pick on the Hidden Gems website.
Other Festival events include Fatafeat Kitchen, with demonstrations from celebrity chefs in Galleries Lafayette, The Dubai Mall; the hipster-friendly Street Nights event, which this year took place in Al Quoz; and the annual Taste of Dubai.
