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Where The Dubai Food Scene Should Go: A Call For Action
Written by Liam Collens // More food reviews available here.
The Highs
The Lows
The Highs
The Lows
Annually, via Instagram, I dip my toe into a fetid pool of online public opinion to litmus test which food trends – you believe – should firmly remain consigned to the closing year. This is a smokescreen because, plot twist, I have my list of grievances but my mother taught me to allow someone else to go first.
I project my unsolicited opinion then hurl myself into the next year, waiting. Hoping for hideous Dubai food trends to age like a fine milk, curdle and expire.
But sometimes they stay and linger, unaware they overstayed their welcome.
My skull is sore from all the eye-rolling it’s endured over the years sitting through the unconscionable, the inexcusable and the nakedly Instagram driven.
Mermaid food, remember that? Anyone who thought that grown adults harboured a desire to consume food based on the concept of a mythical sea banshee needs more than just a blood test at their Emirates ID.
Yet we endured more.
An aluminium can ‘cloche’ ceremoniously reveals congealed, nacho detritus bound together by luminous ‘cheese’. The spectre foreshadows your colon’s imminent experience. Anyone who thinks Guy Fieri and his food musings are the north star for food innovation also needs more than just a blood test at their next Emirates ID renewal.
Having the good fortune to eat in some of Dubai’s best restaurants certainly forges a point of view. That view is there are some opportunities that remain underdeveloped while some questionable practices are over proliferated (and over tolerated).
This will be a two-part article on Where Dubai’s Food Scene Should Go (in my point of view). Let’s start with the positive: what can restaurants do? A call to action with direction provides guidance and, hopefully, inspiration. I genuinely care about Dubai’s food scene and I want to see it thrive. Starting with ideas and nudges is a solution-oriented approach guiding Dubai’s Food Scenes towards both big and small changes. It is more helpful to chefs and kitchens than a giant mug of near-boiling vitriol.
Nonetheless, there are some worn-out culinary cliches in Dubai that cause me to grind my back teeth to a smooth paste. Part II will focus on what to stop. Take the advice or don’t. Alternatively, chefs can print out and stick up the negative list in their kitchen next to a photo of my face, sketched in Sharpie, with unmentionable things. Send photos to the usual place.
I project my unsolicited opinion then hurl myself into the next year, waiting. Hoping for hideous Dubai food trends to age like a fine milk, curdle and expire.
But sometimes they stay and linger, unaware they overstayed their welcome.
My skull is sore from all the eye-rolling it’s endured over the years sitting through the unconscionable, the inexcusable and the nakedly Instagram driven.
Mermaid food, remember that? Anyone who thought that grown adults harboured a desire to consume food based on the concept of a mythical sea banshee needs more than just a blood test at their Emirates ID.
Yet we endured more.
An aluminium can ‘cloche’ ceremoniously reveals congealed, nacho detritus bound together by luminous ‘cheese’. The spectre foreshadows your colon’s imminent experience. Anyone who thinks Guy Fieri and his food musings are the north star for food innovation also needs more than just a blood test at their next Emirates ID renewal.
So where am I going?
Having the good fortune to eat in some of Dubai’s best restaurants certainly forges a point of view. That view is there are some opportunities that remain underdeveloped while some questionable practices are over proliferated (and over tolerated).
This will be a two-part article on Where Dubai’s Food Scene Should Go (in my point of view). Let’s start with the positive: what can restaurants do? A call to action with direction provides guidance and, hopefully, inspiration. I genuinely care about Dubai’s food scene and I want to see it thrive. Starting with ideas and nudges is a solution-oriented approach guiding Dubai’s Food Scenes towards both big and small changes. It is more helpful to chefs and kitchens than a giant mug of near-boiling vitriol.
Nonetheless, there are some worn-out culinary cliches in Dubai that cause me to grind my back teeth to a smooth paste. Part II will focus on what to stop. Take the advice or don’t. Alternatively, chefs can print out and stick up the negative list in their kitchen next to a photo of my face, sketched in Sharpie, with unmentionable things. Send photos to the usual place.
Where Dubai's Food Scene Should Go: A Call For Action
Bring Back Offcuts / Secondary Cuts
Dubai is saturated with restaurants delivering premium cuts at stratospheric prices. Dear Dubai, there is more to this life than wagyu ribeyes. I do not need another wagyu tomahawk, meatball or burger yielded from a cow that spent its life being massaged rigorously by methodical serfs. Good for them. This myopic focus towards premium cuts is, dare I say, unexciting now.
Sure, secondary cuts are tiptoeing into menus, but there is much more to be done.
Fergus Henderson of St John’s did more than just showcase the versatility of nose to tail eating; he created a culture and, equally, fostered an ethos that there is dignity in eating the whole animal, not just the bits people are told they like. Fergus amplified what peasant cooking knew for centuries – from soul food to rustic country eating. Pierre Koffman’s classic braised pig trotter harnesses real technical skill elevating a cut that spends its life sifting through mud (and worse).
Matur og Drykkur was a favourite 2020 Best Restaurants due to its intentional focus: serve main courses and whole tasting menus based on offcuts often relegated to stocks, broths or, worse, the bin. I want to see more oxtail, fish skins, beef cheek, fish cheeks, shin, lamb neck, feather blades, hanger steaks, pork belly and ox heart etc on Dubai menus. Secondary cuts deliver delicious eating at value prices. Diners are also looking for value for money.
Roasted Cod’s Head from Matur of Drykkur
Some already know this is true namely Carnistore, Prime Gourmet and Classic Fine Foods among others. I regularly buy from Carnistore and Prime Gourmet because they offer offcuts, even if they are only at wagyu grade.
Less Food Wastage
Few things drive a dagger into me and Mrs EatGoSee than food wastage. A 2019 UN World Food Programme shamed the UAE as wasting 197kg of food per person per year vs 97kg in Europe. I shudder to imagine the magnitude of food wastage incurred in the aftermath of opulent hotel buffet brunches.
Practical solutions are available. Ask customers if they want bread to the table instead of delivering a breadbasket. Radically reduce menus to 15-20 dishes to encourage dish turnover and reduce the scope of the ingredients ordered. Focus on a la carte brunches (with the option to order more if needed). Lastly, apply portion control as this ‘more is more’ culture generates avoidable waste.
Inked’s Ugly Vegetable experience was an inspired, purpose-driven menu underscoring the issue with food wastage upstream in the restaurant supply chain. Tip of the cap to you Chef Hadrien Villedieu in addition to your fabulous work in 2020 churning out meals to front line workers. Uncurl your toes as I will embarrass you more later.
Stronger Together, More Collaborations
2020 was a year when Dubai restaurants, chefs, suppliers and influencers came together to support each other. 2020 underscored that 1+1=3. Chef Himanshu Saini of Tresind Studio and Reif Othman of Reif Kushiyaki (and more) capped 2020 as part of The Best of Dubai Chef’s Unite initiative bringing together two accomplished chefs and Dubai’s food cognoscenti. I am looking forward to more of these initiatives.
These unique collaborations allow food enthusiasts to experience something different and facilitates audience crossover for more casual diners. These collabs also inject much-needed fun at a time when fun is in desperate need.
Tresind Studio Pani Puri with Cucumber Gazpacho & Reif Othman Escargot Takoyaki with caviar & morel jus
Inked also created WHAT THE FOOD, a platform allowing other Dubai restaurants and food suppliers to showcase and create a community in a year where togetherness was restricted. I sat cross-legged on a carpet with others listening to a cellist play while inhaling Akiba Dori’s pepperoni pizza. The sheer joy of it all. Chef Hadrien also appeared at Lowe. Mattar Farm appeared practically everywhere in 2020 from folly by Nick and Scott to WHAT THE FOOD.
What will 2021 hold? The emergence of the food hall from Food District in late 2020 will continue with Time Out Market Dubai, an extension of my beloved Time Out Market Lisbon.
I encourage chefs and restaurants to continue creating exciting, one-off experiences through collaboration. Collaboration will also be an enabler for the other points below.
Anyone who thinks Guy Fieri ... [is] the north star for food innovation ... needs more than just a blood test at their next Emirates ID renewal.
Really Support Local
#SupportLocal could be a post on its own. I want to focus on three core actions for restaurants and for us as consumers. Restaurants that buy local ingredients and support local suppliers, support startup entrepreneurs from hatching to soaring and can we get some god damn local, free water, please?
More restaurants buying (and celebrating) local ingredients. I would like to see more restaurants purchasing local UAE products and identifying the source of the local produce. Name dropping also gives the local supplier an audience and opportunity for direct custom. This type of partnership is another form of collaboration and one that I regularly see in Europe and the US. BOCA names Emirates Bio Farm sourced ingredients on the menu. The Maine meticulously names its local suppliers on its menu with a focus on ‘supporting local farms and fisheries’. I order Fujairah-farmed Dibba Bay oysters whenever I see them whether it’s at The Maine Land Brasserie, Alici Seafood or their recent kiosk in The Pointe’s Food District. This does not mean restaurants must immediately stop buying imported produce. A balance should be struck but, the question is, what else could you do to sustainably support local farmers and fisherman?
The Maine Land Brasserie’s Menu citing local producers and its local beef tomato salad
Supporting local also means supporting local entrepreneurs. The emergence of micro-producers and home cooks appeared in recent years. I regularly buy Haute Sauce because I firmly believe it is the best hot sauce in Dubai, and I will fight you. I messaged the entrepreneurial lady behind the brand telling her the Mellowing sauce is nothing short of genius. Others who come through my door and eat it at my house also agree. Curious Elephant’s chilli oil is the perfect accompaniment to my steamed dim sum and deserving of the hype.
Trinidad Doubles with Haute Sauce Original Habenero & Coriander Sauce
These fledgeling initiatives mature when we support them creating a value chain back towards local suppliers. Just look to A Story of Food in case you needed an example of what’s possible.
Give us (free) local water. I struggle to understand why restaurants do not make available free table water for diners. One thing is for the staff to not push it and, instead, focus on upselling. It is another thing not to have it at all. I polled 100 people between my Instagram and Twitter who confirmed that 96% of people want either free filtered tap water or cheap local bottled water available in all Dubai restaurants. Moreover, Dubai Municipality, when commenting on a new Food Code, advised that “tap water would be advised as part of the code in order to reduce the dependence on single-use plastic”. A to Zaatar put me onto Liquid of Life which we enjoy at home and who also offer commercial filtered water solutions. My followers named certain restaurants that offer free table water including Reif Kushiyaki, The Sum of Us, Stomping Grounds, Lads Burger, Tom & Serg, Le Burger, Soul Green, The Lime Tree Cafe, OneLife Kitchen and Cafe Rider among others.
Reif Kushiyaki offers free filtered water to its guests
Bonus action: Authenticity. Lastly, I see (so-called) influencers claiming to #supportlocal. You could do more, starting with actually paying for meals, tipping staff and not just turning up when the PRs call you. You know who you are, do better. Business owners remember who really supported them when times were hard. You may want to remember that too.
The UAE announced it relaxed a slew of social restrictions including further easing towards alcohol licensing. UAE residents are very familiar with the requirement to obtain an alcohol license. Sidebar: I applaud how much easier it is to get an alcohol license in 2020 together with Legal Home Delivery. This was welcomed by me and others during a pandemic with lockdowns to ensure that stocks are suitably topped up.
I digress. BYOB or Bring Your Own Bottle feels like a natural evolution to offer diners value and choice. I regularly dined at certain restaurants in Whitechapel, London where, for religious reasons, the owners would not apply for a liquor license to serve alcohol to guests. Yet, the owners fostered a BYOB culture. The restaurant avoids an overhead cost and the customer enjoys the flexibility of choosing from a broader selection at a more affordable cost. I can assure you a small collection of alcohol stores opened up adjacent to these restaurants. Lastly – and back to the good horse Collaboration – I am sure there are opportunities for restaurants to partner with The Tasting Class, African and Eastern or MMI. Would you pick up a bottle knowing it is recommended by the restaurant for you? Might you learn about new restaurants because their name appears recommending a bottle of wine?
This will need to be thought through. Yet, I want to see progress in this area, even with compromises like modest corkage fees and other diner etiquettes.
Hungarian tokaji and port from The Maine Land Brasserie
Plant-based or vegan food menus burgeoned recently. I am impressed that some restaurants like The Maine Land Brasserie feature dedicated plant-based vegan menus. Many others signal plant-based through leafy emojis like discreet Bat signals.
Still, more can be done. I do not believe all restaurants need to radically change their menu but the tipping point is coming. Last weekend, Mrs EatGoSee turned down nearly 10 restaurants because they did not have enough plant-based options on the menu. I know other food writers and editors whose partners are the same. Restaurants must realise that they will lose a table of four because one person cannot get sensible vegan options beyond a tired, cliche mushroom risotto. Some of the best dishes I ate in 2020 were the vegetarian dishes including Indochine and Tresind Studio Season 3 and Season 5.
Indochine’s Crispy Aubergine
Indochine’s Crispy Aubergine and Tresind Studio Turnip
Your competitors are taking customers from you. Choice is available. The tipping point is nearing. Smart restaurateurs will provide an exciting plant-based menu if not only defensively.
More restaurants buying (and celebrating) local ingredients. I would like to see more restaurants purchasing local UAE products and identifying the source of the local produce. Name dropping also gives the local supplier an audience and opportunity for direct custom. This type of partnership is another form of collaboration and one that I regularly see in Europe and the US. BOCA names Emirates Bio Farm sourced ingredients on the menu. The Maine meticulously names its local suppliers on its menu with a focus on ‘supporting local farms and fisheries’. I order Fujairah-farmed Dibba Bay oysters whenever I see them whether it’s at The Maine Land Brasserie, Alici Seafood or their recent kiosk in The Pointe’s Food District. This does not mean restaurants must immediately stop buying imported produce. A balance should be struck but, the question is, what else could you do to sustainably support local farmers and fisherman?
The Maine Land Brasserie’s Menu citing local producers and its local beef tomato salad
Supporting local also means supporting local entrepreneurs. The emergence of micro-producers and home cooks appeared in recent years. I regularly buy Haute Sauce because I firmly believe it is the best hot sauce in Dubai, and I will fight you. I messaged the entrepreneurial lady behind the brand telling her the Mellowing sauce is nothing short of genius. Others who come through my door and eat it at my house also agree. Curious Elephant’s chilli oil is the perfect accompaniment to my steamed dim sum and deserving of the hype.
Trinidad Doubles with Haute Sauce Original Habenero & Coriander Sauce
These fledgeling initiatives mature when we support them creating a value chain back towards local suppliers. Just look to A Story of Food in case you needed an example of what’s possible.
Give us (free) local water. I struggle to understand why restaurants do not make available free table water for diners. One thing is for the staff to not push it and, instead, focus on upselling. It is another thing not to have it at all. I polled 100 people between my Instagram and Twitter who confirmed that 96% of people want either free filtered tap water or cheap local bottled water available in all Dubai restaurants. Moreover, Dubai Municipality, when commenting on a new Food Code, advised that “tap water would be advised as part of the code in order to reduce the dependence on single-use plastic”. A to Zaatar put me onto Liquid of Life which we enjoy at home and who also offer commercial filtered water solutions. My followers named certain restaurants that offer free table water including Reif Kushiyaki, The Sum of Us, Stomping Grounds, Lads Burger, Tom & Serg, Le Burger, Soul Green, The Lime Tree Cafe, OneLife Kitchen and Cafe Rider among others.
Reif Kushiyaki offers free filtered water to its guests
Bonus action: Authenticity. Lastly, I see (so-called) influencers claiming to #supportlocal. You could do more, starting with actually paying for meals, tipping staff and not just turning up when the PRs call you. You know who you are, do better. Business owners remember who really supported them when times were hard. You may want to remember that too.
BYOB
The UAE announced it relaxed a slew of social restrictions including further easing towards alcohol licensing. UAE residents are very familiar with the requirement to obtain an alcohol license. Sidebar: I applaud how much easier it is to get an alcohol license in 2020 together with Legal Home Delivery. This was welcomed by me and others during a pandemic with lockdowns to ensure that stocks are suitably topped up.
I digress. BYOB or Bring Your Own Bottle feels like a natural evolution to offer diners value and choice. I regularly dined at certain restaurants in Whitechapel, London where, for religious reasons, the owners would not apply for a liquor license to serve alcohol to guests. Yet, the owners fostered a BYOB culture. The restaurant avoids an overhead cost and the customer enjoys the flexibility of choosing from a broader selection at a more affordable cost. I can assure you a small collection of alcohol stores opened up adjacent to these restaurants. Lastly – and back to the good horse Collaboration – I am sure there are opportunities for restaurants to partner with The Tasting Class, African and Eastern or MMI. Would you pick up a bottle knowing it is recommended by the restaurant for you? Might you learn about new restaurants because their name appears recommending a bottle of wine?
This will need to be thought through. Yet, I want to see progress in this area, even with compromises like modest corkage fees and other diner etiquettes.
Hungarian tokaji and port from The Maine Land Brasserie
More Plant-Based Menus
Plant-based or vegan food menus burgeoned recently. I am impressed that some restaurants like The Maine Land Brasserie feature dedicated plant-based vegan menus. Many others signal plant-based through leafy emojis like discreet Bat signals.
Still, more can be done. I do not believe all restaurants need to radically change their menu but the tipping point is coming. Last weekend, Mrs EatGoSee turned down nearly 10 restaurants because they did not have enough plant-based options on the menu. I know other food writers and editors whose partners are the same. Restaurants must realise that they will lose a table of four because one person cannot get sensible vegan options beyond a tired, cliche mushroom risotto. Some of the best dishes I ate in 2020 were the vegetarian dishes including Indochine and Tresind Studio Season 3 and Season 5.
Indochine’s Crispy Aubergine
Indochine’s Crispy Aubergine and Tresind Studio Turnip
Your competitors are taking customers from you. Choice is available. The tipping point is nearing. Smart restaurateurs will provide an exciting plant-based menu if not only defensively.
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