Can another new Japanese restaurant compete? An update on my review policy.
Plus iftar meal charity distribution drives. Top UAE newsletters. Dining news.
This April newsletter is a tad early as I am jetting off tomorrow until after Eid (more on my travels further down). If you’ve recently joined me here, feel free to also check out the last section for past newsletters, guides and reviews.
Substack has just introduced a brilliant new tool - a spinning globe to discover publications and trending posts by country. And guess what, my very own Substack that I only launched five months ago has been ranked no 8 in the UAE - the sole food publication to make the top 10 cut. Gobsmacked and over the moon. It’s you, your subscriptions and testimonials that encourage my writing. Thank you to each and every one of you for reading. I don’t take your support for granted.
Fancy donating your time and/ or funds towards an iftar meal distribution drive? All thanks to Vietnamese Foodies and its owner Lily Hoa Nguyen who sponsored the Dubai Good Will non-profit for a day, I joined a bunch of volunteers at the Al Futtaim Mosque in Satwa to hand out meal packages to those less fortunate. AED10 per meal with a minimum of 1,500 meals required per day. More info here on @dubaigoodwill plus similar initiatives at other mosques explained here. I’d love to rally 30 restaurants or F&B businesses to each sponsor one day over Ramadan next year with a donation of AED15,000 per day. If you’re interested, please drop me an email.
I’ve been reviewing…
For well over a year, you may have noticed that I no longer commission guest contributors for restaurant reviews. A conscious decision that will continue with solely moi reviewing restaurants. You’re therefore guaranteed that the writer (i.e. me!) refrains from accepting invitations across the whole dining out journey - whether for restaurant reviews, openings, new menu launches or even personal social outings. The sole exception might be cost-prohibitive tasting menus, that, on odd occasions, I do try - however, these don’t get reviewed on FooDiva. Why? Because the content of reviews has always focused on à la carte only, allowing you to spend as much, or as little as you want. So to wrap up, all meals in this newsletter and on my website continue to abide by my no-freebies, no-invitation review policy. It’s quite simple - no receipt means no review and no mention here. For more on my editorial policy, have a read here.
Onto a new restaurant opening. Let’s see who's old-school Dubai. Do you remember golden oldie Japengo? With a Japanese and broader Asian menu. Hands up in the comments if you do 🙌🏽
The Souk Madinat Jumeirah outpost overlooking the waterway sadly shut shop nearly a decade ago. In 2019, the Food Fund restaurateurs bagged the location and opened cocktail bar-cum-restaurant Americano, which closed last year. Right next to popular sibling Taverna Greek Kitchen. In its place, the group has introduced another homegrown, licensed restaurant, Sushiyaki. A portmanteau of sushi and yakitori. Full circle Japanese.
Japanese is one of the most prolific, saturated and competitive cuisine categories in Dubai, so I am sceptical of this opening, despite Food Fund’s stellar reputation for homegrown concepts. Can Sushiyaki compete in Dubai’s crowded Japanese scene? Have a read of the review HERE. Deliriously happy that I breezed in and out without an inch of recognition 😋
Any other much-missed golden oldie gems?
I’ve been eating…
With visitors in town over the stormy weekend earlier this month, we braced the flooded roads (thankfully the rain had stopped) and introduced them to Hawkerboi, Tom Arnel’s homage to South-East Asian hawker stall fare. Licensed in JLT. With a rammed restaurant, clearly everyone had the same idea. I opted for different dishes to my first review visit. Roast duck with its crisped skin, and pancakes of course - order the half portion as a starter. Fried aubergines with a sticky honey-soy-sesame glaze. Beef char kway teow. Wok-fried soft shell crab. Tom’s Neapolitan pizzeria on the rooftop has opened - Franky’s. Might be worth a meal before summer sets in.
Another JLT outing. You’ll start thinking I live nearby ;) The OG Mythos. Why? Because pork is on the menu, including a luscious pork belly cooked overnight with celery root. Other must-eats at this outpost, and, incidentally, all are vegetarian: Tomato kefta (fritters). Fried kefalograviera - a firm, salty sheep and goat milk cheese. Gemista (rice-stuffed veggies).
The Cheeseroom in Mall of the Emirates has been open a few months, but it always seems so undeservedly quiet that I think many don’t know it exists. Hence I am giving it one big shout-out to you folks. Level 1, opposite Crate & Barrel. The shop assistants are extremely knowledgeable and will offer slice after slice to taste, with zero hard-sell. Your wallet might not thank you though.
I am a regular dine-in customer at Arabian Tea House, but for the first time, I ordered dried black lemon (or lime) and garlic-marinated lamb tikka chunks for delivery. Mr S wanted to open a South African Shiraz that’s been ageing in our wine fridge since our trip last year ;) Wrapped in ATH’s famous tannour bread, my only regret was not ordering a second portion. This moreish dish features on the Dubai episode of Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil. As a voracious reader, I hardly watch Netflix, let alone goofy yet endearing Phil Rosenthal. But this show does justice to our restaurant scene, steering away from other bling-tastic scripts, so well worth watching.
I’ve been drinking…
My four-part series on alcohol-free cocktails in partnership with MMI are now live with the Piña Colada and margarita reels. Another two drinks coming up over the next couple of weeks on mine and MMI’s Instagram accounts. For the rationale behind this campaign, I explain more in this post. Here’s a promo code for MMI home delivery with a four-hour chilled delivery service. Get 25% discount across all stock on your first online purchase with MMIFOODIVA25. Cheers 🍹
I’ve been buying…
Well strictly speaking, online browsing…so far, but I am utterly tempted. Spotted on American restaurant critic Ruth Reichl’s Substack. A Japanese tableware brand that delivers worldwide, UAE included - Musubi Kiln. The chopstick holders alone manage to transcend quirkiness with elegance.
In the press…
How a family-run bistro became the Middle East’s best restaurant - on CNN. The journalist, Rebecca Cairns contacted me for a few quotes. A well-researched article with a different news angle to other coverage on this topic. If you missed it, my opinion on the MENA 50 Best Restaurant Awards.
I was back on Dubai Eye for a full hour chatting food waste over Ramadan, charity meal distribution drives, and surge pricing. Have a listen here.
Why there’s more to Dubai than glitz and glamour - in The Irish News. A Dubai travel feature with a couple of quotes from me on the restaurant scene.
You may have missed…
A special edition newsletter in support of all things Palestinian.
Past newsletters: November; December; January; February; March. Plus an opinion piece on MENA 50 Best Restaurant Awards.
My 2024 guide to Dubai’s top restaurants. A record 45 homegrown concepts. Paid subscribers also receive this as a PDF.
I update My Little Pink Lifestyle Book with new finds every month.
A private one-hour Zoom call with me to pick my brains. More info here for F&B industry enquiries - and here for foodie/ diner queries.
Looking for a gift for a foodie friend? Perhaps consider an annual subscription to this newsletter, breaking news and the added perks. You’ll have my forever love.
Before I sign off…
For those celebrating the Catholic Easter and Eid Al Fitr - happy Easter and Eid mubarak. Orthodox friends - don’t worry, I’ll be in touch before our Easter in May 😜
I hope that not only we will now see a ceasefire in Gaza over the rest of Ramadan, following the UNSC’s passing of the resolution last night - but that this vote paves the way for a permanent ceasefire and an end to this genocide.
At times like this, I am even more grateful for travel. London, Guernsey and Cyprus for family and birthday shenanigans. Needless to say restaurants (and theatre!) are booked, however, tips are always welcome. I might share the odd story on Instagram, however am planning to digitally detox and enjoy precious family time. I’ll pen a culinary travel guide for this lovely platform when am back.
A bientôt,
FooDiva. x
Bring back The Ivy!! We always wistfully talk about their pre-brunch Bloody Mary's and no-buffet brunch with excellent margaritas / espresso martinis / service / and great, basic, consistent food.
Tokyo @ The Towers was a go to for Japanese, and they had ET Sushi (I think) downstairs … and could always end up singing karaoke at Harry Ghatto afterwards
The cocktails at Ginseng (near Wafi)