Dubai Cafes

December 2, 2018 by monica 1 Comment

AL SERKAI AVENUE DUBAI

Al Serkal Avenue Dubai is a cool hub for arts, media and and cultural activity. It’s an all pedestrian zone that encompasses an art house cinema, cafes, art galleries, a theatre and even an artisanal chocolate factory! Read on to find out exactly where Al Serkal Avenue Dubai is located and what to expect when you get there..

What is Al Serkal Avenue Dubai

There are no high rise buildings or shiny shopping malls anywhere in Al Serkal Avenue Dubai. Think of a largely pedestrian zone with smaller independent units that you can pop in and out of very easily. There are some art galleries and a comprehensive rug and furniture showroom that are housed in mini warehouse type shops.

There is also an art house cinema called Cinema Akil that has the quirky Chaiwalla Cafe attached to it with some outdoor seating available in cooler weather. So for Dubai that’s roughly November to April.

Try some of their varieties of masala tea and samosas! There is a focus on international films at Cinema Akil that you wouldn’t find in main stream Dubai cinemas.

If you prefer live theatre then almost right next door is a small theatre that was showing an adaptation of Macbeth in November 2108. The Junction is at the moment the only independent performing arts venue in the UAE.

Don’t leave Al Serkal without checking out the Mirzam chocolate factory with it’s glass fronted workshop. Beautifully packaged, locally produced chocolate bars that often incorporate local flavours. Sample before you buy though!

And note around AED 46 per bar.

If you have a bit longer to spend here then paint your feelings or anything else at The Jamjar an art space where you can chill, drink coffee and paint all at once, and eat cookies!

Where exactly is Al Serkal Avenue Dubai

Al Serkal Avenue Dubai is located in the Al Quoz area which is generally known for it’s industry focus with large warehouses and factory units.

You can park right outside Al Serkal avenue and then it’s very easy to walk around, especially in the cooler months.

Here’s a Google Map telling you exactly where Al Serkal avenue is located.

Food and Drink at Al Serkal Avenue Dubai

Food and drink is abundant everywhere you go in Dubai but often there are chain fast food restaurants that really don’t appeal to many of us.

So luckily Al Serkal has a good range of independent cafes you can explore. Organic, fresh ingredients and cool vibes are on offer at most of the places.

There is a branch of Wild & the Moon cafe if you want to be super healthy. Great for turmeric shots and cabbage rolls.

You could get down to earth on a floor seat at the newly opened Nadi Al Quoz that also has a swing bed and hammocks. Very relaxing, but stick to the tables to balance your coffees on!

Or go to our favourite place at the moment in Al Serkal avenue Dubai, the Nightjar Cafe and Coffee roastery. Try something from the brunch menu.. we loved our beetroot salmon and 63 degree egg.

But you must also leave room for the lemon polenta cake with a cup of fresh coffee.

Top Café pick at Al Serkal Avenue Dubai

At the moment it’s definitely the Nightjar Cafe and Coffee Roastery

Other cool facts about Al Serkal Avenue Dubai

There are some very contemporary art galleries that are always showcasing new and up coming designers and artists.

Do also check out the Rug Company for it’s beautiful collection of rugs and homewares.

We were invited to a Netflix event at a very modern and innovative venue called Ink, also in Al Serkal avenue Dubai.

There is a handful of arts and media companies that have opened in the area including a new film consultancy firm called Near East.

Is Al Serkal Avenue Dubai worth going to

Yes for sure, especially in cooler weather…here’s why

Pedestrianized
No malls
No high rise buildings
Independent cafes
Art house cinema & theatre
Cool, hipster type vibe
Easy Parking
Community Events

Do you know any similar places worth going to in Dubai?

Thank you

Monica.

May 20, 2018 by monica 1 Comment

RAMADAN IN DUBAI Best Iftars and Deals

IT'S RAMADAN IN DUBAI Welcome to the best iftars and deals in Dubai

Ramdan Kareem to all our listeners and readers, you've come to the right place for the best iftars and deals in Dubai. How about a floating iftar on the majestic QE2 moored in Rashid Marina? In need a classy MEAL DEAL? Then try Moombai and Co's curry combo for AED 69 and add a dish from the Mango Memory Menu.. it's alphonso time again! For those who aren't fasting I recommend a pop up breakfast at mediterranean restaurant Boca in DIFC. Plus 2 of our favourite casual cafes open for lunch in JLT. All this and more on this week's Food News on Dubai Eye 103.8.

QE 2 PORT RASHID MARINA

On the waterfront - literally

DINNER REVIEW - IFTAR

We're about to set sail from the Rashid Marina to Mainland Britain! We've come on board to look around the luxury ocean cruise liner the QE2. The history of the ship is fascinating and it's worth booking a tour.

Highlights for us were the Queen Mary apartments complete with a sun lounge and a private deck area. They've even had a marriage proposal (accepted of course) on this deck! The newest and most modern eating area is definitely The Lido restaurant as shown below. The poshest restaurant though would be the Queen's Grill!

We experienced the QE2 iftar in a tent accessed directly from the Lido restaurant. It's not possible to see the sea from the tent though.

The iftar had a large variety of salads, but there was quite a limited choice of mains for vegetarians. The traditional ouzi normally made with just lamb also contained beef which I've not experienced before. The iftar tent was surprisingly full, but I think many people had a combination ticket of the tour and the iftar. As we were on the iconic QE2 we had expected a grander, more luxurious ambience as well as a wider choice of dishes for this iftar.

Cost AED 250 for iftar and AED 175 for Suhoor. But if you book a tour for AED 150, you can redeem AED 100 on food and beverage.

MOOMBAI AND CO Sheikh Zayed Road at the H hotel

A special Mango Memory Menu celebrating Alphonso season.

Great curry combo deal too.

LUNCH REVIEW

We were a bit skeptical about mango with everything at Moombai and Co but We LOVED every course of our lunch from the special mango memory menu! It's alphonso season again and that brand is synonymous with the highest quality mangoes around.

The Mango Memory Menu itself is short, that's a good thing according to me, so we tried the very moreish crispy bhindi and tangy, but perfect mango chicken tikka to start with. The main course is a very good raw mango and coconut prawn curry which we all agreed was excellent.

If you have room you should try (maybe share) the almost tropical mango lassi to drink, or if that's a bit heavy for you, then opt for the thirst quenching aam panna drink, that has a bit of kick to it. Everything is designed to share. I'd go back again to try this menu. Not sure how long mango season is on for so go soon.

How would you describe a mango? to quote from the article from The Guardian.. 27th April 2012..."a cross between peach, nectarine, apricot and melon with notes of honey and citrus. But better..." If you shared a large aam panna drink, both starters, one main and one thick, creamy, glorious mango dessert you'd be looking at around AED 200 per head with rice, naan bread and still water. Worth going back for.

And if you fancy making that crispy bhindi at home then try our easy doindubai recipe here, great to eat with DoinDubai's favourite spicy red pepper dip recipe.

ALSO OPEN DURING RAMADAN are

CALI POKE - a new branch just opened in JLT Cluster J! Vegetarian or Seafood bowls of fresh goodness to eat in or take away. The eat in area is quite small, so I would opt to take out from here.

WOKYO - our favourite noodle bar also in JLT Cluster J for Japan. Every kind of noodle and broth you can think of, or customise your own. Don't forget they have a vegan ramen bowl as well. We love Zak and Nazlie and Wokyo, but I think I love their Singapore Laksa and cappucinos more than them! Lovely vibe at Wokyo, a very cool place to sit during the day if you're not fasting

We also think the DEMOISELLE Deal at lunch time is really cool..

A very pretty cafe in City Walk that will be serving a 3 course lunch for an extremely reasonable AED 53. You get a choice of hot soup to start then one of 3 choices for a hearty lunch and to finish you get a choice of an artisan coffee or fresh juice.

Here's Corrado who now works at Galvin telling us about the delightful decor at Demoiselle..

BOCA in DIFC is offering a pop up breakfast every morning. So expect some avocado on toast and the usual breakfast fare at this very cool, upmarket Mediterranean style cafe in Dubai's main financial district.

But if you're in the media city area, then I like the sound of the deal at CERTO at the Radisson Blu Media City. Certo is a very established Italian restaurant that had a brand new make over last year. The deal is AED 199 for 2 people sharing a range of Italian dishes or AED 299 to include a bottle of wine! That's a really delicious deal in my book, it's open for lunch and dinner of course..

FIND OUT FIRST following the DoinDubai Instagram page

Previous posts with lot's of good foodie ideas are here..

MISSED THE LIVE BROADCAST?

The live broadcast happens on a Tuesday, this week Tuesday 22nd May from 3 to 4 pm on Dubai Eye 103.8, but if you missed it, then you can listen to the podcast.

We'll add it into the article here when it's ready for uploading, the day after the live broadcast. But in the meantime, we've left the podcast from the last show in for you to listen to.

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Don't miss the show on Tuesday Dubai Eye 103.8 The Ticket - listen live

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Thank You Monica.

No grilled meats on this iftar plate! We're eating pure vegan food at Urth in Cluster J. We really liked both our soups - carrot and mint and spinach, beautifully presented too. The most interesting dish on this vegan iftar menu was the fattus hummus with vegan yoghurt made with a cashew cream base.

Warm, wholesome, real chick peas, perfect as a mini meal in itself with salad and bread. But you have more, the main courses are vegetarian stews served with rice and condiments. I would like to have tried the special Urth Style Sayadieh with fried onions, but that wasn't available on the day we tried.

You will LOVE the desserts.. we had and highly recommend the raw carrot cake and an apple spice cake with warm apple puree icing on top.

Open for those who would like to try the vegan iftar in the evenings, after fasting time is over, but also open during the day for those who aren't fasting. Very cool, laid back vibe. Last but not least point to note is there is a Ramadan Deal on - 2 iftars for the price of one till 28th of May, so for AED 120 you get 2 five course iftars! Well Done Urthlings!

For some vegan cooking at home this Ramadan try our brilliant cauliflower burger recipe..

February 10, 2017 by monica 1 Comment

KOSHARI POINT

What is Koshari Point

Koshari Point is a cozy, contemporary café serving both traditional and modern Egyptian street food in the al Barsha side of town in Dubai.

It opened about a year ago but they’ve recently added some very contemporary twists to their classic Koshari menu. Already very popular with locals, the owners of Koshari Point want to spread the word further afield.

The inspiration to set up Koshari Point came from a trip to the UK where a small Koshari café in central London was doing a roaring trade!

Where can I find Koshari Point in Dubai

Koshari Point is located in Al Barsha, not far from the Mall of the Emirates. Here’s the Google Map reference showing the exact location.

What is Koshari Point?

Koshari comes from the Hindi word kicharee, which in turn means a mix of rice and lentils cooked together. The British brought kicharee to Egypt with them during the 19^th century.

Apparently the Italian community in Egypt were responsible for the addition of pasta to the rice and lentil dish. But there is a version of Lebanese version of Koshari called Mujadara which consists mainly of rice and lentils and omits the pasta!

Now found on many street corners in Egypt, Koshari is still made of a mix of rice, lentils and pasta which is topped with a spicy tomato sauce and crispy, fried onions. The macaroni type pasta added to the dish makes it even more substantial than in it already is!

What should I eat at Koshari Point

Try some of the classic Koshari, you can customize it according to your liking or you try one of their new combinations. My dining partner tried the butter chicken Koshari and really liked it. I had just the classic Koshari but omitted the pasta. There is a selection of fresh salads you can eat with your koshari.

To drink I recommend the very refreshing Karkade desert rose drink. It’s made from dried desert roses and is very popular during Ramadan. I recommend diluting with water. It reminded me very much of a dry cranberry or lingonberry type drink. I really liked it.

Koshari Caters too

Koshari has a very good value takeaway box with a selection of eggs, salad, felafels, fouls, labneh with herbs and hot, fluffy Egyptian bread! Amazing value at only AED 48! Ask for the Point Box. Great idea for feeding hungry teenagers during the holidays!

They are also exhibiting at various street food markets in and around Dubai, including the Ripe market at Al Barsha park. You can treat your friends to Koshari from the Koshari Cart that can be hired if you’d like to cater at your home or venue.

Opening Hours
From Sat to Wed 8 AM – 12 PM
Thurs and Friday 8 AM – 03 AM
Tel 043944455

No need to book, but there is limited seating. I think the late opening hours make it a great place to head for if you’re still hungry after a late night out! No coffee served here as yet though! And if you really want to avoid the carbs, then the salads and foul are still substantial and tasty.

Here’s Mustafa, one of the owners of Koshari Point tellin you a bit more about it:

Thank you Monica.

May 8, 2016 by monica Leave a Comment

STOMPING GROUNDS

What is Stomping Grounds in Dubai all about

Stomping Grounds is a California style Cafe in Jumeirah. I really liked the feel of this place. We came across it by chance on Friday morning after shopping at the Farmers Market on the Terrace. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and is a Speciality Coffee Hub. It’s really near the Espresso Lab which doesn’t serve food, just coffee.

Where is Stomping Grounds located

Stomping Grounds is in Jumeirah 1, just off the Beach road, very near the large, quite old blue building which is called Beach Centre. Turn off towards the sea, it’s in the residential neighbourhood here and very easy to find. Friday morning was packed out with some very fancy cars parked outside!

What to expect food and drink wise at Stomping Grounds

Excellent coffee, both house brewed and special micro brew varieties. They have very knowledgeable staff who know their coffee!

I had a house brew cappucino at AED 20 and really liked it, I’d have it again at Stomping Grounds. They have fresh juice which is very reasonable at AED 18 for a small carafe but the cold pressed variety is pricier at AED 35. There is a wide variety of breakfast items but in this occasion we chose the simple eggs and toast for a very reasonable AED 18. Add a generous avocado for an extra AED 12. A fresh fruit bowl seemed a bit steep at AED 45 but it is served with a side of yoghurt and honey, although I don’t know its portion size though.

If you prefer tea, then try their Steampunk teas in flavours like rooibos en spices these sound very exotic!

Stomping Grounds would be a good place for

I would come back to Stomping Grounds for breakfast again, it would be ideal for a school mums coffee morning if you’re looking for a place.

We’ll ask them for breakfast for 2 as a competition prize. Go and try the coffee though if you’re in the area, it’s really very good. Although they only sell Voss water, they do offer and we drank filtered water for free, great stuff. Nice for a drink after a morning walk on the beach too.

Thanks Monica.