Kerala restaurant Paragon, which has branches in Dubai under the name Calicut Paragon, has been named as one of the “world's most legendary restaurants”.
The restaurant, located in the coastal city of Kozhikode, is 11th in the list of 150 dining spots across the globe published by online food guide TasteAtlas. The list also includes each restaurant's most iconic dishes, which is biryani in Paragon's case.
The Indian restaurant, which has been around since 1939, has outlets in Al Nahda and Al Karama, Dubai, and serves traditional Malabar cuisine.
“We can't keep calm,” the restaurant writes on Instagram in response to the list. “A big thank you, to all our patrons for all the love.”
The Croatia-based guide describes the restaurant as “an emblem of the region's rich gastronomic history”.
“The dish that reigns supreme is the biryani, a blend of rice, meat, and spices, steeped in age-old traditions and prepared with locally sourced ingredients,” the TasteAtlas writes on its website.
“The restaurant's enduring charm lies in its inviting atmosphere, coupled with the meticulous preparation of dishes that celebrate local produce and traditional cooking methods.”
The Dubai outposts are also revered by in-the-know residents, and have hosted Indian actor M Nassar and scientist Nambi Narayanan in the past.
The original venue in Kerala was founded by Govindan Panhikeyil and his son PM Valsan. Today, the business is run by third-generation restaurateur Sumesh Govind and his wife.
Aside from biryani, the menu is filled with other South Indian favourites, including Kuttanadan beef fry, hariyali kebab and kappa and ayala curry.
Other restaurants on the list
The extensive list spans several countries and cuisines. Clinching the top spot is Figlmuller in Vienna, which is known for specialising in a single dish, the Schnitzel Wiener Art.
Katz's Delicatessen in New York City comes second with its pastrami on rye listed as an iconic dish. It is followed by Warung Mak Beng in Bali, La Polar in Mexico City and L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Naples.
Aside from Paragon, several other restaurants from India made it on to the list, including Lucknow's Tunday Kababi at number 12 and Kolkata's Peter Cat at number 17.
Education reform in Abu Dhabi
The emirate’s public education system has been in a constant state of change since the New School Model was launched in 2010 by the Abu Dhabi Education Council. The NSM, which is also known as the Abu Dhabi School Model, transformed the public school curriculum by introducing bilingual education starting with students from grades one to five. Under this new curriculum, the children spend half the day learning in Arabic and half in English – being taught maths, science and English language by mostly Western educated, native English speakers. The NSM curriculum also moved away from rote learning and required teachers to develop a “child-centered learning environment” that promoted critical thinking and independent learning. The NSM expanded by one grade each year and by the 2017-2018 academic year, it will have reached the high school level. Major reforms to the high school curriculum were announced in 2015. The two-stream curriculum, which allowed pupils to elect to follow a science or humanities course of study, was eliminated. In its place was a singular curriculum in which stem -- science, technology, engineering and maths – accounted for at least 50 per cent of all subjects. In 2016, Adec announced additional changes, including the introduction of two levels of maths and physics – advanced or general – to pupils in Grade 10, and a new core subject, career guidance, for grades 10 to 12; and a digital technology and innovation course for Grade 9. Next year, the focus will be on launching a new moral education subject to teach pupils from grades 1 to 9 character and morality, civic studies, cultural studies and the individual and the community.
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
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L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
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UAE rugby season
FIXTURES
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers v Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Division 1
Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II
Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II
Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens
Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II
Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II
LAST SEASON
West Asia Premiership
Winners – Bahrain
Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners – Dubai Hurricanes
Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference
Winners – Dubai Tigers
Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
