Foodie briefs: Breakfast Japanese style at Mikado Cafe, seafood in RAK, and more



Stacie Overton Johnson

Daily Market Lunch

Try the new Daily Market Lunch at BOCA in DIFC, Dubai, for a fresh take on lunchtime grub. The menu will change daily and feature dishes made with local fish and vegetables the chefs pick up at the market each morning. Guests can choose three of the six daily fresh options for Dh115 (inclusive of taxes). Sunday to Thursday from noon until 3pm. Call 04 323 1833.

British all-day dining

Fortnum & Mason has launched a new all-day dining menu to mark its first anniversary in Dubai. The menu features classic British dishes such as Welsh rarebit, mushroom and tarragon soup, roast rack of lamb and baked wild sea bass. There’s even a banana-and-lime Eton mess on the dessert menu. Fortnum & Mason is located in Downtown Dubai, opposite the Burj Khalifa. It’s the first overseas location for the iconic British brand. Call 04 388 2627.

Seafood for the soul

Take a gastronomic journey in Ras Al Khaimah with Banyan Tree Al Wadi’s new Soul Food concept, where you will visit the fish or poultry market with one of the resort’s chefs, who will show you how to select fresh, local ingredients. Then return to the hotel for interactive cookery classes, learn how to prepare the dishes you’ve chosen, and then sit down to enjoy the result of your efforts. The Soul Food package is available every Saturday from Dh290. Advance bookings are required. Call 07 206 7777.

For curry lovers

Get yourself to Ajman Palace Hotel and try the limited-time curry promotion at Dragon's Place. A variety of special curry dishes will be on offer until May 10, including seafood curry from the Philippines, Vietnamese chicken curry, beef randang curry from Indonesia and more. Visit www.theajmanpalace.com.

Weekend mornings at the Hiltonia

Vasco’s restaurant at the Hiltonia Beach Club (beloved for its Corniche water views) has started serving breakfast on Fridays and Saturdays. Bonus: those who start their morning with breakfast at the restaurant will get a 30 per cent discount on the entry fee to Hiltonia Beach Club for the day. Breakfast is served each weekend morning from 8am to 11am. Call 02 681 1900.

Fanar expands to Al Ain

Al Fanar Restaurant and Cafe, which offers traditional Emirati cuisine in a rustic setting, is opening a branch in Al Ain next month. This will be Al Fanar's largest restaurant, with the capacity to seat 600 guests. Another branch of the restaurant will open in Yas Mall after Ramadan to mark the celebration of Eid Al Fitr. Al Fanar already has two restaurants in Dubai (Dubai Festival City Mall, Town Center Jumeirah) and in Abu Dhabi at the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal. Visit www.alfanarrestaurant.com.

Breakfast, Japanese style

Mikado Cafe in Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi, has just introduced a new breakfast menu carefully designed by executive chef Fabio Nakazato. Options include traditional Japanese dishes as well as European favourites such as waffles, pancakes and Nutella-banana crêpes. Guests can order from the breakfast menu from 8am to 11am on weekdays and from 8am to 4pm on weekends. Call 02 667 7557.

sjohnson@thenational.ae

Company%20Profile
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Fixtures

Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11

August 9

Liverpool v Norwich 11pm

August 10

West Ham v Man City 3.30pm

Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm

Burnley v Southampton 6pm

C Palace v Everton 6pm

Leicester v Wolves 6pm

Watford v Brighton 6pm

Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm

August 11

Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm

Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm

 

THE SPECS

Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre

Transmission: Seven-speed auto

Power: 165hp

Torque: 241Nm

Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000

On sale: now

Country-size land deals

US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:

Louisiana Purchase

If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.

Florida Purchase Treaty

The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty. 

Alaska purchase

America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of  Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".

The Philippines

At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million. 

US Virgin Islands

It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.

Gwadar

The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees. 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)

Valencia v Atletico Madrid (midnight)

Mallorca v Alaves (4pm)

Barcelona v Getafe (7pm)

Villarreal v Levante (9.30pm)

Sunday

Granada v Real Volladolid (midnight)

Sevilla v Espanyol (3pm)

Leganes v Real Betis (5pm)

Eibar v Real Sociedad (7pm)

Athletic Bilbao v Osasuna (9.30pm)

Monday

Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (midnight)

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
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.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

On sale: Now

THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
MATHC INFO

England 19 (Try: Tuilagi; Cons: Farrell; Pens: Ford (4)

New Zealand 7 (Try: Savea; Con: Mo'unga)

Famous left-handers

- Marie Curie

- Jimi Hendrix

- Leonardo Di Vinci

- David Bowie

- Paul McCartney

- Albert Einstein

- Jack the Ripper

- Barack Obama

- Helen Keller

- Joan of Arc

Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House

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JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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On the menu

First course

▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water  

▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle

Second course

▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo

▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa

Third course

▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro

▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis

Dessert

▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate

▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream