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Monica’s Weekend July 16th classy Lebanese food at Cafe Beirut, dazzling aqua gymnastics at La Perle by Dragone and authentic Thai cooking classes for kids

This week July 16th classy Lebanese food at Cafe Beirut, dazzling aqua gymnastics at La Perle by Dragone and authentic Thai cooking classes for kids

Monica Kapila and Mark Lloyd broadcast every FRIDAY on DUBAI EYE 103.8 at 1.45pm repeated on the Sunday Brunch at 1.15pm

Missed the live broadcast on Dubai Eye? Don’t worry just listen again here. CLICK THE PODCAST BELOW FOR DETAILS OF ALL THE ITEMS WE SPOKE ABOUT

Try some classy Lebanese food at Cafe Beirut

Monicas-Weekend-16th-July-DoinDubai-Monica-Kapila-Cafe-Beirut
CAFE BEIRUT COOL LEBANESE FOOD

Conveniently located in the Murooj complex downtown side of Dubai, this cool Lebanese cafe serves beautifully presented, tasty Lebanese food. We really liked the decor and especially the old black and while pictures I guess from Lebanon back in the day.

Typical Lebanese fare with some special twists on classic dishes a la Cafe Beirut. Just select your favourites and try something new as well. We went with some Lebanese friends so they did the ordering for us.

Plenty of vegetarian and non vegetarian food, so fattoush salad, hummus Cafe Beirut, vine leaves stuffed with rice, rocket salad with pomegranate molasses and aubergine fattet! That’s fried aubergines, topped with some lemony, yoghurt sauce and crunchy baked pita pieces on top, really good!

And that was just to start with! So go hungry! I’d like to try this place for a breakfast as well some day, it is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 10 am till late!

There is talk of a beverage licence too but that’s not in place just yet. Lot’s of appetizing videos of what we had on the DoinDubai Instagram. Go hungry, nice for an evening out vibe, a bit different.

Go along to the famous La Perle by Dragone show for the special Eid Al Adha rate of just AED 159!

Monicas-Weekend-16th-July-DoinDubai-Monica-Kapila-La-Perle-by-Dragone
UNDERWATER LA PERLE BY DRAGONE AED 159

Most people have heard of La Perle by Dragone, located in a huge auditorium at Habtoor City side of Dubai. It’s a spectacular acrobatic or aquabatic show depicting the story of the pearling history, but it also incorporates present and Future Dubai.

So this type of show where you have gymnasts diving into water from great heights, apparently the stage gets flooded with water then drains in seconds! I think it’s the 3rd production of this kind so far, but this is the first permanent show in the region. It’s been created by Franco Dragone, and the shows last 90 minutes.

We saw something called the ‘O’ show at the Bellagio in Las Vegas many years ago in the same vein. Apparently there are only 13 rows in this theatre BUT it does seat close to 1300 people! So everyone gets pretty up close views!

HOW MUCH

There is a SPECIAL EID AL ADHA OFFER ON RIGHT NOW TILL 24th JULY all tickets only AED 159 if you can get 4 people to go in a group!

Shouldn’t be difficult! All the information on their website here La Perle By Dragone There are also dining packages and a cruise package too. So go now while it’s quiet!

Try some Thai cooking classes for kids at Mango Tree Bistro JBR

Monicas-Weekend-16th-July-DoinDubai-Monica-Kapila-Mango-Tree-Bistro-JBR-Kids-Cookery-classes-
THAI COOKING CLASSES FOR KIDS

I like this one, kids ages 6 to 12 can try their hand at making some authentic Thai dishes at the Mango Tree Bistro restaurant affiliated to the Hilton JBR.

The restaurant is just opposite the Hilton, I think up an escalator. The classes are held every Sunday from 3pm to 5pm and the cost is just AED 69 per child! I think they also have plans in the pipeline for adult Thai cookery classes as well soon.

Do listen to our next show if you fancy some family style Italian cooking and eating too! I think the parents can order some drinks and snacks while the kids are cooking! Sounds wonderful.

Call ahead to book your places and do tell them you heard about them from Monica at DoinDubai

MONICA’S TRAVEL TIPS

How do I get access to the BUSINESS LOUNGE at the airport Terminal 2 ?

  • If you’re an Emirates Gold Card holder and you’re travelling FLYDUBAI from Terminal 2 in Dubai then you are entitled to use the lounge there, BUT you cannot take in a guest in
  • This is different to if you’re travelling on Emirates then you can take a guest into the lounge if you’re a gold card holder or above, different terminal as well
  • There is a Marhaba lounge at Terminal 2 which you can access with the Lounge Key credit cards for free, but again no guests allowed and when we travelled and saw it it was too full to accommodate any more passengers
  • Note also if you’re flying from Terminal 2 on FlyDubai you can also go to a dedicated queue for Gold and Silver skywards members
  • If you would like the emergency exit seats, be aware there is a charge of around AED 250 per seat and you receive a voucher at check in for which you then need to go to a different queue to pay
  • Then you queue again to get your boarding card!

Check last week’s Travel Tips here you’ll be glad you did!

DEDICATED CHECK IN QUEUE IN TERMINAL 2 FOR FLY DUBAI PASSENGERS

Going to London with the kids this summer?

Then you must try and book this! 101 Dalmations at the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park.

The theatre is celebrating it’s 90th anniversary this year and this show is sure to appeal to all the family, adults and kids alike!

IMAGE FROM WEEKEND FT MIDDLE EAST EDITION JULY 2022

96 AI Dalmatian puppets- 4 real child actors and a dog too! A summer show you won’t forget! Booking details here.

REGENTS PARK OPEN AIR THEATER – London.

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Monica’s Weekend – Posts

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Monica’s Weekend July 2nd try tasty Afghani Cali food at Nolu’s, meet your idol at Madame Tussaud’s Bluewaters and live laugh love all the way to the Junction Al Serkal with Boeing Boeing

This week July 2nd try tasty Afghani Cali food at Nolu’s, meet your idol at Madame Tussaud’s Bluewaters and live laugh love all the way to the Junction Al Serkal with Boeing Boeing

Monica Kapila and Mark Lloyd broadcast every FRIDAY on DUBAI EYE 103.8 at 1.45pm repeated on the Sunday Brunch at 12.15pm

Missed the live broadcast on Dubai Eye? Don’t worry just listen again here!

We’re trying tasty Afghani food via California from NOLU’S

Monicas-Weekend-July-2nd-DoinDubai-Monica-Kapila-Dubai-Eye-Nolus-delivery
DELICIOUS DELIVERY FROM NOLUS

We first tried the food at Nolu’s while we were at Expo. Really tasty food, well spiced and beautifully presented. Middle Eastern for sure, but not just Middle Eastern as the owner Marjon is originally Afghani but spent a lot of her life in California.

It’s called Nolu’s as that’s the combined name of the owners kids – Noah and Lujayn! Great choice of vegetarian dishes too. They now have a variety of branches all over Dubai with the newest branch in Dubai South near Dubai World Central.

We got a delicious delivery from them this week and everyone was happy! My favourite was definitely the lamb koobideh, spicy lamb minced lamb kebabs and Afghani style rice. No fatty bits in the meat as if often the case!

If you like lamb you should definitely try their quabily pallow/pilaf. It’s a speciality of the house, the tender lamb falls off the bone and rice is served in a traditional mix of spicy raisins, carrots and herbs!

Do try any of the salad bowls, they’re all good to go with your meal or for the vegetarians and also a good one for the vegetarians is Afghani Aushak!

Almost like large raviolis or dumplings filled with garlic chives and herbs sitting on a bed of spicy yoghurt sauce. But they’re topped with a gorgeous chick pea mild curry so this is a hearty vegetarian meal in itself! As I said everyone was happy whatever their food tastes!

Order via TELEPHONE Dubai South landline 04 339 0519

OR via deliveroo

NOLUS website

MY PLATE FROM NOLU’S

Madame Tussaud’s has come to Dubai!

Pose with your sporting, political, fashion or even Bollywood hero and heroines at Madame Tussaud’s Dubai in Bluewaters.

2 floors of lifelike wax works, the exhibition is quiet during the week but a little busier at the weekends. Don’t leave without having a game of virtual football in the sporting hall! Here’s a confession, I honestly didn’t recognize a lot of the celebrities on display! Maybe I’m too old or out of touch?!

Oh there are also some very big names in the Middle Eastern entertainment world too! The staff told us about some young ladies posing next to one very well known singer and crying! I’m definitely too old!

There is currently a promotion with The London Project which is just a few mins walk away. AED 350 for entry and as many digital photos at Madame Tussauds Dubai and some food and a beverage at The London Project. You have to 21 years and over for that offer. Food on offer with that combined ticket is Fish and Chips, a Burger or Cauliflower steak and a beverage from a list as well so a bit of a saving.

Ticket Prices AED 135 for a standard ticket for ages above 11 years old and AED 110 for kids ages 3 to 11 years

Or combine with some food at Hells Kitchen in Ceasar’s Palace just a few minutes walk away through the community mall, so you avoid the heat! We LOVED our lunch there. See this IG reel of Hell’s Kitchen to see what we ate! CLICK THE PIC BELOW

Laugh all the way to the Junction with the French farce a la Dubai – Boeing Boeing!

UPDATE 1ST JULY 2022 PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING which we received today.

Due to unforeseen circumstances the current run of “Boeing Boeing” is being postponed to 2-4 of Sept 2022. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

MONICAS WEEKEND DOINDUBAI JULY 2ND DUBAI EYE MONICA KAPILA BOEING BOEING

The Junction

The play is performed in 2 acts and is on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of July and is on at 7.30 on all 3 days but on the SUNDAY there is a matinee performance at 2.30pm. It goes 55 minutes, 15 min break then 45 minutes so easy chunks of time!

Asad who plays the lead was actually born in Dubai, has travelled around a lot and came back to live here about 10 years ago. So this is not Emily in Paris, it’s an American in Paris who’s engaged to not 1 but 3 air hostesses at the same time via a careful juggling act!

See what happens when the inevitable takes place! This original French farce has been performed in New York and in the West End in London too and has actually been translated into 35 languages there’s been a Bollywood movie, a Hollywood movie and even a South Indian movie made of this play too!

Cabin Crew galore, travel hub goes without saying so Dubai is an an obvious setting to adapt Boeing Boeing!

Oh and have a tea at Project Chaiwala nearby!

Al Serkal Avenue Dubai

Monica’s Weekend – Posts

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MONICA’S WEEKEND an awesome offer at Zighy Bay luxury resort, indulge in Scandinavian style breakfast in D3 and classical mellow cello music at Dubai Opera

This week May 20th we’re telling you about an awesome offer at Zighy Bay luxury resort Six Senses in Oman, celebrating World Baking Day with some Scandi style Cinnamon Buns and relaxing listening to some classical music at Dubai Opera.

Monica Kapila and Mark Lloyd broadcast every FRIDAY on DUBAI EYE 103.8 radio at 1.45pm repeated on the Sunday Brunch at 12.15pm

Missed the live broadcast on Dubai Eye?

Don’t worry just listen again here. We’ll add it as soon it’s uploaded by Dubai Eye, usually MONDAY.

Scandinavian Style Breakfast at new cafe in D3 Bageri Form

It was World Baking Day on Tuesday 17th of May so to celebrate we were invited to a cool, new Scandi Style bakery in D3! It’s called Bageri Form and Bageri is Swedish for bakery.

Expect pretty authentic cinnamon buns, cardamom buns and even saffron buns with perfect flat whites at this new D3 outpost. We liked the large open plan kitchen counter where you can watch the bakers at work while you wait for your order.

You can also get savoury as well as sweet items with feta cheese, eggs and salmon. I recommend one of the Swedish buns, but my friend had an egg bun! some egg, pesto, tomato, a bit of melted cheese topped with some spring onions, all encased in a softly toasted cottage bun!

So if you want everything in one bite, then order this! Buns cost AED 23 to 25 while breakfast bun costs AED 45. Open every day from 7.30 during the week, 8.30 at the weekend till mid evening so combine with a good browse around D3 at whatever time suits you. And if this post has got you in the mood for all things Nordic then check out post on how to do a holiday in Norway here.

CINNAMON BUN AT BAGERI FORM IN D3

An awesome offer at Zighy Bay – SEE OUR WEEKEND EXPERIENCE AT ZIGHY BAY

A MAGICAL MEMORABLE WEEKEND

A well established luxury resort, but more barefoot than high heels luxury here! A big and genuine emphasis on sustainability with it’s own on site organic farm for vegetables and herbs. Seafood is also sourced as locally as possible. This is a high end luxury resort, so deep pockets required BUT if you’ve always wanted to go there then this awesome offer is something to take advantage of because why pay more?

From now till 14th October there’s an Eat with Six Senses at Zighy Bay offer on, and it’s a Six Senses hotel. Basically you get automatic half board so that’s free breakfast AND dinner along with your room rate. And you can actually have dinner in a variety of locations even half way up a mountain, in your villa room, on the beach, so it’s not all the same if you were to spend more than 1 night. There are some restrictions of course so you get a substantial credit towards whatever you choose for your dinner.

It’s very conveniently located for us just 2.5 hours drive from Dubai and on booking, the PRO of Zighy Bay sorts out Border Passes for you so no hassles with visas either, you do have to take your passports with you. How to get there.

And for kids they have something called the Earth Lab, going back to sustainability so if it’s too hot on the beach they can try making their own soaps! Check the link for all the details here before you book but book, because Life is for Living! It looks like there are lot’s of different things to do and all in all a very chilled out, posh break. Yes please..worth saving up for.

AWESOME OFFER AT ZIGHY BAY BREAKFAST AND DINNER INCLUDED IN ROOM RATE

Listen to some mello cello at Dubai Opera

I love the sound of the cello and this weekend at Dubai Opera you can listen to a Saturday Cello Pilgrimage with works by Shor, Saint-Saëns and Dvořák as part of the The InClassica International Music Festival. Critics’ Choice at the Classic BRITS awards and CBE recipient, British cellist Steven Isserlis is playing. This concert also features Berlin Symphony Orchestra.

Timings: 8:00pm onwards Tickets: From AED 150 Link to the Tickets 

On Sunday 22nd May some piano by Dejavu , the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, welcomes french pianist Remi Geniet for a programme by Alexey Shor and his well-recognised Childhood Memories series. This concert takes place as part of the InClassica International Music Festival.

Timings: 8:00pm onwards Tickets: From AED 150  Link to the Tickets 

SOME MELLO CELLO ON SATURDAY AND PIANO ON SUNDAY AT DUBAI OPERA

Location of Dubai Opera

This weekend cook yourself and your household a yummy vegetarian TOFU PAD THAI.

Click the link to find out how.

Tofu Pad Thai recipe final dish DoinDubai Monica Kapila
TOFU PAD THAI MAKE IT THIS WEEKEND – EASY WHEN YOU KNOW HOW
Monica’s Weekend – Posts

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RAJ MAHAL RESTAURANT DUBAI taste genuine authentic vegetarian thali

Authentic vegetarian thali at Raj Mahal restaurant Dubai

Home style tasting Gujerati and Rajasthani specialties with Indian street food to start with at Raj Mahal restaurant Dubai.

AUTHENTIC THALI AT RAJ MAHAL RESTAURANT DUBAI

Where is Raj Mahal restaurant

The Raj Mahal restaurant is located on the ground floor of the Westzone Pearl Residence apartments building just behind the Bur Juman shopping centre in Bur Dubai.

You can park easily on the street. There is no valet at the moment but there is also free parking in the basement.

Food at Raj Mahal restaurant

Food is served to you at your table in a large, pre set thali plates. Servers bring fresh items in a particular order and always ask you if you’d like a little more or less of any item.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the variety of dishes that you’re served! Everything from the condiments, chutneys and sides all have a role to play in this special thali meal!

The vegetables themselves

Everything is strictly vegetarian at Raj Mahal and you can expect dishes made from beans, peas, lentils, corn and a variety of fresh ethnic vegetables too.

If you’re familiar with paneer, don’t worry there’s always a paneer dish on offer too! The breads to accompany your vegetables also vary on a daily basis so you can expect puris, rotis and parathas depending on the day.

RAJ MAHAL RESTAURANT DUBAI DoinDubai Monica Kapila variety of savoury sweets and breads
SPECIALITY BREADS CHANGE EVERY DAY

The desserts

Unlike many thali places we’ve tried in Dubai, the sweet section of this thali is very palatable and not overly sweet!

On the day we visited we tried kulfi on a stick, burfi a special halwa and a traditional mango pudding called aam ras. So do leave room to try dessert.

Anything to drink

Drinks are included in the price of this thali, bottled mineral water is on your table, but you also get a refreshing saffron drink as well as a mildy spiced buttermilk cooler known as masala chaas.

Prices at Raj Mahal

The thali meal including all the desserts, drinks and street food to start is priced at a very reasonable AED 52.

Do note that children aged 10 and under eat for free.

The restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner and also caters for groups. But NOTE timings below:

MONDAY TO FRIDAY LUNCH 12 TO 3.30pm DINNER FROM 7pm TO 11.30pm

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY LUNCH 12 to 4pm and DINNER FROM 7pm to 11.30pm

Tel 04 236 0460 or 058 504 7000

I would definitely recommend this restaurant and would also not hesitate to visit again. It’s a great place to take visitors coming to Dubai.

LIVE FLUTE PLAYER AT RAJ MAHAL

NOTE

Jain meals (without onion, garlic and root vegetables) AND vegan meals can also be served on request.

Listen to us talk about Raj Mahal restaurant Dubai on Monicas Weekend Dubai Eye here

More ideas for thali meals in Dubai here and a link to an article on Indian street food here.

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