When to
Visit - Arts and Events
Dubai's Muslim
festivals, held annually on varying dates
include Ramadan, the six weeks long religious
fast which always ends in the festival Eid
al-Fitr. The Islamic New Year and the Prophet's
Birthday are the two main celebrations.
Dubai
Dining
Traditional
Middle Eastern cuisine consists of the staples
'fuul' made from fava beans flavoured with
lemon juice, garlic and spices, 'felafel'
which is fried chick pea paste and lamb
or chicken served in pita bread and sold
as 'shwarma'. Houmos is a widely available
local speciality and tastes delightfully
different from the westernised mayonnaise
emulsion version. Of course it is very easy
to find all the old favourites in this cosmopolitan
city: pizzas, pasta, steak, salads, shellfish
platters, Indian cuisine and fastfood burger
bars, but the country's traditional dishes
are well worth sampling. Fresh produce stalls
in the souks contain an extraordinary variety
of highly exotic colourful fruits begging
to be tried. In Dubai, alcohol is only available
in restaurants and the more expensive hotels
Dubai
Tipping Advice
Tipping is
not a widely established practice in the
UAE, as restaurants prefer to include a
service charge. Given the low salary of
many waiters however, tips are greatly appreciated.
