Dubai’s viral kunafa chocolate, karak chai steal the show at US event

Dubai: The Museum of the Future House became one of the biggest attractions at this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in the US, drawing long lines of visitors.

SXSW celebrates the convergence of tech, film, music, education, and culture through a week-long events in Austin, Texas, till March 15.

The Museum of the Future made it presence felt with a ‘House’ of immersive AI-powered installations, thought-provoking panels including the likes of astronauts Hazzaa Al Mansoori and Shawna Pandya. A gala dinner curated by Emirati Chef Maitha Tariq Warshaw hosted more than 90 SXSW speakers as well as SXSW Co-President and Chief Programming Officer Hugh Forrest, who hailed the participation of the Museum of the Future.

“It’s been incredibly popular. It fits in very well with our overall focus on the future. I’m really excited to build on this in future years,” Forrest said.

Visitors were amazed by the UAE’s dedication to blending technology with tradition.

“You kind of feel like you’re in another world. It’s really astonishing,” visitors noted.

Abdulaziz Al Jaziri, Deputy CEO, Dubai Future Foundation, welcomed everyone to visit the Emirates to know more about its cutting-edge innovations and cultural flavours.

“We would love to host you in Dubai and the UAE, for you to understand what this small country with big dreams, that’s been a little bit over 50 years old, has built throughout the years, and the visions we have for the future.”

It’s amazing

At the heart of the attraction were culinary delights that have gone viral on social media platforms, including the Dubai chocolate with pistachio kunafa, a sweet delicacy from FIX Dessert Chocolatier.

“I always wanted to try this. It’s amazing,” a visitor said.

Sarah Hamouda, founder of FIX Dessert Chocolatier, was ecstatic.

“We’re giving everyone a taste of Dubai. The most famous one is the Pistachio Kunafa. A big 300gm bar of pistachios and crispy kunafa in milk chocolate. The flavour itself has been introduced differently to people outside Dubai. Seeing that recognised globally has been amazing,” said Hamouda about the chocolate treat offered to visitors.

Also, guests were given a taste of traditional Dubai with its ‘karak chai’ offerings from Project Chaiwala, a home-grown tea brand known for its aromatic and authentic brews.

“We are serving people a traditional cup of chai out of Dubai. We brew it traditionally in a huge brewing pot using local spices,” Ahmed Kazim, co-founder, Project Chaiwala, said.