Emiratis, Dubai and Food

I believe food brings people closer together.

Food breaks down barriers.

Barriers we may impose on ourselves. Barriers like these:

I went to the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition last year.

I knew there would be many Emiratis and other people from the region. I didn’t think much of it as I’ve been to many exhibitions before and I don’t have issues breaking the ice and mingling with anyone. Or so I thought.

After 15 minutes of being there, I rushed to the restroom to call my husband. I had no idea how to break the ice and mingle. I had never seen so many Emiratis (or Khaleejis) under one roof-not even in movies.

I went to an Emirati afternoon event in Dubai three months ago.

I knew there would be many Emiratis. I didn’t think much of it as I’ve been to many events before and I don’t have issues breaking the ice and mingling with anyone. Or so I thought.

After only 5 minutes this time, I rushed to the restroom to call my husband. I had no idea how to break the ice and mingle. I had never seen so many Emirati men and women under one roof.

I went to an Emirati restaurant in Dubai two days ago.

As I was walking in, I saw a lot of Emirati families. I’ve never really seen so many Emirati families in one place before.

There were no restrooms close by to rush to.

I wanted to stare at the food they ordered so I could order the same thing. Then I remembered how I hate when people stared at me. I had to control my gaze.

I ended up trying the “Maleh Nashef” plate. It was DELICIOUS! It’s essentially a salted fish cooked in tomato sauce (the fish was not very salty, thank goodness!) I can’t wait to go back and try something else.

I’ve lived in Dubai for about five years now and thought Emirati food was Biryani or a Biryani look-a-like (I stayed clear because I’m not a fan of meats on top of rice). I must have also thought that Emiratis only cook at home because I didn’t even know Emirati restaurants existed (maybe I’ve been living under a rock?)

Discover the local food of the country you live in. Don’t just stick to the familiar restaurant chains and franchisees. And if you’re already in your own country, try the flavorful foods of the minorities around you. You might surprise yourself and want to know more about that particular culture.

The restaurant I visited is called Al Fanar. Don’t allow the customer service experience to ruin your visit, the food was excellent. In addition to the Maleh Nashef plate, I also tried: the Salatat Hamba Wa Jarjeer (rocket and mango salad), Samak Mashwi-Seabream (grilled fish with the restaurant’s special spices) and Naghar Mashwi (grilled squid also seasoned with the restaurant’s special spices)—don’t judge me, I like to eat.

I think the next time I go to an Emirati event, I’ll use food to break the ice… instead of finding the nearest restroom.

(If you’ve tried Emirati food, definitely let me know which Emirati food to try next time).