Abi:original - If you aren't original, what are you?

It is the season of Iftars. A time when people get together and partake of a meal in friendliness. Of course many venues go to great lengths to create a spread that no one can possibly complete in one sitting. The desert spread at Kings Grill at the Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman. The Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman set up a lovely Iftar at King’s Grill. It was attended by media persons from across the UAE. A selection of grilled specialties, appetizers and desserts were all on offer. What was particularly appealing was the view of the serene beach across the road. I particularly liked the juicy mutton kebabs. The salads too were fresh and kept simple. The amazing grill prepared fresh.  A sea of healthy salads. One of the main attractions for me at Iftar is the Arabic sweets. Umm Ali is prepared warm or at room temperature. I prefer the former. A warm dough that is enveloped in pistachios and nuts and soaked in sugary milk. Its no wonder that this dish i...

The intriguing entrance to Barbecue Delights at Downtown Dubai. With the holy month of Ramadan almost upon us, eateries around the city are pulling out all the stops to invite people to partake in their select banquets. My first pre-Ramadan meal was at Barbecue Delights. A popular eatery in this city, they also have branches in the Lamcy area, JBR and Downtown Dubai. This was my first visit but I had heard from a lot of friends that the food here is quite good. They weren't wrong. The restaurant serves a variety of Pakistani, North Indian and Afghani cuisine. There's a mix of Reshmi kebab, Prawn fry and mutton ribs to name a few. Paired with a number of chutneys (accompaniments), the starters alone can leave you feeling full. Freshly fried vegetable pakoras and samosas are also part of the Ramadan buffet. Guests can then choose from traditional breads, Chicken biryani or Kabuli pulao or plain rice. Most of the food is not madly spicy. Perhaps that is in keeping w...