A personal message. And some light-hearted reading.
Something old. Something new. Something relocated. Something Gordon.
If you’re reading this newsletter from the Middle East, I hope you and your loved ones are as well as can be, given the conflict on our doorstep.
As a Dubai resident of 26+ years, I have faith that the UAE’s robust defence forces, who have done an extraordinary job so far intercepting missiles and drones, will continue to keep us safe. And even though flight routes have opened up, like many fellow expats, we have chosen to remain here in our adopted home. Unlike back in 1974 in Cyprus.
For those outside the region, please don’t believe the Dubai-bashing, clickbait press coverage, which just leaves us long-term residents disgusted. If you’re after an accurate account from an international publication, this story here paints an honest picture.
I toyed with writing this post, however I surmised that you could do with some light-hearted reading as a respite from the doom and gloom.
Mr S and I are continuing to go about our daily lives, and we’re sticking to our routines, as much as possible. That includes frequenting restaurants. Dining out is mandatory for my mental health. If you’re comfortable venturing out and about in line with the UAE’s safety directives, restaurants in Dubai could do with our collective support. And here’s some dining inspiration, should you need it.
But I appreciate in moments of crisis, we all react differently, and you may prefer to stay at home. Ordering deliveries also supports our local F&B community. The food section of this guide lists my go-to food and drink suppliers.
As with post-lockdown six years ago, my longform reviews of new openings are on hold until we’re back to regular programming. It’s unfair to judge a restaurant when some imported ingredients are in short supply, and atmosphere is naturally affected.
So because I love a theme, this newsletter is dedicated to a twist on the popular Victorian bridal rhyme, “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe.”
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Something new
Up until this last weekend, I don’t think I’ve ever visited a restaurant in Dubai two days in a trot. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented habits.
A relative newbie on the block. Taqueria El Primo by Mexico City native chef-owner Jonathan Colin (ex-Zuma/ LPM). Opposite the Wasl 51 complex.
A deux for our first visit on Saturday evening. We were singing its praises, so on Sunday, en route home from a pool day at Nikki Beach Resort, we brought a friend who lives footsteps away. Absolutely rammed for both dinner services.
Unlike my Mexican favourite Lila, El Primo’s menu is pretty much solely about tacos with a base of corn or flour tortillas - and corn tostadas. A staggering 19 toppings. Served in single portions (priced from AED25-65), making it easy for guests to order what they want.
We tried a lot of different dishes across the two visits. Four tacos and two tostadas triumphed with high quality protein toppings. Wagyu soujouk, an umami-laden mince with its distinct smokiness. A medium-rare sliver of Black Angus rib-eye. A jumbo prawn that’s so massive, you need a knife and fork. An unusually tender octopus tentacle. And the tostadas with raw seafood toppings - shrimp, and separately, yellowfin tuna tartare. Conversely, the cinnamon in the chicken pastor marination was far too overpowering.
By way of starters, there’s guac of course, and a sweetcorn dish. But it’s the Mexican version of cheese fondue peppered with Wagyu beef soujouk, and soft tortillas for spooning that steal the show.
The churros here don’t come with a chocolate sauce, sadly - but instead, a towering vanilla soft serve drizzled with strawberry jam for dipping.
The Latino staff are so utterly welcoming (and witty), they deserve a hug.
Striking diner-style branding even extends to red stripe Adidas Samba sneakers for the female waitresses. The men haven’t been convinced to don these.
Go now. Go twice.
Note: I visited both times incognito with Colin rammed at his station (we’ve never met). On the second visit, he sent over guacamole on the house because he recognised us from the night before. But it’s only after the second dinner, when I posted on Instagram and he connected the dots, that my FooDiva cover was blown.
Something relocated
Growing up in Cyprus, I ate Persian fare regularly thanks to my bestie’s mama, and coupled with a visit to Tehran and Esfahan years ago, this fragrant, hearty cuisine always gives me a delicious dose of nostalgia, notwithstanding the current state of affairs.
Iranish by Iranian chef-owner Amin Ebra in Jumeirah’s Wasl 51 complex, recently located across the courtyard, serves my go-to, classic dishes.
Ashe reshteh - a rich, dense noodle soup that is a meal in itself. Kashk e badmejoon (I’ve never known a dish with such a myriad of spellings) - an always warm, aubergine dip drizzled with tangy strained buttermilk. And the signature looti polo - a tableside presentation of skewered lamb kebabs and raw egg yolk, mixed into saffron rice.
The austere, vintage-style interior with an overdose of bright lighting is not my cup of tea - however the food excels enough to encourage a repeat visit. Sadly, Iranish does not deliver to my neck of the woods, but it might to yours. And Persian food does travel well.
For a giggle, here’s a post I penned back in 2012 professing my love for Iranian cuisine.
Something old
Old is gold…until it closes.
12 years after opening in DIFC, homegrown independent Boca is, sadly, shutting shop at the end of this month.
What was born as a Spanish taperia, has morphed into an award-winning restaurant championing sustainability across all areas of the operation, led by the founder Omar Shihab. A broader Mediterranean menu with the majority of its seafood, vegetables and fruit sourced locally. Paired with this town’s most comprehensive natural, organic and biodynamic wine lists.
I will forever cherish the fond memories of my early #DineAroundDubai events in the working wine cellar meets PDR.
A bittersweet few hours over the weekend, when we popped in for dinner. Bumping into wino friends resulted in the line-up, pictured above.
Last service on the 31st March, should you like to pay Boca a visit.
It’s not au revoir Boca; I am hoping for a bientôt in a new location. DIFC’s loss is another landlord’s gain. And a golden opportunity to re-imagine the concept.
Something Gordon
If you haven’t already watched the new Gordon Ramsay docu-series on Netflix ‘Being Gordon’, it’s well worth setting aside the time, in particular if you’re opting to hunker down. I binge-watched all six episodes when it dropped last month. Love or hate him, he makes for gripping telly. Almost a tad too media trained though.
I’ll give you an example.
The number one question he always gets asked is how he can call himself a chef when he’s not hands-on in his kitchens any more - and hasn’t been for decades. His London publicist in his early days, Jo Barnes of Sauce Communications (Ramsay owned a 10% stake until they parted ways, and she bought him out) trained him on the right response:
“When you buy a suit from Armani, you don’t expect Giorgio Armani himself to have stitched it.”
That line pretty much shuts up any journalist. But for Netflix, Ramsay’s changed the fashion designer analogy to Paul Smith. I expect because Armani has since passed away. A respectful nod to a fellow Brit is also a smart move. Either way, it did make me chuckle.
How do I know this intel?
Before I set up my own business 15 years ago, I was head of corporate communications for Hilton in MEA. In 2001, Ramsay opened his first restaurant outside the UK, Verre at Hilton Dubai Creek, inaugurating Dubai’s love affair with celebrity chef partnerships.
With every Ramsay visit to Dubai, along with, Anoushka Misra pictured in the centre, the PR manager for Hilton’s two Dubai hotels at the time, we would plan something different for media. In all fairness, she did all the work.
The photo below was snapped on 4th May 2008 after a fishing trip and lunch at our VP’s villa on the Palm - coincidentally following Tana’s own cookbook launch, and one of the rare occasions when she accompanied him to Dubai.
Meanwhile, whilst unearthing the above photo, I stumbled upon a couple more from the media preview of Bread Street Kitchen’s opening at Atlantis on the 21st October 2015 ⬇️ By this stage, I had ditched the PR career for FooDiva and I was covering imported concepts.
Resources and links…
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FooDiva. x
I'm actually heading to Taqueria El Primo this week! Even more excited to try it out now.