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Category:Dubai

Dubai

Asateer Scarves: An Online Boutique for Premium Scarves

“Don’t start a company unless it’s an obsession and something you love. If you have an exit strategy, it’s not an obsession.” –Mark Cuban, serial entrepreneur and investor. Masood and I always knew and talked about how someday we would save up…

  • October 22, 2017
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Dubai

Carnival by Tresind, Dubai

How often do you get welcomed in a restaurant by getting bubbles blown at you? Having had a good impression with Trèsind, I looked forward to trying out Carnival by Trèsind. Both Tresind and Carnival by Trèsind come under the umbrella of…

  • April 15, 2017
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Dubai

Bollywood Park: The First Theme Park in the World Dedicated to All Things Bollywood

Several leisure and theme parks opened in Dubai late last year, one of which is Bollywood Park. It is the smallest property within Dubai Parks and Resorts, a massive park containing two other theme parks: Motiongate Dubai and Legoland Water Park. The term Bollywood…

  • February 11, 2017
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Dubai

Jodhpur – A Royal Dining Experience

The historic city of Jodhpur—whose origin dates back to 1459 AD—is the second largest city in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is called the Gateway to Thar, as it is literally on the edge of the That desert. Not too long ago I’ve…

  • October 24, 2016
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Dubai

Farzi Cafe: Bringing Indian Cuisine back “in-Vogue”

Infusing a generous dose of Indian flavours, Farzi Café presents Indian cuisine where culinary art meets the alchemy of modern presentations and cooking techniques like molecular gastronomy to absorb the guest into the ultimate gastronomic illusion. With a vision of bringing…

  • August 14, 2016
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Dubai

Al Dawaar – Dubai’s Only Revolving Restaurant

The restaurant is located on the roof top of Hyatt Regency Dubai with spectacular views of the blue sea, the creek and the city. Al Dawaar offers an international buffet featuring dishes from European, Middle Eastern, Asian and Japanese cuisines. Hyatt Regency is one of the oldest hotels in the country…

  • December 21, 2015
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IMG_5456
Dubai

Tresind: A Modernist Indian Fine Dining Restaurant

Tresind is a restaurant that sells itself as a modernist Indian fine dining establishment. The very young and talented Executive Chef Himanshu Saini brings a unique concept in molecular gastronomy to Dubai for the very first time. When my colleagues and I were searching online for…

  • December 9, 2015
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DSC_4357
Dubai

A Hundred Days

This picture portrays the current state of my blog: the clouds of despondency and dilly-dallying have finally parted, giving way to rays of fresh ardency and vigor which, I truly hope, would last for a long, long time. A Hundred Days…

  • December 3, 2015
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burj al arab by the sea
Dubai

Food, Chopping Boards, Coasters & Other Random Stuff

This post is strewn with random photographs that I’d taken over the last few months, in no particular order whatsoever. It’s an update post of sorts; a peek of what’s been going on in this blogger’s life. You may have found…

  • August 3, 2015
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madinat jumairah
Dubai

The 4 Most Luxurious Honeymoon Resorts in Dubai

From almost nothing but acres and acres of untouched land, in more recent years the United Arab Emirates has now established itself as one of the most powerful and developed countries in the world. Home to Burj Khalifa, the tallest…

  • April 1, 2015
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Minced Beef Pancake (32 AED) Home minced beef, rice, spices and coriander rolled in a crunchy slightly fried pancake.
Dubai

Fukurou House, DIFC

Fukurou means owl in Nihongo. In Japan owls symbolize good fortune, protection from hardships and suffering, and wisdom. I was, therefore, under the impression that I’d be dining in a restaurant that specializes in Japanese cuisine. My Japanese friend, Grace, would be…

  • March 9, 2015
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IMG_2621
Dubai

Bait Misk: Lebanese Restaurant at the Fisherman’s Harbour in Jumeirah

  This quaint Lebanese restaurant is located in the Fisherman’s Harbour in Jumeira 1, a place that is a pain to locate for those who are unfamiliar with the area, such us ourselves. But the food is totally worth the…

  • February 18, 2015
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moroccan lamps
Dubai

Global Village: A Must-Visit Each Year!

From hosting 18 country pavilions in 1997, Global Village has expanded over the years to now include 31 pavilions representing more than 70 countries, with over 12,000 cultural and entertainment shows, culinary attractions from across the world and fun fair…

  • December 28, 2014
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Dubai

Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik

In about fourteen hours, we are about to embark on a journey that is the most important one for every Muslim, insha’Allah. We received our e-tickets only six hours ago and our passports three hours ago. I was so stressed out…

  • September 27, 2014
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papad
Dubai

iZ: An Indian Restaurant in Grand Hyatt

IZ (pronounced as ee-zee) is an award-winning high-end Indian restaurant within the Grand Hyatt hotel that serves tandoori cuisine prepared and served at live cooking stations. They have a good selection of seafood, meat and vegetarian Indian food options. Their signature dishes include salmon…

  • September 25, 2014
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red tag home
Dubai

Bring Summer Into Your Home

I recently had the chance to work with Reg Tag, a chain of value fashion and home stores spread across the Middle East and Asia. They have a very good collection of homeware and accessories. I have decorated my apartment with…

  • August 12, 2014
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live cooking station
Dubai

Iftar at Radisson Blu

One of the several things to enjoy here in the U.A.E. during Ramadan is having Iftar −either at someone’s home (if you are visiting and have Muslims friends living in the UAE, get yourself invited!) or at restaurants throughout the…

  • July 12, 2014
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baklava
Dubai

An Unexpected Ramadan Gift

This isn’t a small masjid, yet it is quite obvious how it could no longer contain the growing number of people who come for the afternoon prayers. Just a few days ago, the huge chandeliers were dusted and rubbed until…

  • July 1, 2014
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DSC_2737
Dubai

House of Curry: Indian Dining Where Mona Lisa Wears a Sari

The House of Curry is an elaborately-decorated restaurant located at The Beach – JBR. Its interiors depict an old Indian haveli. Havelis are traditional mansions deriving inspiration from Islamic architecture. They usually have a huge courtyards and a fountain in the centre. The…

  • May 21, 2014
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dubai fireworks 2014
Dubai

Welcome, 2014!

The prospect of being stuck in traffic or waiting by the open beach in the cold did not deter most of the residents and visitors of Dubai. We were all excited to see the fireworks that would break the Guinness…

  • January 2, 2014
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ihop pancakes
Dubai

Breakfast at IHOP, Mall of the Emirates

“Some of the best memories are made at the breakfast table. And for more than 50 years, millions of people have made those memories at IHOP.” And so I visited this 50-year-old restaurant’s 1-year-old branch at Mall of the Emirates…

  • November 19, 2013
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gorgeous teaset at abshar dubai
Dubai

Iranian Dinner and Tea at Abshar

Crystal and gold chandeliers hung from a ceiling (mostly painted blue, complete with clouds) and small flat-screen TVs on the walls showed Persian pop videos. Loud, multi-coloured vases, wall art, and other themed memorabilia littered various shelves and tabletops. And waitresses…

  • August 18, 2013
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H Hotel Dubai
Dubai

Iftar at the Arcadia Lounge, H Hotel

I have another beautiful iftar experience to share with you today. Based on the last couple of posts on this blog, one might assume I’ve spent the entire Ramadan eating out at different restaurants. Rest assured that is not the…

  • August 5, 2013
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DSC_1107
Dubai

Iftar at Ramada’s Orchid Restaurant

This is the view from the Orchid Restaurant’s terrace, located on the second floor of Ramada in Downtown Dubai. It’s a very humid 42ºC tonight so Masood and I choose to sit indoors. The table with Burj Khalifa view can…

  • July 17, 2013
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Arabian Courtyard and Spa Dubai
Dubai

Iftar at the Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa

This Ramadan, Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa, invites you to break your fast with a wide selection of Arabic and International delicacies at Al Khaimah Hall located on 1st floor where an iftar buffet is prepared by the property’s culinary…

  • July 10, 2013
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page10
Dubai

Yamanote Atelier: A Boutique Japanese Bakery

Located in Al Wasl Square Complex, this tiny yet very adorable bakery is love at first sight with its sweet and bright decor. This is Yamanote Atelier, Dubai’s first boutique Japanese bakery that opened its door about two months ago. I…

  • June 4, 2013
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auto-rikshaw
Dubai

Barbecue Delights

Barbecue Delights is a casual dining restaurant that offers a variety of Pakistani, Afghani, and North Indian inspired cuisine. It’s one of my favorites! So when Masood and I were invited to try out their new branch at Downtown Dubai,…

  • May 27, 2013
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birds of the gulf
Dubai

Birds of the U.A.E.

Having borrowed Sophia’s 70-300 mm lens recently, I venture out to the great outdoors (read: the open area behind my office building) for some bird watching and photography. Taking picture of birds is quite challenging. They sit prettily, looking all…

  • January 29, 2013
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coffee
Dubai

Breakfast at Carluccio’s

Getting out of the house at 9:30 in the morning and driving more than 10 kilometers to the mall in order to have breakfast isn’t my normal routine. In fact, this is a first. Normal for me means getting out…

  • January 23, 2013
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184592_10151275268558725_1463400050_n
Dubai

Flavours on Two

Minimalist décor, simple yet comfortable chairs, just the right amount of cheerful sunlight peering in through the blinds, bright and fresh colors, and attentive staff—these are my first impressions on Flavours on Two, an all-day dining venue presenting a choice of…

  • January 18, 2013
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nadiamasood

Moved to Hyderabad, India in 2019. Love reading, exploring places, food, & designing websites for small businesses.
🐝 @thenawabees

Nadia Masood
This is a super easy way to make delicious kimchi This is a super easy way to make delicious kimchi bokkeum bap!

My current obsession is kimchi, and I just love adding it to fried nice and noodles.

For those who haven’t tried yet, kimchi is made of fermented vegetables (napa cabbage, radish, scallion, and cucumber are used) and it’s a staple in the Korean diet. It tastes spicy and sour and has a slight pungent smell.

Chopped kimchi adds a little crunch and a lot of flavour to the rice, and kimchi juice finishes off the dish for a jolt of tangy-spicy goodness!

You can add meat, fish or vegetables, like carrots. But I prefer to keep it simple.

Also, I’ve used @bazzinga_brew kimchi which already has carrots, radish and Napa cabbage so I don’t need to add additional vegetables.

For those in Hyderabad, @bazzinga_brew kimchi is honestly the best.
Before he even starts to record, I ask @masoodxb t Before he even starts to record, I ask @masoodxb to first pose for a sec for me to take this picture.
When authorities deem bakeries ‘non-essential’ When authorities deem bakeries ‘non-essential’ and close them down, is when I feel the need of bread in my life even more.

Of all things baking related, bread intimidates me the most. It’s because one needs to take so many factors into consideration in order to make decent bread. One tiny mistake, and the end result suffers drastically.

Fortunately, these pav (dinner rolls) turn out well. Not bakery-perfect, but good enough. If you have bread-making related questions, please reach out to my expert friend @didipaterno 🍞
Freshly-squeezed orange juice, courtesy of @masood Freshly-squeezed orange juice,
courtesy of @masoodxb. He is kind enough to share the recipe as well.

Recipe: Cut oranges in half. Squeeze into a clean bowl. Pour into glasses. Enjoy 😀

He wants me to tell you that the secret ingredient is 🍊🤣
Mango season is here! Did you know that mangoes we Mango season is here! Did you know that mangoes were first grown in India over 5000 years ago?

The first few mangoes of the season aren’t always sweet, so we end up making shakes with them.
Truck art! This is a little food truck that sells Truck art! This is a little food truck that sells tea. Found it parked at Frere Hall.
A glimpse of the 136-year-old Empress Market in Sa A glimpse of the 136-year-old Empress Market in Saddar.

The foundation stone of the Empress Market was laid by the-then Governor of Bombay, James Fergusson in 1884.
My first attempt at making khandvi, a Gujarati sna My first attempt at making khandvi, a Gujarati snack made of gram flour and buttermilk.

I find the rolling process fun, more than actually eating it. But disappointed at how I didn’t get the perfect cylindrical shapes. I almost didn’t post this picture, but you know what, it’s okay. This is real life, and it’s not perfect.

And as far as taste is concerned, khandvi is savoury and mildly hot. We had it with mint chutney.
Mango-vanilla custard. I added diced mangoes, bana Mango-vanilla custard. I added diced mangoes, bananas and grapes (because that’s what I have). These are the first batch of mangoes, which aren’t very sweet yet, so I added some sugar.

PS:  I just noticed my recent posts are all yellow/orange 😀
What’s your go-to photo editing app for Instagra What’s your go-to photo editing app for Instagram?

Mine is Snapseed. I use it for almost all my photos. I rarely post unedited photos (because I like my feed to look pretty). For this particular image (taken using my phone camera), I first edited the colours on Snapseed so they appear more saturated.

And then I used Pixaloop to make the clouds move. So cool, right? This app has been sitting in my phone since forever, and I now wonder why I’ve never used it!

I’d love to know what you use to edit your photos!
Do you love hummus? I feel like it’s one of the Do you love hummus? I feel like it’s one of the best dips in the world!

I am yet to find good hummus here in Hyderabad - the kind one finds in middle eastern restaurants.

Good thing hummus is super easy to make at home!

Please swipe left for the recipe, including how to make your own tahini paste with only 2 ingredients, and also for tips to help you make your own creamy hummus at home.

Don’t forget to bookmark or share this post ❤️
It’s a day off for this boat. It’s a day off for this boat.
Two different shots of the same place, edited vs S Two different shots of the same place, edited vs SOOC (phone camera). My usual style is light and bright with blue and gray hues, but India is naturally colourful with mostly warm, earthy tones. This made me go way out of my editing comfort zone and try dark, saturated colours.

While this was fun, I still prefer minimal editing, keeping a photo mostly in its original form. Or maybe I’m just lazy 🤣
What comes to your mind when you think of paan? A What comes to your mind when you think of paan? A betel leaf with gulkand, sugar-coated saunf and sweet syrups - all wrapped up in a triangular shape?

Well, these two pretty, dessert-looking things are actually paan! There’s cherry on top, chocolate, raisins, sweet shredded coconut, vanilla and the usual paan ingredients. But there’s no tobacco, so this one’s kid-friendly.

They’re just too pretty to eat!

Do you eat paan?
Grilled gochujang-glazed salmon. A Korean dish I r Grilled gochujang-glazed salmon. A Korean dish I recently had for the first time, and it tastes really good.

Gochujang is a red chili paste with glutinous rice, salt and a couple of other local ingredients I couldn’t identify. It tastes savoury, sweet and a little bit spicy.

Fried rice and spinach complete the meal.

The spinach is called sigeumchi-namul: blanched spinach seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil. The spinach is only slightly cooked, leaving it a little crispy, but still soft and tasty.

Have you tried Korean food? What’s your favourite?
Mango-banana milkshake with saffron. Yet another d Mango-banana milkshake with saffron. Yet another delicious shake by @masoodxb.

I can totally get used to this!

What are you having for Iftar tonight?
This is the resting place of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, This is the resting place of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

The mausoleum was completed in 1970, and is an iconic symbol of Karachi.

I’ve been driving past this monument since I was a child, but it’s only now that I actually got a closer look.

Please note: cameras are strictly prohibited, although you may take photos and videos with your smartphone.
It was at a Syrian restaurant in Dubai, sitting ou It was at a Syrian restaurant in Dubai, sitting outside one evening under a canopy of fairy lights, where I first fell in love with falafel.

Later I discover, within walking distance of this restaurant in Al Muraqqabat, a little shop called Sultan Dubai Falafel that serves, in my opinion, the best falafels in the city.

And given how great-tasting falafel was readily available in Dubai, I never attempted to make them at home. Until I moved to Hyderabad.

Good thing is that delicious falafel can be made at home so easily! You can bake or shallow-fry them, but they won’t taste as good as when deep-fried.

I also prefer to shape them in cute little balls so I know they’ll be cooked through. Each ball is a tablespoon of falafel mixture.

Falafel is best served immediately after frying, with a drizzle of tahini sauce. Also, I experimented and added some plain mayonnaise to the tahini sauce and it tasted so good.

............

This crispy falafel with tahini sauce is my entry for the food collaboration that I’m participating in. The theme is: Eid 2020 Appetisers.

Do check out the following talented food bloggers who are part of this fun collaboration!

Warda @cocina_secreta (host)
Iqra @apprentice.chef_93 
Noor @noorlicious.food
Eram @eramkitchenette
Saher @untoldstoriesofafoodie
@blendedflavoursinstyle
Identify this snack. When you visit India (please Identify this snack.

When you visit India (please wait until travel restrictions are off and it’s safe), don’t leave without having tried this.
Frere Hall. This 155-year-old structure was origi Frere Hall.

This 155-year-old structure was originally intended to serve as Karachi's town hall, and now serves as an exhibition space and library.

When I visited, the library was closed without any notice and nobody seemed to have any information. Furthermore, it’s quite heartbreaking to see how the building is being neglected.
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