Dubai is officially home to some of the best bars in the Middle East and Africa.
The World’s 50 Best Bars were announced in a glittering ceremony held in Barcelona on Tuesday, with Zuma Dubai topping the list for the region.
Dubai International Financial Centre spot came in at number 38, making it the highest-placing bar in the Middle East and Africa.
“While Zuma has venues all over the globe, it is the Dubai spot of this modern Japanese izakaya that has become renowned,” World’s 50 Best said in its listing.
Neighbouring spot Galaxy Bar also made the list, coming in at number 45. The bar in Gate Village, which is part of the Tashas Group, was credited for its “warm hospitality” and “Greek roots”.
“Having started out as a storeroom, Galaxy Bar is comparatively small compared to Dubai’s other F&B outlets, but the late-night lounge feels sultry and intimate, with a ceiling of lights designed to look like stars in the night sky," World's 50 Best said.
“Decor here nods to classical Greek architecture, with blue hues and a stunning marble bar surrounded by a cascading twilight blue wall. Stay for a quiet one or stick around for DJs and dancing into the wee hours.”
Both bars were also included in last year's list. And in 2020, Galaxy Bar was described as “one to watch” by the World’s 50 Best organisation.
Bulgari Bar, at the Bulgari Hotel in Dubai, also made its debut on the list, coming in at number 50. Last year, it was included in the extended list at number 58.
“The glamorous space boasts views of the marina, custom-designed chandeliers hung in the shape of the Bulgari logo and black Portoro marble,” the World's 50 Best said. “Bulgari Bar’s menu draws inspiration from flowers and colours, using natural ingredients — of which every part is used — to create striking and unexpected drinks.”
Barcelona’s Paradiso was named the best bar in the world, the first time an establishment outside London or New York has taken the top spot.
The Mediterranean-style speakeasy, which placed third on last year’s list, is entered through the freezer door of a pastrami bar in Barcelona's El Born district.
The Dubai inclusions on the list are yet another accolade for the city’s food and drink scene, which has had an influx of global recognition this year.
In February, the inaugural Mena 50 Best Restaurants took place, with 19 UAE restaurants included and Dubai’s 3 Fils taking the top spot.
It was followed by the arrival of Dubai’s first Michelin Guide in June, in which 11 restaurants in the city were awarded coveted stars.
See the 19 UAE restaurants included in the Mena 50 Best list
The past Palme d'Or winners
2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard
2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet
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SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.9" Liquid Retina IPS, 2360 x 1640, 264ppi, wide colour, True Tone, Apple Pencil support
Chip: Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR
Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps
Audio: Stereo speakers
Biometrics: Touch ID
I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)
Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular
Finish: Space grey, starlight, pink, purple, blue
Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
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Mumbai Indians 181-4 (20 ovs)
Kolkata Knight Riders 168-6 (20ovs)
Mumbai won by 13 runs
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Kings XI Punjab 155-4 (18.4 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab won by 6 wickets
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
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Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
