If a dining experience were just about ticking boxes, then Hakkasan Dubai would fare far better than most. Much like the restaurant's Abu Dhabi counterpart - which in turn took inspiration from the London original - there's no denying that this place has insouciant cool all wrapped up.
The music is moody, the lighting a dim midnight blue. Snappily dressed staff glide around the large, angular restaurant, which is divided into sections by the signature latticed wood panelling. A long, sleek bar runs along the length of one side of the room.
At the moment, temperatures being what they are, a table on the outdoor terrace is not to be sneered at, with the walls lined with plants, oversized lanterns and flaming light features that throw shadows across the catwalk-style private entrance.
The menu features plenty of Hakkasan favourites. The Hakka dim sum platter, Peking duck with Royal Beluga caviar (available by pre-order only) and charcoal grilled silver cod all make an appearance, as do a number of dishes that have apparently been created specifically for the Dubai venue.
We shared three starters and although competently prepared, none of them hinted at the exceptional or met the standard that I've come to expect from eating at other Hakkasan restaurants.
My friend's ginseng chicken soup tasted as soothing as it sounds, but the pale amber liquid lacked depth and, as he remarked, the taste and appearance were more peasant-style than modern fine dining.
The same lack of assertiveness was evident in the crispy duck rolls that we shared: the flavour of the shredded meat was overpowered by the thick, dry pastry enclosing it, meaning that much like the presentation, it felt uninspired.
Crispy prawns dusted with pandan leaves and chilli were better. The prawns were succulent and tender, with a generous scattering of golden wheat flakes adding texture and a cornflake sweetness. The dish was very dry, though, and really needed some sort of sauce to provide a bit of contrast.
Main courses were presented in thick china bowls and once again lacked pizzazz. The stir-fried Wagyu beef cheek with Schezwan peppers looked a treat: pieces of glazed meat, glistening with sauce, were caramelised around the edges and topped with slivers of wafer-thin garlic. When it came to the eating though, we were disappointed - the meat was unusually chewy and provided plenty of resistance when there shouldn't really be any. It was not terrible by any means, just not quite up to scratch.
I felt the same way about my braised sea bass with salted plum flakes and Chinese celery. The chunks of fish were a touch overcooked, which wasn't ideal, but it was the vaguely glutinous broth they were served in that I had issues with - it was very salty, with a strong fishy undertone that I couldn't get my head around or enjoy.
Service was attentive, but so much so that it bordered on the gauche, when sophistication is the aim. On more than one occasion, my friend found himself having to duck out of the way, as an eager waiter leant over his head to sweep away a barely empty plate or bowl.
I visited Hakkasan with high - but not unfair - expectations that, unfortunately, were not met. They may have nailed the setting, but at the moment the food lacks a certain something, almost as if with expansion, the clout of the brand has been watered down.
A meal for two at Hakkasan Dubai costs Dh790 including service. For reservations call 04 384 8484. Reviewed meals are paid for by The National and reviews are conducted incognito.
eshardlow@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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.
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Company%20Profile
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Ferrari
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MATCH INFO
Liverpool 3
Sadio Man 28'
Andrew Robertson 34'
Diogo Jota 88'
Arsenal 1
Lacazette 25'
Man of the match
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
