Things to do this week in the UAE, from Blackpink to vegan doughnuts

Whether you want to grab some limited-edition vegan doughnuts or groove along to K-pop hits at the much-awaited Blackpink concert in Abu Dhabi , there are plenty of things to enjoy this week in the UAE. Here, The National rounds up seven things you can do from January 23 to 29. If you are participating in Veganuary , or you are actually vegan, perhaps the plant-based doughnuts by Tres Marias and Here-O Donuts are for you. The limited-edition creation, made with oat milk, is available across several locations in Dubai, including Tres Marias Coffee in Al Quoz, Nakheel Mall and City Centre Mirdif. They are available until the end of January. Renowned regional chefs Mohamad Orfali of Orfali Bros and Maksut Askar of Istanbul’s Neolokal are teaming up for a special 14-course menu, available for one night only. The chefs are promising a selection of innovative dishes inspired by modern Anatolian cuisine as chef Askar's Neolokal is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Istanbul that focuses on using Turkish heritage produce. The dinner is taking place at the Orfali Bros Bistro in Jumeirah, with two seating options, one at 6.30pm and another at 9pm. Bookings can be made at orfalibros.com . The newly opened Gamebox by Majid Al Futtaim has seven interactive rooms that have been launched across Magic Planet outlets at City Centre Mirdif and City Centre Al Zahia in Sharjah. The game rooms are equipped with touch screens, 3D motion tracking and surround sound and can accommodate groups of two to six players. Several games are available, including those with Angry Birds and Squid Game themes. A three-course early-bird set menu for Dh150 is on offer from 6pm at 53 Restaurant & Lounge at Sheraton Grand Sheikh Zayed Road, which has also launched a new show called Divine, which starts at 10pm. The show, which runs daily until March, features choreographed acrobats and live performers, including singers, saxophonists and percussionists. On the Mediterranean and Asian-inspired menu are dishes such as miso Ceasar salad, chicken tsukune or kisu tempura for starters; corn and truffle risotto, salmon or supreme chicken for main course; and either black sesame flan tart or chocolate truffles for dessert. Dinner starts at 8pm; from Dh150; Sheraton Grand Sheikh Zayed Road; 056 253 5353 Catch a dinosaur-themed parade at Dubai Parks and Resorts. The new attraction brings the prehistoric world to life with a series of life-like animatronic dinosaurs, including a T-Rex, triceratops and raptors. The parade features special sound effects, music and even fog to entertain families. The parade takes place from Friday to Sunday at 8pm at Riverland Dubai. Global K-pop sensation Blackpink are performing at Etihad Park, as part of their Born Pink world tour. General admission tickets cost Dh350 and are available at ticketmaster.ae. The girl group peaked globally in 2020, with their hit Ice Cream reaching No 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. They also reached No 2 on the Billboard 200 with the smash-hit debut The Album , which was released in the same year. In October last year, the group released their second album, Born Pink , which reached No 1 on the UK Albums Chart and Billboard 200. It marked the first time a Korean girl group had ever topped the Billboard 200, with Blackpink becoming the first female group to do so since Danity Kane in 2008. Some of their top hits include How You Like That , As If It's Your Last and Boombayah . Head to artsy Alserkal for the last day of the Quoz Arts Fest, a cultural event that aims to showcase emerging talent in the UAE and the wider region. Bu Kolthoum, a soul and funk-influenced music producer from Damascus, is hitting the stage to show his work. The weekend festival will also feature a market-style pop-up with food trucks, as well as other activities such as exhibitions, talks and workshops. General admission tickets cost Dh50 on dubai.platinumlist.net .

Things to do this week in the UAE, from Blackpink to vegan doughnuts

From new culinary deals to big-name concerts, here's what to keep on your radar in Dubai and Abu Dhabi