I have never eaten in Bu Qtair Fish Restaurant in Umm Suqeim, Dubai, near the fishermen’s accommodation, because of the ever-present long queue of patrons.

We found it once after a long search and located the restaurant near the beach. We parked some distance away and walked to the shack that houses this eatery and found a long queue of hungry people, mostly westerners, lining up at the door. We drove away as we did not have the patience to wait and never went back. Obviously we are not foodies, but apparently among those people who gorge on fast food at mall food courts during weekends.

I recently saw a set of determined foodies in front of a hole-in-the wall Japanese eatery called Kazu in downtown Montreal on St Catherine Road and did not manage to get in for the past two weeks.

The eatery opens at 5.30pm and there is usually a long queue of hungry people chatting and waiting patiently on the pavement, while a Canadian of Arab origin, who runs a barber shop next door, checks out the crowd with a bemused look.

This Japanese place reportedly does not serve sushi. Residents and tourists have waxed eloquent about the food and that has made me more determined to get in, though it is reported that we may have to eat shoulder-to-shoulder with other hungry people in this tiny place as tables are packed close together. One patron advises online that if you have allergies you should tell the staff immediately as they have a separate menu for those with dietary restrictions.

There seems to be a growing awareness about fast food or junk food as it is derisively referred to by health experts. There are the usual burger places on Rue Catherine, but people seem more aware of the dangers of processed food.

There are also the American coffee shops, but they are mostly frequented by students who are looking for a cheap place to grab a sandwich and surf the internet for free to complete their assignments.

The trend in Montreal is to go veggie and avoid meat. I loved the sign of a cow saying Merci (Thank you) for choosing vegetable burgers, at a salad-and-sandwich place. When I clicked a picture of the grateful cow and posted it on Twitter, it got nearly 200 hits.

I am not sure whether the “likes” were from Montreal residents or “gau rakshaks” or “cow vigilantes” in North India, where beef is banned and eating a beef burger is dangerous for the body and soul, and not exactly from a health point of view.

One recent study says that eating vegetarian is also good for your brain. An Indian newspaper reports that going meatless helps fight dementia. It notes that a Mediterranean diet helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, as compared to a western diet of meat, high-fat dairy products and sweets.

The latest health trend in Montreal is eating from food bowls. Earlier, chefs would advise eating off white plates to enhance your eating experience as the multi-coloured greens and other vegetables get a better display on a white background. Health experts would advise choosing smaller plates as that would help cut down your portion size, especially if you are one of those Friday brunch goers who crowds food on your plate from the creaking buffet tables.

The bowls are not only Instagram-friendly, but they are trendy, healthy and low in calories. I had a Power Bowl as suggested by my son and it was packed with veggies, crunchy broccoli, legumes and what looked like purple nachos.

It will be great to bring this power-food bowl idea to Dubai, but I am not sure how many beef shawarma and Bu Qtair fried fish lovers would try it out.

Mahmood Saberi is a freelance journalist based in Dubai. You can follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ mahmood_saberi.