Dubai Cuisine: Delicious International Flavors
Few cities in the world offer such a wide gastronomic offer as Dubai. Due to the rich mix of nationalities, food in Dubai is highly varied. This is mainly due to the development of Dubai in recent years which has resulted in an influx of people from different countries now living there while working and contributing to the growth of this great city.
Local Arabic food in Dubai has been influenced by Iranian, Moroccan, and Lebanese cuisine. Also, Indian, Thai, Chinese, and Western food is readily available. Everywhere you look, different types of restaurants are opening up in Dubai to cater to the growing population. There is a wide variety of uptown mirdif restaurants that also vary in price and quality. From high-end restaurants with multiple Michelin stars to street shwarma stalls and international fast-food chains, foodies will have a hard time choosing where to go and what to eat.
As for the special local Arabic dishes, some of the most popular foods are:
- Stuffed zucchini
- Grape leaves stuffed with rice
- Whole roast lamb served with rice and nuts
- Steaks
- Tabbouleh: a salad with mint, chopped parsley and shredded wheat
- Hummus – Chickpea paste and sesame seeds
In Dubai, many local dishes contain typical Middle Eastern spices, such as saffron, cinnamon and turmeric, in combination with dried fruits and nuts, often pistachios and almonds.
Dates are a staple in Dubai/Arabic cuisine. Dates are regularly used in Arabic cuisine and are often eaten on their own at the start of a meal. Dates are used to “break the fast” during Ramadan, Dubai’s annual fasting period for Muslims.
Dates are grown on date palms on farms in the suburbs of Dubai. There are date festivals and most of the souks (open-air markets) sell dates. Many tourists buy packets of dates to take home as they are also available at the Dubai airport.
Recognized as “tomorrow” in Arabic, there are many types of dates available in Dubai including; Date Sagai, Mabroom, Safawi, and Sukkary. Each of these varieties has a delicious flavor, soft flesh and sweet flavor.
Apart from the delicious variety of local Arabic dishes offered in Dubai, you can also discover a great selection of international cuisines that suit different tastes.