Abu Dhabi

  

For centuries, the custom of hospitality has been a central part of life in the Gulf. When travellers passed by a desert settlement, the locals took it upon themselves to see that they were given shelter and refreshment, asking nothing in return. The tradition is firmly embedded in the national psyche of the UAE, and from the humblest majlis to the grandest hotel, it is prevalent today. A welcome will come in the form of a few kind words, some fresh dates and a refreshing cup of ‘ghawa’ or Arabic coffee infused with cardamom. It may even extend to acts of kindness and generosity beyond your expectations.

Local produce

  

While Abu Dhabi imports many of the finest ingredients from around the globe, some of its most treasured produce is locally sourced, often to the surprise of visitors. Perhaps its most famous crop is dates. There are an estimated 33 million date palms in Abu Dhabi, both in oasis farms and lining the city streets. Dates are the emirate’s biggest export after oil, and there’s even an annual date festival in the Liwa oasis, which attracts thousands of date producers competing for millions of dirhams in prizes.

Much rarer is the elusive desert truffle, a gnarled fungal delicacy with a distinct flavour, which grows beneath the desert sand and is said to thrive in thunderstorms and autumnal rain. The truffles go well on the barbecue with grilled meat – even locally farmed camel meat. Camel burgers are perhaps an inevitable sign of the times, but camel milk is thought to be low in fat, high in minerals and rich in vitamins B and C.

Organic farming is beginning to take off in a big way. Abu Dhabi Organics has been certified since 2007, and produces a colourful selection of high-quality produce, from tomatoes, herbs and aubergines, to free-range eggs and chickens.

Locally grown organic fennel is superb with another local gem: fish. With over 400 kilometres of pristine shoreline, Abu Dhabi is at one with the sea. Pearling and fishing were once the mainstay of the local economy, but there’s still plenty of action down at the city’s vast fish market. A wander round its stalls reveals crab, lobster and shrimp galore, as well as many local specimens of fish, from hammour and sheri, to sultan Ibrahim and fasker.

Restaurant scene

Abu Dhabi has become synonymous with luxury, glamour, five-star service and style, which is why more big-name chefs and restaurant brands are establishing themselves here. With the likes of Hakkasan and Marco Pierre White already in the capital, together with a host of top-quality homegrown restaurants, there are myriad options for sheer indulgence. Yet the city also has a thriving independent scene, with hundreds of street-corner cafes, family restaurants, casual diners and gourmet delicatessens.

Vibrant subcontinental restaurants offer food from Pakistan and all over India, from Kerala to the Punjab. Lebanese bakeries can be found wherever the smell of ‘manakeesh’ cheese breads linger in the street. And artisanal delis like Jones The Grocer keep Abu Dhabi’s epicureans well stocked with everything from fine cheeses to handmade jams. With so much great food on offer, it’s little wonder that people spend more per month on dining out in the UAE than anywhere else in the Middle East.

Local cuisine

You’ll find food from all over the Middle East in Abu Dhabi. There are Lebanese fattoush salads, Egyptian falafel and Syrian muhammara pepper dips; Persian ‘ghormeh sabzi’ stews, Turkish baklava and Omani ‘halwa’ sweets. Yet the local cuisine of the Emirati people is something altogether different and not nearly as widespread.

Emirati cuisine evolved from whatever ingredients were available in the harsh desert conditions. Traditionally, each household would have its own secret ‘bizar’ spice mix, combining the heady flavours of cardamom, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cumin and nutmeg to flavour simple rice, meat and fish dishes.

Wherever there’s a special occasion there will be ‘uzi’, a feast of rice and tender, slowly-cooked whole lamb, often stuffed with chickpeas and spices. Another celebration dish that’s centuries old is ‘harees’, a kind of porridge made with wheat, shredded chicken or lamb. It’s classic Emirati comfort food, often given to new mothers, and frequently found when people break the fast during the holy month of Ramadan. ‘Saloona badawiah’ is a meat stew with root vegetables and tomatoes, which was traditionally offered to guests as a gesture of hospitality due to the scarcity of the ingredients.

Emirati food is very much the food of the family home, but Emirati fine-dining restaurant Mezlai at Emirates Palace offers the chance to try it in style. Head chef Ali Salem Edbowa is Emirati born and bred, and his food is faithful to the family recipes passed down through generations. Try the ‘hammour mafrook’ for a true Emirati fish dish, or the lamb thareed stew with vegetables.

Gourmet Abu Dhabi 2012: February 8-23

Showcasing the best of Abu Dhabi’s food and restaurants is the annual Gourmet Abu Dhabi food festival. Presented by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, this is a 16-day gastronomic extravaganza that celebrates all aspects of the culinary arts. Now in its fourth year, this lifestyle event combines culture and cuisine, celebrating Abu Dhabi’s rise as a modern culinary destination, but without losing sight of its rich heritage.

The event attracts people from all over the world, not least some of the best chefs around. Past years have seen a glittering constellation of Michelin-starred chefs, including Charlie Trotter, Alain Passard, Annie Feolde of the celebrated Enoteca Pinchiorri restaurant in Florence, Yannick Alléno of Paris’s Restaurant Le Meurice, Atul Kochhar of London’s Benares Indian restaurant and Laurent Pillard of the Burger Bar in Las Vegas.

They are hosted at the finest hotels and restaurants in the capital by the cream of Abu Dhabi’s chef community, and they take part in a programme packed with masterclasses, chateau dinners and special themed events. Celebrities such as James Martin and Curtis Stone have also given talks and demonstrations, and attended the prestigious Gourmet Stars Awards dinner, where Abu Dhabi honours the elite of its food and beverage industry.

Gourmet Abu Dhabi 2012 is set to be the biggest and best event yet, with an expanded programme of star names, thrilling dinners and fine food on offer.

About James Brennan – Academy Chairman

James Brennan is the Academy chairman for the Middle East region of the S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Having lived in the Middle East for nearly five years, food and travel writer James Brennan is a frequent traveller throughout the region and its restaurants. He was formerly the food editor at Time Out Dubai, and the food editor and restaurant critic at The National, Abu Dhabi’s foremost English language broadsheet. He is now a freelance writer who has contributed to a range of titles, including Esquire Middle East, CNN Traveller and The Sunday Times.

Websites

• www.visitabudhabi.ae
• www.gourmetabudhabi.ae