Shawarma shops are well dispersed around the UAE and are as common as the lights on the streets. So when you find people huddled around a specific shawarma place, you just know this place is GOOD!
Molouk Al Shawarma is located in the most shawarma dense area of Abu Dhabi - in Khaldiyah. Despite its location and proximity of competition, it still manages to attract a significant number of hungry shawarma eaters. In fact the massive stick of meat almost disappears 4 hours after its put up!
What makes it special?
* I’ve had this twice so far and had a better experience the first time. The second time, I had it with Uli & Till (my friends from Germany) and they devoured it!
I know you’re probably thinking - ” So…where’s the shawarma she’s raving about?” ..Well, I ate it before I had time to take a photo and so, I will leave this to your imagination.
Moulouk Al Shawarma in the street behind Al Nabulsi in Khaldiyah
Contact Number: 02 666 8007
Until my next post
B
I must say that Abu Dhabi has transformed itself into a “modern day metropolis” with some iconic buildings spread across the city. Take the Hyatt Capital Gate for example, resembling a dented version of the leaning tower of Pisa or the twin Faberge-esque buildings that are currently under construction along Salam Street not to mention Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and its impressive wind tower, the coin-like Aldar HQ at al Raha Beach and the LED lit Viceroy Hotel on Yas Island to name a few. Oh! and don’t get me started on the bridges (Sheikh Zayed Bridge) and mosques (Sheikh Zayed Mosque) that have become an essential part of our daily commute.
However, one building in Abu Dhabi makes my heart ache every time I enter it - Yas Links - my Mediterranean dream!
Yes, I realise this is a food blog so please don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to compete with Architectural Digest here but failing to mention the beauty and simplicity of this place really would be a crime!
So this week when I received my two lovely friends, Till and Uli from Munich, I jumped at the chance of showing them where I dream of residing one day!
Hickory’s at Yas Links is an all day dining restaurant offering an East meets-but doesn’t mix-with West cuisine and offers indoor seating, a large room covered in wood panels, as well as an outdoor terrace overlooking the golf course and sea.
On the menu:
For starters
For our mains
My Review
Food
I thought the food was mediocre in the sense that everything would be “okay”. Nothing disappointing and nothing exceptional. In fact, “its okay” was the general feedback I got from the rest of the group.
Service
Nothing personal about the service yet the waiters were very professional
Ambience
Spectacular if the weather permits but even the indoor seating offers great outdoor views and has a warm feel to it.
Until my next post,
B
[video]
Yesterday, I was craving my balaleet/karak fix so decided to pop into Klayya, a new Emirati Bakery/Breakfast cafe in Al Barsha to see what all the fuss was about.
To begin with, I mistook Klayya for an art gallery when I passed it - plenty of space with bold, mismatched pieces and each piece really spoke for itself. I was impressed. All 5 tables were occupied once we came in and we managed to nab the last one. There were no waiters in sight but that didn’t stop the gentleman sitting next to us from handing us a menu - again, I was impressed. We ordered and took in our surroundings - the place seated not more than 20-24 people.
My Review
Food
* Portions I thought were a bit on the small side
Service
Extremely friendly service, owned by Emiratis and great to see it managed by Emiratis. The owner was very helpful in ensuring that everything was running smoothly.
Ambiance
Beautiful setting but sadly right next to the Union Co-op so you are constantly listening to the tills opening and closing. However, love what the owners have done with the place.
I would recommend Klayya for breakfast/fuala/brunch as the menu is limited to just that. For a well rounded experience of Emirati Hospitality - this would be it!
Klayya is located at Al Barsha Mall behind Mall of the Emirates
Contact Number: 04 3255335
I fell in love with Baker and Spice back when it was located on Walton Street in London, back when all they had were 3 tables on the street and a tiny yet beautiful bakery inside. So, when Baker & Spice opened in Dubai, you can just begin to imagine the nostalgia I felt. Although this outlet does not really have the same menu, it incorporates the same values and concept - Freshly made/baked goods all laid out before your hungry eyes!
My Review
Food
Baker and Spice would be ideal for breakfasts, brunch & lunch. Go there on a Friday and you’ll be able to visit the Farmer’s market at the terrace, a weekly affair promoting locally home grown goods. As a resident of Abu Dhabi, my wish is to see a Baker and Spice here soon.
Until my next post (which will be very soon),
B
Best thing about writing a food blog is now I have a legitimate excuse to go on regular dining excursions with my favourite foodies! This Saturday, my dover sole mates Haif and Safa, picked Maria Bonita’s Taco Shop for a Mexican mustache bash!
I loved everything about Maria Bonita - the company, the food and the service (in that order exactly!)
aria 
My Review
Food:
We chose not to overdose and chose quality over quantity. For starters, we had chips with salsa and freshly made guacamole. Our waiter spent a good 10 minutes peeling the avocado carefully before asking us whether we wanted our dip to be spicy - we did of course!
For our mains we had the following:
For dessert we had “Churros” - fried dough dipped in sugar - which came piping hot just the way it should be eaten!
Service:
Service was good and friendly. I suppose we were having too much of a laugh to even notice or perhaps it was our mustaches that helped . The restaurant was almost full (in and out) and the lovely owner came over for a chat and handed us sombrero’s to complete our look.
Ambience:
Maria Bonita provides seating indoors as well as outdoors overlooking Um Al Sheif Road. Everything is as expected from a Mexican Restaurant - earthy, colourful and cluttered. The place is great for a casual lunch and you could easily spend a few hours there.
Writing about it this early in the morning still makes me quite hungry. Go try it but don’t forget - Guacamole & Churros!
Ahi nos vemos,
B
Grand Central,for those of you who haven’t discovered it yet, is a burger joint serving Beef, Chicken and Veggie burgers/mini burgers. The best thing about Grand Central is the ingredients they use to create the burgers - Premium Wagyu Beef, Angus Beef and the highest quality Chicken from Al Ain Farms.
If there was one thing that keeps me going back it would be “Mama’s sweet potato fries”.
I find the burgers extremely inconsistent i.e I was once surprised to find sauteed onions in my beef mini burger when the time before it was made to perfection with classic items (lettuce,tomatoes and pickles). Apart from the sauteed onion incident, I’ve had a great experience with Grand Central’s burgers and would recommend it to burger lovers.
Grand Central’s little joint is unconventionally different from the many food outlets in Abu Dhabi. Firstly, its located on a pavement adjacent to a mosque. Secondly, seating is ALL outdoors so now’s a good time to have a meal at the restaurant. Once the weather gets warmer - don’t worry - they have a delivery service.
Grand Central
Adjacent to the Mosque opposite Mamoura B
(02) 642 6499
My staples - Nutella & Cappuccino
A delicious Nutella Pie from Saladicious Deli at JBR… Thank you Haify Pie for suggesting it!
(Now playing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSz5ooXKGns&feature=related)
For frequent visitors to Lebanon, Leila is usually at the top of everyone’s “where to go” list. Naturally, Leila, is also on the “hottest franchise” list for its gourmet yet homemade food. I was invited by my friend and the co-owner , Ahmed Al Alami, to experience Leila at Mirdiff City Centre in Dubai.
I had never been to Mirdiff City Centre, for its proximity or lack thereof, to where I usually venture when in Dubai. I must admit that the mall itself is probably one of, if not, the best in Dubai. Leila, is located in the Central Galleria of the Mall and the place was absolutely packed with people - mostly locals.
A bread basket was placed at our table upon our arrival which consisted of the usual pitta bread and the breadiest and yummiest zaatar buns. We ordered a selection of hot and cold mezze’s, a few main courses and a selection of desserts.
Here are my recommendations:
Nothing is disappointing at Leila yet a few dishes stood out to me:
My review:
Food
Excellent choices on the menu and the team is currently working on adding rice dishes (a staple to me)…. Do not, under any circumstances, skip dessert!
Service
Friendly service and especially family friendly.
Ambience
Great ambience despite Leila’s being in a mall
Will be spotting more places in Dubai soon - so stay tuned!
B