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Reviews Restaurant UAE. Trusted reviews with Nova Circle

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Traditional food, influences from other countries in the Middle East, international cuisine – restaurants in the UAE have it all. The Emirates is a great country for a new adventurous dining experience, and with the help of relevant reviews, you will definitely not be disappointed.
Explore reviews from your circle of friends to discover what the best UAE restaurants have to offer, especially recommended for you.

Emirati Food history

Food in the UAE stem from the Bedouins, the original inhabitants in this fascinating country with its vast deserts, high mountains and long coastlines.

The food was based on lamb and goat meat as well as fish. Today, camel meat has become more common, but it was never a staple food in the past.

Being a place of trade, and a melting pot for different cultures, Emirati cuisine has been influenced by other many other countries, primarily India and Iran.

Spices are important in the Emirati kitchen, with many families having their own, and perhaps also secret, blend of spices.
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Middle East influences

The Emirati kitchen is in many ways similar to other kitchen in the Middle East. Spices, olive oil, nuts, creamy dishes with the mutton, lamb and goat are common in the whole region.

Besides India and Iran, food in the UAE has been influenced by for example Syria and Lebanon. With tourism and the fast internationalization, with the super modern cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the Emirati cuisine has become even more diversified, attracting several international renowned chefs.
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Traditional dishes

Madrouba is a very popular traditional dish, which literally means beaten rice. It is a creamy dish which combines, apart from the rice, salted fish and a savory blend of spices. It is often eaten it during the Ramadan celebration.

The Emirates kitchen is characterized by slow-cooked meals and Thareed is a great example. It is a kind of stew made with beef, potatoes and vegetables.

Machboos has a slight resemblance to paella, at least in looks. It is a one-pot dish made with rice, specific spices, meat, chicken or shrimp.
Similar to most countries in the world, the UAE have their own special kind of pancakes called Chebab that get their flavor from cardamom and turmeric.

The list of traditional dishes could be made much longer. The UAE has a world of different flavors and dishes to discover.
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Famous restaurants in Dubai

Extravagant luxury are two words that can describe Dubai, although you can also have a great stay in Dubai on a low budget.

If you are curious as to where celebrities and other high-profile people go, one example is At.mosphere, a restaurant that is not wallet friendly, but where there is a chance you get to see famous people or feel like a celebrity yourself.

Nobu is another example. Nobu is a well-known restaurant chain with restaurants all over the world, and of course also in Dubai. You can also check out CZN Burak and Gaia.

Famous restaurants in Abu Dhabi

Like Dubai, you will have the most exquisite restaurant experiences with exceptional service in Abu Dhabi, if this is what you are looking for. Well-known restaurants often belong to international restaurant chains with influences from other world kitchens, such as the Italian, Chinese, Japanese and French kitchens.

Try for example Beirut Sur Mer (Lebanese), Hakkasan (Chinese), Fouquet’s (French), Marmellata (Italian, try their pizzas and focaccias) and Otoro (for those who love sushi). Check with the restaurants whether you need to book a table in advance.
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Street food

One of the best ways to get familiar with the traditional food of a country is to try local street food. And the UAE have a wide variety of delicious street food to discover.

The golden, crispy pancakes mentioned earlier, Chebab, which are often eaten for breakfast, are also one of the most popular street foods.
Shawarma is marinated meat similar to kebab. It is often eaten in a bread together with different vegetables and sauces.

The most typical street food is perhaps the Oman chip roll, a kind of bread roll with savory filling and Oman chips.

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