Baby shark, luqaimat: Explore Abu Dhabi through delicacies with this food trail
A single platform enables UAE residents to explore Abu Dhabi's culinary offerings starting from Sudanese foul and falafel to shark soup at the city's oldest dining spot.
The 421 Arts Campus which operates as an independent platform for emerging artists in the UAE arranges food walks across the capital city to enable residents to identify hidden culinary treasures while learning about the emirate.
Mays Albaik who manages programmes at 421 Arts Campus holds food as a direct link to uncovering community culture and history. The Abu Dhabi Food Trails offer an exclusive series of food walks that enable participants to uncover the UAE's rich culinary scene through food-based exploration while meeting fellow food enthusiasts.
Ayesha and Sanju led their first tour last month where they brought food enthusiasts to visit some of the emirate's historic restaurants. Two more food walks with different themes will follow in the series.
The food walk scheduled for March 7 will introduce participants to some of the emirate's hidden culinary treasures and unique dishes. The Lunchbox Classics event scheduled for March 22 will guide participants through classic street food history while showcasing traditional snacks like luqaimat and roasted corn.
Oldest restaurant
The trail started at Abul Afwal cafeteria known for its Sudanese foul and falafel offerings. Many diners described the creamy and nutty foul as “perfect” for scooping with bread.
The day reached its pinnacle when visitors stopped at Al Dhafra restaurant which stands as one of the city's oldest dining establishments. The late Sheikh Zayed who is recognized as the father of the nation inaugurated this seafood restaurant which has earned its reputation as one of the finest in its category. The menu offered the traditional Emirati minced baby shark dish Jesheed served with rice. Participants in the food walk received an assortment of grilled seafood dishes.
The tour moved its participants to Olive Branch for the final stop after a short visit to Calicut Paragon where they enjoyed Kerala porotta with beef, appam and fish mango curry. The Olive Branch visit allowed them to sample zaatar mixed with Palestinian olive oil as well as olives and jams.
Started as strangers, left as friends
Hiba Basheer enjoyed the food tour the most because she connected with other people who shared her passion for food. According to her statement the tour united participants from diverse backgrounds. Our journey began with silent strangers on the bus yet ended with us transforming into a boisterous group sharing laughter and delicious meals. The experience of getting to know new people from various backgrounds and forming connections through culinary and cultural exchanges brought me joy.
She found new cooking methods for ingredients which she found fascinating because similar dishes were enjoyed differently across various cultures. Her upbringing city became clearer to her through new discoveries. She said that she learned about Abu Dhabi's transformation from a desert fishing town to its current status as a world-class city. Fishermen caught baby sharks in abundance which made the sharks a household staple.
Comments