Do a quick search on Google for the top touristy things-to-do in Dubai and the results are what you’d expect — visit the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the Burj Al Arab, do a tour of the city on the Hop-On Hop-Off bus, sand-dune bashing with BBQ and belly dancing.
However, there is a lot more to do in Dubai than just desert safaris and visiting malls. From the evolving literary, arts and cultural scene to the exceptional culinary experiences that cover cuisines from all over the globe, we explored Dubai like a local during the recently concluded Dubai Food Festival. The 17-day food fest included curated meals at fine-dining restaurants, an elaborate spread at the Swyp Beach Canteen and limited edition coffees at emerging artisanal cafes and feasts at some of the hidden gems of Dubai.
An evening in Deira
Our sojourn began on a pleasant Tuesday afternoon when we checked in at the Rove City Centre that’s located in Deira — which is a popular commercial hub and part of the old city. Rove has a millennial vibe to it with colourful walls, recycled art and quirky messaging in the elevators and in the rooms. What impressed us was that nothing here is without a reason. When we found a pictorial message behind the door reminding us of things-not-to-forget while leaving our room, we were pleasantly surprised!
Our first stop was the Souk which is a short drive from the hotel. The Dubai Creek (Khor Dubai) divides the Souk into two sections — Deira and Bur Dubai. This is the oldest part of Dubai that used to be a minor port and where the pearling industry flourished. However, today, more than the Emiratis, it’s the expat population of Turkish, Indians, Afghans and Pakistanis, that runs the business in these old markets on either side of the creek.
We started by exploring the Deira side of the Souk. From colourful hand-painted crockery, spices, abayas (burkhas) and hookah to knick-knacks, there was a lot to shop for at this quaint market. The best way to explore it is by walking. As we walked around, we also visited the famous Gold Souk. A bazillion glittering gold shops line the avenue of this market. There’s also the world’s largest finger ring on display, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.
It was already dusk and we decided to cross the Dubai Creek in a dhow (a tiny sailing boat) for AED 1 to reach the other side — Bur Dubai. This short commute across the creek left us spellbound. The setting sun in the west, the tangerine sky and seagulls flying towards the horizon — everything about this seven-minute boat ride was unforgettable.
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The Bur Dubai side of the creek is a reflection of Deira with tiny alleys and shops that sell everything from spices and crockery to gold. The long walk around the Souk had worked up a good appetite and we headed to try the food at the first restaurant on our itinerary.
From old Dubai, we made our way to the new Trade Centre Area. In stark contrast to the alleys and the old-world charm, this part of the city appeared like a film set with its tall glitzy skyscrapers and the Burj Khalifa. The restaurant, Al Nafoorah, is located at the famous Emirates Tower (which is part of the symbol of Dubai). The true taste of Lebanon — that’s Al Nafoorah’s tagline and it serves an extensive Lebanese menu.
We tried the curated menu that included the mezzeh — hot and cold, grills and desserts. While hummus, fattoush and baba ganoush are commonplace, we really enjoyed the Sfiha Baalbek (flour pockets stuffed with minced lamb). From the desserts, it was the Cheese Kunafa that impressed us. The contrasting flavours of the slightly sweet semolina dough onthe bed of cheese worked very well. After this satisfying dinner, we called it a day.
Gold rush
While Dubai continues to attract people for its extravagance, at the same time, the Emirate is cautious about where its money is being spent. We realised this on day two, during the tour of the newly-opened Dubai Frame in Zabeel Park. Described as “the biggest picture frame on the planet,” by The Guardian, this architectural marvel was a sight to behold because of its scale. The entry to this 492-feet high frame began at its foot, however, the walkthrough towards the elevator was done up with art exhibits and video installations about Dubai’s history. The photograph exhibits also provided insights into the construction of the frame.
At the end of this display, we realised how the Emiratis worked hard to make their city a global tourist destination with attractions like the Dubai Frame. The significance of the frame is that it is located right in the middle of Dubai, and when we reached the top floor, the view helped us understand this better. Apart from the city views, this floor includes interactive art installations and a coffee shop. But the most interesting bit of the visit was yet to come. As we descended from the top floor, the elevator doors opened to a neon-lit tunnel that ended at a 3D visual installation which gave a glimpse into futuristic Dubai. From high-speed metros, advanced AI robots and interactive homes to a better city, we got an idea of what Dubai would look like in a few years from now.
The next stop of the day was the Swyp Beach Canteen at Jumeirah Beach. There were rows of food trucks serving everything from sushi, Korean guksu and Egyptian kushari to churros. Having sampled a little bit of everything, we opted to check out Alserkal Avenue — the emerging arts and culture hub of Dubai. Boasting a vintage car museum, artisanal cafes, a vinyl records music store and a number of art galleries, this spot is a must-visit!
A little away from the Avenue is the Boston Lane coffee shop at The Courtyard. Owned by Australian expats and inspired by Melbourne’s laneway coffee culture, this cafe serves interesting artisanal coffees. We sampled the limited edition Doughnut Lattes — Vegan Bluemoon, Jam-Filled Chocolate Glaze and Cinnamon Sugar — that were served during the Dubai Food Festival.
While the cinnamon sugar tasted like a regular latte with a hint of cinnamon, the jam-filled chocolate glaze was impressive with its fruity flavour, however, the vegan blue moon was too experimental for our palate. As we enjoyed the evening coffee, we also took a tour of The Courtyard that houses fashion boutiques and the Courtyard Playhouse— a space for comedy, plays and improv performances.
What fish!
While all these new hotspots are perfect for the millennial traveller, we were keen to check out Atlantis, The Palm because any Dubai trip seems incomplete without visiting the famous five-star luxury resort hotel. So we headed out early on Thursday for breakfast at Saffron, one of the signature restaurants at the Atlantis. With options from all over the globe, the spread was quite overwhelming. We sampled the Chinese Congee with condiments, fried Mantou Bun with condensed milk and Chinese Curry Puffs.
After this experimental breakfast, we started our day-long tour at the Atlantis and the biggest attraction was The Lost Chambers Aquarium. With over 200 species and 65,000 fish in the aquarium, this underwater destination couldn’t be missed. We spotted the Mako Shark, the fastest shark in the world, the colourful corals and visited the fish hospital where the fish are treated, and Horseshoe Crabs and Jellyfish are bred. Three hours later, our legs gave up and we headed to Wavehouse, the newest restaurant and recreation spot at the Atlantis.
Artificially created waves give firsttimers an opportunity to try surfing. However, we were too exhausted and preferred to get something to eat. The menu here is an assortment of pizzas, burgers, salads, smoothies, health drinks, beers and some seafood options. Everything we sampled was delicious, particularly the Panko Chicken Burger (with an activated charcoal bun). The drive back from The Palm after lunch was a long one, considering Thursday’s weekend traffic.
After an hour of lazing around in the room, we headed out in the evening to check out another luxury Emirati property — Madinat Jumeirah. Interspersed with waterways, this opulently designed hotel evokes images of the royal palaces of a bygone era. We took a ferry ride to reach Pai Thai that continues to be voted as the best Thai fine dining restaurant in Dubai. While they do have an elaborate menu, we chose to try their signature offerings from the set menu, which included Plha Nuea Ma Khua Pho (grilled beef salad), Goong Gratiem Prik Thai (crispy prawns in green pepper sauce), Phad Phed Nuea (wok-fried beef curry) and Kao Niew Ma Muang (sweet sticky rice). These proved why Pai Thai continues to hold its position as the best!
Revisiting the creek
While all the luxury hotels and the new-age cafes lured us with their experiences and offerings, we still wanted to explore more of the Dubai Creek. So we booked a Heritage Tour and Cultural Lunch at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) at the Al Fahidi Historic District, adjacent to the Dubai Creek. The friendly staff at SMCCU guided us to the main courtyard where the Heritage Tour began with a sampling of the traditional Arabic Tea and the Lugaimat (sweet dough balls). Highlights included an introduction to the Emirati culture, a walk around the old neighbourhood,
understanding the architecture of old houses, learning how the natives coped with the harsh weather conditions and a brief history of how Dubai has evolved. This was followed by the Cultural Lunch where we sampled Veal Majboos (a traditional rice dish), Chicken Biryani (borrowed from Indian-Pakistani cuisines), Chicken and Vegetable Saloona (curries) and Arabic Tea with Lugaimat.
After this relaxed and elaborate experience, we took a walk around the creek on the last evening of our stay in the City of Gold. A week had flown and there was still so much to explore. However, we couldn’t complain because what we experienced went beyond the regular tourist itineraries.
The writer was in Dubai on invitation by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Dubai
ayeshatabassum@newindianexpress.com
@aishatax