UAE, grand buildings and a meal worth crying over
Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with Trèsind Studio, souks, monumental buildings and an enthusiastic food diary.
Dubai supplied plenty of things to photograph, but the most emphatic words in my UAE album were reserved for dinner: “Best omakase we ever had. Nothing comes close.” Then, about the lamb pasta: “I cried.”
The trip brought together Dubai and Abu Dhabi, from restaurant tables and markets to white domes, curved steel and an illuminated tower announcing the future.
Trèsind Studio, Dubai
I called the Trèsind Studio experience “Indian Omakase” and singled out the lamb pasta as “absolutely insane.” It was the meal that inspired the least restrained caption of the trip.
At the time, my personal top three put Trèsind Studio first, followed by Akoko in London and Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo. The restaurant entrance is a fairly understated record of a dinner that moved me to tears.
Meals around Dubai
The rest of my Dubai food notes travelled widely: Iraqi sea bass, a Middle Eastern breakfast, Iranian kebab, Ethiopian injera and coffee, Greek watermelon feta, Lebanese shakshouka, kebab and coffee, and Egyptian Um Ali. Pakistani Beef Bihari Karahi and Chicken Badami earned 10/10.
The breakfast table was generous: a basket of breads beside a round tray packed with small bowls and an egg dish. There were barely any gaps between them.
Museum of the Future, Dubai
The Museum of the Future curves above a green slope, with Arabic calligraphy across its stainless-steel exterior. Its broad central opening holds a piece of blue sky inside the building’s outline.
Burj Khalifa, Dubai
At night, blue and purple light climbed the Burj Khalifa beneath the words “THE FUTURE OF AI.” My caption began, “Of course Dubai needs to be AI-Powered.” The joke had a very tall illustration.
Souk Al Seef, Dubai
The Souk Al Seef visit came with a simpler explanation: “Went to buy a magic carpet.” Its sign stands among palms, beside a gold-coloured decorative boat. I left no report on the carpet’s flight performance.
Global Village, Dubai
Gold towers and patterned domes marked the ornate entrance to Global Village. I particularly liked the Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Yemen and Morocco offerings on my visit. Even amid all that spectacle, I was evidently keeping score.
Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi collection includes broad steps between palms, patterned paving and a narrow cascade running down the centre of a grand approach. The warm pink-and-sand-coloured facade makes a change from Dubai’s glass and steel.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi
At Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, white domes, arcades and a tall minaret rise above the broad courtyard. The pale stone and open space give this part of the album a much quieter appearance than Dubai’s illuminated skyline.
