The seventh edition of the popular fine-dining gastronomic affair Gourmet Abu Dhabi is almost here. Although it now falls under the umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Food Festival, and has been scaled back from previous years, there will still be plenty of options for fine-dining foodies to explore. Here’s what’s happening:
Unique bites
The Gourmet Pie Festival at Stills Bar & Brasserie is offering mussel, clam and shrimp and Wagyu beef pies, as well as a chef’s offering, featuring salmis of guinea fowl with duck liver sauce.
• February 17 and 18 from 8pm to 11pm, Dh99, Stills Bar & Brasserie, Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Yas Island. For reservations, call 02 656 3053
Burgers, lobsters, cocktails
Burster Tail, a pop-up event at the Forge at the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, has been aptly named for what’s on offer: burgers, lobster and cocktails. This lunchtime affair includes a gourmet burger, lobster dish and a choice of 10 signature beverages.
• From February 12 to 14, from noon to 3pm, Dh200, For reservations, call 02 818 8282
Slice of Italy
Book a table at Bocca for its Venetian Carnival. A special week-long menu created by chef Leonardo Passoni will include a range of classic Venetian dishes.
• From February 12 to 17. Bocca, Hilton Abu Dhabi, Corniche. For reservations, call 02 692 4160
Get in the kitchen
Take an Emirati cookery class with chef Anas Mourtada. Held at Yas Island Rotana’s steakhouse Blue Grill, chef Mourtada will teach participants how to make lamb thareed, a traditional Emirati dish, followed by food tasting. The best part? It’s free.
• On February 6 from 12.30pm to 2pm. To reserve a spot, call 02 656 4000
Marinade masterclass
Learn valuable tips and tricks on how to create the best rubs and marinades for a perfect barbecue with chef Dean Berry. This one is also free. Food tasting to follow.
• On February 11 from 12.30pm to 2.30pm. Blue Grill, Yas Island Rotana, to reserve a spot, call 02 656 4000
One for the kids
Sign the kids up for Villa Toscana’s cookery class where the restaurant’s chefs will teach them to make pizza and pasta. Parents can enjoy beverages and canapés while the kids get messy. For kids ages 5 to 12.
• February 17 and 18 from 4pm to 6pm, Dh200 per child, includes a light dinner for kids and beverages and canapés for one adult. Dh100 for each additional adult. To reserve a spot, call 02 694 4553
A formal affair
The chef Todd English – a regular on television cooking shows in the United States – will be in the capital for one day only to host a special dinner at the Forge. The dinner will be a sneak peek at the food he’ll offer at Olives, his soon-to-launch restaurant in the Venetian Village within the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal. English opened his first Olives in Boston in 1989.
• On February 16, from 7pm, Dh320+. For reservations, call 02 818 8282
All aboard
Safina restaurant at the Saadiyat Beach Club will host a Cruise Through the Mediterranean dinner. The four-course set menu will feature classics from Spain, France, Italy and Morocco.
• On February 11, reception at 6.30pm, with dinner from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, Dh575, beverages included. For reservations, call 02 656 3555
A meaty affair
Taste the Art of Delicious Food with Irish chef Mark Taquet, where he’ll showcase his modern interpretations of classic meat dishes using French cooking techniques. Taquet is known for his innovative approach to using lesser-known techniques and cuts of meats.
• From February 15 to 18, from 7pm to 11pm, Blue Grill, Yas Island Rotana. For reservations, call 02 656 4000
For a taste of India, don’t miss these events:
• From February 11 to 20: Ushna at Souk Qaryat Al Beri will host a Culinary Journey through India, featuring unique food and flavours from each region of the country. Call 02 558 1769.
• From February 17 to 20: Guest chefs – and brothers – Ashfaque and Irfan Qureshi will feature their family classics in a special tasting menu for lunch and dinner at Indigo in the Beach Rotana. Call 02 697 9011.
sjohnson@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
The essentials
What: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
When: Friday until March 9
Where: All main sessions are held in the InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Price: Sessions range from free entry to Dh125 tickets, with the exception of special events.
Hot Tip: If waiting for your book to be signed looks like it will be timeconsuming, ask the festival’s bookstore if they have pre-signed copies of the book you’re looking for. They should have a bunch from some of the festival’s biggest guest authors.
Information: www.emirateslitfest.com
RESULTS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
FORSPOKEN
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Starfield
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Kill%20Bill%20Volume%201
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2
(Martial 30', McTominay 90 6')
Manchester City 0
Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Sour%20Grapes
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Vikram%20Vedha
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Gayatri%2C%20Pushkar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hrithik%20Roshan%2C%20Saif%20Ali%20Khan%2C%20Radhika%20Apte%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
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The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
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The specs: 2018 Audi RS5
Price, base: Dh359,200
Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.