Category Archives: Deira

© 2015 . All rights reserved.

For the love of Fattet Magdous.

If you’re having one of those days where you want to bolt out of the office, grab the first available garden hose and spray-silence the blockhead sitting across from you in the meeting room – only to realize that your office … Continue reading

© 2015 . All rights reserved.

Dubai’s Priceless Iftar Buffet

The only Iftar buffet that captures the spirit of Ramadan is the one found across many humble parts of the old city. No, you won’t find linen-covered tables crammed with food nor people sitting around dates poised on silver trays. What you will find are mosques – mosques … Continue reading

© 2014 . All rights reserved.

Nigerian cow’s tail, fishy cookies, camel meatballs and other food moments to celebrate.

Since my last post on greasy comfort-laden strips of Turkish doner, I’ve had a couple of memorable food discoveries that I have to share with anyone who cares to know. These are food memories that have connected me ina deep, fulfilling … Continue reading

© 2014 . All rights reserved.

Layali’s Tonbik Shawarma: The greasy zenith of Turkish comfort food in Naif.

The first time I sunk my teeth into the Tonbik Shawarma, the saucy swirl of condiments and crunchy cabbage and tender chicken and plump grease-sodden fries awoke the sleeping endorphins in my blood stream. This was not sophisticated food. I … Continue reading

© 2014 . All rights reserved.

Help keep the new Taiwanese ‘Honey Ice Cream Dessert Shop’ alive.

28/10/2014: The sinister niggling feeling in my heart played out folks, this place has shut down. A real tragedy that we won’t be able to support the Taiwanese taro-ball maker anymore.  Two months ago, a bubble gum-pink sign and fairy lights popped … Continue reading

© 2014 . All rights reserved.

The Freshest Catch: Seasoned, Grilled and Served Up at the Old Deira Fish Market.

Our heads jerked in unison towards the moving source of the panic.  Loud gruff screams ripped through the din of the fish market just as the fishmongers were packing up their stalls for their afternoon siesta. The chase was on. A bluish white blur of … Continue reading

© 2014 . All rights reserved.

Hotpot haunt in Nasr Square, Deira that’s totally worth the hunt.

The last time I truly enjoyed Chinese hotpot was three years ago on Baniyas Road. Despite its worn walls and tired décor, Xiao Wei Yang assures the sort of eccentric experience that has made it a widely known ‘secret’ for … Continue reading

© 2014 . All rights reserved.

Finally, more pocket-friendly ways to fix that Thai Curry craving.

  A spectacular serving of pineapple fried rice trumped the list of dishes that I’ve consumed over the past two weeks. Every grain was plumped up with the sort of savoury curry flavour that makes you salivate just thinking about it, with … Continue reading

© 2014 . All rights reserved.

An Ethiopian stew with the power to make you lust after lentils.

A neighbourhood worthy of some serious exploration is Naif. I might have made a similar proclamation two years ago, and I still stand by those words. If Naif was not such a constantly choked drainpipe of an area and so outrageously male-dominated, … Continue reading

© 2014 . All rights reserved.

The crunchiest Jalebi you can find in Dubai.

Your body is not happy, that’s why you keep falling ill. You’re not feeding it enough…Soul Food. Hm. Now there was a theory. It was not the lack of water, nor my negligence of multi-vitamins, nor my lack of sleep. … Continue reading

© 2013 . All rights reserved.

An Egyptian Lair that Serves Koshari, Duck and a Complimentary Bowl of Intrigue.

Sitting in the massive lair of an Egyptian restaurant in the middle of bleak dog-eared Abu Hail, my imagination was doing a sleazy song, dance and sudden mafia-style shoot-out to break up the non-existent party. I had never seen such … Continue reading