Veganuary is in full swing, which means restaurants throughout the UAE, for a limited time, are cashing in on the annual trend by adding a few plant-based options to their menus.
This year, however, I’ve had far fewer press releases about such additions than I have since 2019, when the UAE went positively nuts for veganism.
This follows a wider trend I’ve noticed across the country, as restaurants have seemingly lost interest, vegan spots have shut down (I mourn the loss of Bloom Vegan Kitchen and its stellar cauliflower tacos) and some of my favourite dishes have disappeared from other menus.
I can only assume it wasn’t quite the cash cow restaurateurs expected. But I’m here to argue that not having at least a few vegan options on a menu is losing businesses money.
I’m almost always the only vegan, which means choosing a venue comes down to me, even if I’m with nine omnivores
“The veto vote” is what plant-based food consultant Nada Elbarshoumi calls it. This happens when one person in a dining party who is vegan, vegetarian or has food allergies, decides where the group will dine, she says.
“Someone will suggest a swanky Italian restaurant for dinner – the outdoor seating is fantastic, it’s Michelin-recommended, and the tiramisu is to die for. Enter Nada. A thorough audit tells me the restaurant does little in the way of catering to plant-based diners. I offer up the pan-Asian restaurant in the neighbouring hotel as an alternative.”
I’m starting to lose count of the number of times I’ve steered non-vegan diners away from vegan-unfriendly restaurants in the recent past.
I have a total of two vegan friends – they’re a couple, so if we all go out together then my husband will be the token meat-eater in the group, which is fun for a change.
But if they’re not with us, then I’m almost always the only vegan whose "annoying" dietary choices mean choosing a venue comes down to me, even if I’m with nine omnivores.
We need somewhere that can cater for everyone – so, if you don’t, then you’ve lost the group’s custom, not only mine.
The same goes for takeaways. Until recently, I ordered the mezze wrap by Mantoushe once a week, every single week. It’s a giant wrap with hummus, tabbouleh, spicy potato and other mezze classics packed in – hardly a groundbreaking invention, but delicious.
And it’s not on the menu any more. Why? All these items are individually available and they’re cheap. I can’t have been the only person ordering this dish, but I was the only Mantoushe-lover in my family and encouraged the rest of us to order from the restaurant every so often. Now we never do.
I was also a big fan of Zaroob's "not chicken" shawarma, but that's disappeared too. And, again, it was only my love of this dish that would ever bring the family to order from Zaroob over stiff competition from similar spots.
To me, the choice to remove all vegan dishes just doesn’t make any business sense. Having even just two or three options that don’t include any animal products not only makes your venue more inclusive (because vegetarians, flexitarians and people with dairy intolerances and allergies can also enjoy these), but also wins you handy (vegan) brownie points with the herbivores.
For example, the next time a meat-eating friend has a vegan coming to stay and they ask me where to take them, I’ll recommend your restaurant. And if your plant-based options are good, since so many places do them badly, you’ll win loyal vegan customers who are far less fickle than our meat-eating friends (because, let's face it, they have far more options on the table). And we’ll drag those meat-eating friends along.
The profit margins can be higher on vegan dishes, too, since vegetables don’t cost much, and beans and pulses have longer shelf lives than meat and fish. Too many restaurants have turned to meat and dairy substitutes, which are expensive and unnecessary.
Make vegetables the star of the show: create a chickpea-based patty instead of buying in Impossible burgers (which many vegans don’t even like), or try making a cashew-based cheese instead of loading up on Violife. Tofu and seitan are also relatively cheap vegan protein options that are easy to make tasty.
There’s another factor at play here too: modifications. I’ve always hated being that person who asks the chef to omit ingredients from a dish or, worse, make something off-menu, but sometimes I have to be. Add a couple of meat, dairy and egg-free options, and you can worry less about these pesky requests flooding in from vegans and allergy sufferers, leading to smoother service all round. Add in an option that’s vegan and gluten-free, and you’re golden.
We’re not asking for much here – just a few options and something a bit more creative than a green salad and avocado on toast. I promise, we’ll thank you for it in dirhams.
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Company Profile
Name: JustClean
Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries
Launch year: 2016
Number of employees: 130
Sector: online laundry service
Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Results
Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent
Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent
Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Abu%20Dhabi%E2%80%99s%20Racecard
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Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
UFC Fight Night 2
1am – Early prelims
2am – Prelims
4am-7am – Main card
7:30am-9am – press cons
MATCH INFO
Osasuna 1 Real Madrid 4
Osasuna: García (14')
Real Madrid: Isco (33'), Ramos (38'), Vázquez (84'), Jovic (90' 2)
PRESIDENTS CUP
Draw for Presidents Cup fourball matches on Thursday (Internationals first mention). All times UAE:
02.32am (Thursday): Marc Leishman/Joaquin Niemann v Tiger Woods/Justin Thomas
02.47am (Thursday): Adam Hadwin/Im Sung-jae v Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay
03.02am (Thursday): Adam Scott/An Byeong-hun v Bryson DeChambeau/Tony Finau
03.17am (Thursday): Hideki Matsuyama/CT Pan v Webb Simpson/Patrick Reed
03.32am (Thursday): Abraham Ancer/Louis Oosthuizen v Dustin Johnson/Gary Woodland
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Blonde
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