Go Nutella
If you’re a chocolate addict, there’s really only one place for you to go this Eid: Eataly’s new Nutella Bar at The Dubai Mall. The creamy Italian chocolate-hazelnut spread isn’t just for slathering on bread. Their menu includes crepes, crostatina (a tart), cookies and brioche, with strawberries and banana. Don’t worry if you just love it the simple way: You can also buy it layered on the housemade bread. There are Nutella Bars in Eataly’s other outlets around the world, and from experience, they advise to arrive early to avoid queues. Call 04-3308899 to book a table.
Have you tried Japengo Club?
With so many new brands coming into the country from abroad, there’s the risk of overlooking some of our favourite old-school restaurants. So, make sure to check out Japengo Club, an upmarket twist on the old favourite, Japengo Cafe (where else could you go to have sushi AND pizza in 2006?). It opened earlier this summer at The Dubai Mall with a terrace overlooking the fountains. On the menu: Dishes from the open teppanyaki grill and dishes influenced by Japan and other Asian cuisines — some of them via Arabia, such as baba ghanoush with grilled beetroot, green asparagus and pumpkin. Dishes are meant to be enjoyed sharing-style — such as sea bass ceviche with lime, chilli and cilantro; slow-cooked turbot with lemongrass hollandaise; lamb chops marinated in ginger and garlic served with baby eggplant. Some of your favourite dishes from the original Japengo menu will be there too. Open for lunch and dinner, 10am-midnight on weekdays; 10am-2am on weekends and public holidays. Call 04-4341431.
Sizzling in Sharjah
If you’re in the mood for Pan-Asian food in Sharjah, we’ve got a lead for you. Sizzling Wok, which has been serving up Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and Singaporean food at Citymax Hotel Bur Dubai has opened a second outlet at Citymax in Sharjah. Dishes include dim sum, sizzling lobster and the ‘Drums of Heaven’ (Dh30) — crispy chicken lollipops in ginger, garlic, chilli and soya sauce. Call 050-6406377.
Some big closures in Dubai
Fans of Spectrum On One, the decade-old brunch legend at the Fairmont Dubai, will be sad to hear it permanently closed doors at the end of last month. The international restaurant was famous for one of the city’s first and biggest brunches (they say they’ve served 17,000kg of lobster and 10,000 kg of chocolate has flowed through its chocolate fountain); they also created the city’s first dining-in-the-dark concept, Noire. Noire will return in a different location in the hotel in the autumn, while the Spectrum’s space will reopen “with an entirely new facelift, brand identity and management”. Here’s looking forward to that. Meanwhile over at the Raffles, the modern steakhouse Fire & Ice turned off the flames on the first day of Ramadan; the space will reopen with a new concept by the end of the year.
Slapfish now open
We love the name; we love the sound of the menu; now it’s time for us to check out Slapfish, a US import now open at Ibn Battuta (soon on Shaikh Zayed Road). It’s brought here by the same people behind the epically packed Lemonade, which is also due to open a Shaikh Zayed Road outlet any day now. Slapfish is one of those stories you only thought you’d see on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: A food truck-turned restaurant from California’s Huntington Beach; expect 20 restaurants in our region over the next five years. They promise the fish and shellfish are sustainably sourced. Here’s a look at the menu; try not to drool too much: A buttered lobster roll; fish tacos; chowder and the Clobster cake — half crab, half lobster. Call 800-7527.
