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

When we first get to the entrance of Blaze Burgers, the sign on the door has a rather hilarious sign. 'No stupid people beyond this point.' Its a pretty bold statement to make for an eatery that's barely opened five months ago. This premium burger joint has met tremendous fame in Bahrain and is now receiving a lot of attention in the UAE. Something tells me that this was going to be a fun venue. We choose the outdoor seating to soak in the January weather. Located amid the bustling scene of The Walk at JBR. To me it resembles Beverly Hills, where luxury cars and fashionably dressed people brush past each other. We are literally a stone’s throw away from the beach access. In the distance an outdoor foos-ball table is set up for the public and teenagers are having a game. There’s an outdoor theatre in the vicinity and everyone seems to be on a mission to make their weekend matter. Soon our focus soon shifts to the spread prepared by the staff at ...

If you’ve lived in this region, a brunch is probably something you’ve been to. For the unacquainted, it is a combination of breakfast and a hearty lunch spread over approximately four hours. From noon till about 4pm. Most brunches are held on Fridays -- the weekend for residents here. There is no shortage of food and beverage in most venues. Some brunches organise activities for families with children.      We visited the brunch held at Park Regis hotel in their restaurant called Kris with a View. True to its name, the view was certainly one of the best highlights. It is located on the 19 th floor of the hotel. One can gaze at the heart of Dubai with its metro and iconic landmarks in the far distance. There are a lot of venues in this exciting city that have stood the test of time. For me, these are establishments that are worth visiting time and again. As the venue filled in, it didn’t take long to realise that this brunch is particularly popular wit...

  Ab:original checks out the latest dining venue on Dubai Marina.  Wh en you don’t know anything about Persian cuisine you go with the flow. Luckily I am always willing to learn and I have a weakness for good food. It is why I love to travel and explore new countries and opportunities. On this occasion I   got to meet what could arguably be the first man in Iranian cuisine in Dubai, Chef Ebrahim. He is unobtrusive. Almost childlike when we first meet. Addresses my husband at first and I soon realise it is because most women he meets would never really dare to ask too many questions. There’s an air of respect that I admire and it is good to listen to the banter that ensues. The food that is laid on the table is all fresh. I can see a few drops of water on the crisp green grapes that are laid on the table. They are put right next to fresh cheese and walnuts all waiting to be eaten. If this isn’t sheer poetry, I don’t know what is. W...

For most of us the holiday season can come with a lot of temptation. With just a few days to go to a big family wedding, I’m pretty sure I will be tempted to eat all the home made goodies. Fortunately help is at hand. The holidays can be a challenging time for weight-watchers, with tempting choices lurking around the corner that ultimately add up by the New Year. Jennifer Chalouhi, brand ambassador of Tima Love Life's, personal trainer and mother of three, shares some top healthy tips to help you fight unwanted weight gain during the holidays. Tima is the brainchild of Fatima Batook who started a fitness apparel line in Saudi Arabia, a few years ago. Her aim was to offer women a positive vibe when it comes to exercise. Here are some extremely do-able tips. Be sure to get plenty of rest and sleep. The number one culprit during the holidays is staying up late and not getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep. When your body is depleted and running low on energy, your mus...

So yes, I've given away the punchline in the heading of this post. Have to admit I have mixed feelings about seeing myself on camera. Not too sure I match up to the celebrities who were at the event that I was attending. Food Addict is a new show by Zen Productions. It will focus on Malaysian cuisine with a strong emphasis on healthy foods. The show is expected to air in September 2016 and was introduced to the UAE media recently. The event was highly anticipated as the launch brought four famous Indian personalities to the venue. These included comedian and actor Javed Jaffrey, actor R. Madhavan, actor and model Rahul Dev (who will be hosting the food show) and singer Sukhbir. After addressing questions from the media about their favourite foods, R. Madhavan threw light on his experiences with Malaysian cuisine. Incidently the actor and Sukhbir are both  vegetarian. Actor Javed Jaffrey had us in splits with his characteristic puns. The attendees were then offered an array o...

If there’s one place my family simply loves to frequent when hunger strikes, it has got to be China Kitchen. The evidence of our repeated visits is shown by the staff who always greet us with hearty smiles whenever we walk through the door. Tucked away in a quiet lane on Hamad Al Mubarak Street, China Kitchen isn’t one of those places that scream for attention. It doesn’t need to. With a steady stream of regular visitors and plenty of take away requests, they seem to be in pretty good shape. This is a cosy little place with a pleasant ambience where the food will definitely be worth what you pay. The line on their menu sums it up perfectly - ‘Small in size, big in taste.’ For starters, we almost always go for the Steamed Dumplings, either chicken or beef. (The restaurant also offers shrimp). What makes these dumplings irresistible is the unique sauce that accompanies them. They also have a number of other starters such as Sesame Prawn on toast, besides soups and a variety of spring rol...