Dining Archives - Undefined Declarations

Turning 35: A Birthday Iftar Celebration and Some Reflections

This year, my friends and I chose a Peruvian restaurant for our Birthday Iftar celebration. My friend’s husband’s birthday is on the 16th of July. My birthday falls on the 15th of the same month. So we’ve been doing a one day celebration with our groups of friends for the past two years.

Tesoro is a fine dining Peruvian concept located at the new Taj Hotel Dubai. The place has a very eclectic and modern feel to it. It’s also very spacious with a huge terrace overlooking the Burj Khalifah.

Thankfully, everyone had a great time and loved the tasty creations by the Chefs at Tesoro.

So, another year has passed. I’m 35, single and still looking for a suitable job or paid internship in Dubai.

I’m grateful for the good friends that I have in this magical city, and those who shared my special day with me.

I’m also blessed for being able to constantly learn new things and new ways to develop and grow – both professionally and personally.

I’m thankful for the experiences that I had and that I continue to have. Like doing random activities, meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures, and discovering something new along the way.

What’s my plan for future days?

Honestly, I think it’s time for me to be more self-involved and self-centered. Nothing can be more disappointing to a diva than investing time and energy into projects or people and not getting similar vibes in return.

Some people like to put their self-interests first, set their own rules, and then expect others to entertain them. Well, I can publicly declare that I’m not Mother Teresa and that I never will be!

When I give someone my time, it’s because I genuinely want to. But I also have realistic expectations to be treated in the same way!

Basically, it’s now time for me to focus more on my career and personal life. I need to eventually land a full-time role that I enjoy doing. I also need to find a loving and supportive partner.

As for this blog – a project that has been so exciting to work on, and very close to my heart. It was an honest representation of my life, my struggles, my dreams and aspirations.

The time for this website to end is getting near. But I have plans to start another blog with a different niche. You can stay updated with my news and new blog news by following me on social media:

Facebook Page

Twitter

Instagram: nadaalghowainim

Update: New Blog is now Live!

Here’s the link for my new blog:

Saudi Diva Blog

I’m very active on Twitter and Instagram these days. So make sure to follow me to stay in touch with my news.

Being 35 and single means that I have the strength and independence to make significant life decisions.

It also makes for a good time to reflect on those life decisions and possibly rethink my priorities.

Love,

The Rebellious Saudi Diva XXX

A dual Birthday Celebration with genuine Dubai people

Bonus Track to listen to while working or reading this post!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6B8btpBWNo

UD Review: Pizza Di Rocco Abu Dhabi

On a recent trip to Abu Dhabi, I got to check out what is known as the best pizzeria in town: Pizza Di Rocco.

As most of you know, the UAE has a plethora of pizza joints in almost every corner. Well, this is certainly the case in Dubai. But finding a place that makes a perfect pizza is no easy task.

Luckily, Pizza Di Rocco is one of those places that knows how to make a good pizza. They managed to get the crust, toppings and taste to the right levels. You can also choose to have your pizza made with whole wheat dough for a healthier option.

Being a somewhat health-conscious diva, I went for a half-vegetarian and half-siciliana whole-wheat pizza. Siciliana comes with anchovies and capers.

Pizza Di Rocco's special oven — Pizza Di Rocco’s special oven

What I truly liked about Pizza Di Rocco’s pizza is the fact that it was so light, crispy and tasty at the same time. It made for the perfect Italian style dinner.

Since I was dining there alone, I couldn’t help but take the rest of my pizza back to my hotel room.

I can’t wait for my next visit to this cozy and homely pizza concept. The ambiance was so relaxed, the music was lovely and the service friendly and polite.

Dining at Pizza Di Rocco in the capital.

Abu Dhabi's best pizzeria; Pizza Di Rocco — Abu Dhabi’s best pizzeria; Pizza Di Rocco

Give them a call for delivery, or plan an evening out for dinner with friends at their homely space in downtown AD.

Website:

Pizza Di Rocco

Authentic Pizzeria in downtown Abu Dhabi

UD Review: Java Jolt Dubai

If you’re looking for a new option for a healthy and fresh lunch in Dubai Silicon Oasis, then I have found just the right spot for you. Java Jolt is a newly opened cafe at Le Solarium building in Dubai Silicon Oasis. Their concept is to create simple, tasty food with a refined edge. At the same time, they try to source organic ingredients as much as possible.

When I asked co-founder and co-owner Lora about the origin of the concept, she explains: “Since everything in Dubai Silicon Oasis was take-away and fast food joints, we wanted to bring fresh, healthy food to the area.”

Lora describes the home-grown concept by saying: “We serve food that resembles something that you would make yourself at home. We use as much organic ingredients as we can. Basically, all the elements that go into the food we make are home-grown, local produce from the region.”

Executive Chef Khomotso from South Africa prepares all the sauces and salad dressings from scratch. He also makes the bread himself in the cafe’s open kitchen with the help of a kitchen aid. Java Jolt uses organic flour to make fully organic bread, muffins and wholesome bagels.

“I actually like to make my own things – completely.” Said Chef Khomotso.

The pumpkin soup at Java Jolt Dubai tasted like home-made soup!

Best pumpkin soup in Dubai - hands down — Best pumpkin soup in Dubai – hands down

When asked about his favorite dish to make, the Chef immediately tells me: “My favorite thing to make must be quiche.”

Specials change depending on the Chef's choices at Java Jolt — Specials change depending on the Chef’s choices at Java Jolt

Quiche, a side salad and a home-made iced tea are key ingredients to the perfect lunch!

Healthy, fresh and tasty food at Java Jolt Dubai

If you visit Java Jolt, you must try their home-made iced teas. The chef constantly makes new variations of freshly made iced tea. The first time I was there, I tried a pomegranate iced tea. This time though, I got to sample the Rooibos iced tea – made with a hint of lemon and orange. Known for its great health benefits, Rooibos tea originates from South Africa and makes for a wonderful refreshing drink when infused with orange and lemon!
“I was looking for something from home that I like to drink.” Explains Chef Khomotso. He calls his creation; Rooibos Citrus.

Freshly made Rooibos iced tea with a hint of orange and lemon, at Java Jolt Dubai - simply divine and refreshing — Freshly made Rooibos iced tea with a hint of orange and lemon, at Java Jolt Dubai – simply divine and refreshing

Co-founder and co-owner Jenny describes the new cafe concept: “We are trying to go as clean as possible in the UAE.”

Jenny explains: “In Dubai, most cafes are part of big chains or big companies. We wanted to start a more family-oriented style cafe with a homely feel.”

Being residents of the Dubai Silicon Oasis area, the sisters who founded and manage the cafe together with their mother felt the need to fill a gap in the market. With the majority of the available options being chain and processed food cafes and restaurants, they wanted to introduce a home-grown, wholesome concept with a friendly, welcoming and family-oriented atmosphere.

Another element that was lacking in the Dubai Silicon Oasis community was the option of an outdoor area, where friends and families could meet and catch up over coffee and fresh fare.

The New Zealand style cafe with a South African twist offers guests the option to sit outside – at the spacious and inviting terrace. “There’s no where to hang out in the area and sit outside. We created a space where parents could meet and bring their kids to play” – explains Lora, co-founder and co-owner of the fresh, wholesome and healthy concept.

Java Jolt Dubai has a spacious terrace for relaxing in the cool weather

A homely, friendly and family-oriented style cafe

Java Jolt will be open on Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm starting next week. They also have plans to open on Friday mornings for breakfast, and on Saturday evenings for an evening roast dinner.

To find out more about the cafe and their opening times, check out their Facebook Page.

Coffee Barista Koli preparing a latte using RAW coffee beans

Majestic Muscat: Nightlife in Muscat

I don’t know why I traveled all the way to Hong Kong to escape busy, fast-paced and crowded Dubai! But, you can read all about my trip to Hong Kong in my earlier posts here.

Then, I decide to visit Muscat to relax by the beach and do some man hunting! (as in finding a partner basically). Of course I was only confronted with the fact that the nightlife in Muscat is struggling to survive.

I found out from residents of the enchanting city that all types of live entertainment have been banned recently in all hotels and establishments. Apparently, the new rules were enforced by the new tourism minister. This left only a few options for a night out in town. Half of them were chains that had branches in Dubai.

The stage for the live band at Pavo Real – a cool Mexican restaurant and bar – was still there. As if it was waiting for the live band to come back and play their regular tunes one day soon. Everything was still in place – as it was left by members of the band on the last day they were allowed to perform.

Since I now have less time for blogging – busy with University and other things – I decided to write this post in the form of a photo essay. It saves me time and makes it easier/faster to you readers to go through the post. So let’s look at the photos from my Muscat nightlife exploration attempt 🙂

Delicious Arabic Mezze at The Chedi Muscat

Scrumptious Falafel bites at The Chedi Muscat

Tuna Sashimi salad at The Left Bank Muscat

Top quality club sandwich at O'Malley's in Muscat — Top quality club sandwich at O’Malley’s in Muscat

O'Malley's Irish pub in Muscat is worth a visit — O’Malley’s Irish pub in Muscat is worth a visit

Taking notes gets easier at a cozy and friendly pub atmosphere. O'Malley's Muscat is a favourite of mine! — Taking notes gets easier at a cozy and friendly pub atmosphere. O’Malley’s Muscat is a favourite of mine!

Here’s a sum up of my Muscat night spots:

Pavo Real officially has the best long island iced tea in town.
The Left Bank had a strange crowd of expats, locals and pretentious people from Dubai. I felt like I was flown back to a pretentious Dubai bar when I was there. I truly hated my experience there.
Trader Vic’s at the Intercontinental hotel is quite spacious with a big outdoor dining area. It had a very upbeat and lively atmosphere. Everyone who was there seemed to be having a good time, dancing to Latin beats. No live band here either – just a DJ or playback music.
O’Malley’s at the Radisson Blu Hotel was by far my favourite place to hang out. It’s a casual pub with an Irish theme, and friendly staff. The food was great, the DJ played commercial tracks from different decades, and I met some nice people there. The funny thing is that no one told me about this place! I found out about it by doing some research online. I’m so glad that I ended up going there on my last night in Muscat. At least I managed to have some sort of fun eventually 🙂
Zouk night club: Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to check out Zouk on this trip. It was located right outside of my hotel, but I just didn’t get the time to visit.

I hope that this post was somewhat useful or interesting. Have you visited any of the places that I’ve mentioned in this post? If so, how was your experience?

You can view my previous post on the Muscat trip here.

O'Malley's Irish pub scored high in my books — O’Malley’s Irish pub scored high in my books

UD Review: Urban Bistro Dubai

Urban Bistro's spacious terrace — Urban Bistro’s spacious terrace

It’s winter in Dubai, and no one wants to spend all their time indoors. The weather is at its best and we are all want to make the most of it while it lasts. That’s why, I’ve been trying out different outlets for a weekend breakfast. But they must have one thing in common: a terrace or outdoors seating area.

Luckily, Urban Bistro has recently expanded their terrace to accommodate more people. I’ve visited this cool Media City cafe a few months ago and tried their Friday brunch – which I think you should too. The brunch had a great selection of fresh salads, healthy and tasty juice blends, and a good variety of main courses.

Today, I opted for the breakfast meal. My friend and I both went for the vegetarian breakfast. You can choose how you want your eggs to be cooked – we had ours poached. This healthy breakfast option comes with sauteed spinach, roasted cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, Portobello mushrooms, and roasted new potatoes.

I teamed up my veggie breakfast with a green juice for a super nutritious meal 🙂

Urban Bistro's vegetarian breakfast. — Urban Bistro’s vegetarian breakfast.

Poached eggs for breakfast at Urban Bistro Dubai

If you’re someone who doesn’t like to have any meat (chicken, beef or salmon) with their breakfast, then you should give Urban Bistro’s vegetarian breakfast a try. And if you’re tired of the conventional glass of orange juice with your breakfast, then you’ll love the different blends that they serve at this chilled Media City cafe.

I personally prefer to go somewhere quiet and peaceful on the weekend – away from the busy cafes and malls. Somewhere where I can have a nice conversation with a friend, work peacefully on my laptop, or just take in the beautiful view as I sip on my cup of latte.

Relaxation mode at Urban Bistro's terrace — Relaxation mode at Urban Bistro’s terrace

Urban Bistro Dubai's interior is spacious and airy — Urban Bistro Dubai’s interior is spacious and airy

Urban Bistro is a hidden gem that I’m glad I discovered. It’s located in a lovely area of Dubai Media City – surrounded by a tranquil and peaceful green space. There’s even a lake with turtles and sea birds in front of the cafe – perfect for a day of relaxation.

Whether you work in Dubai Media City or just live nearby, then I would definitely recommend that you check out Urban Bistro.

On weekdays, the place is buzzing with media professional and other working people on their lunch break. And in the weekends, it is the epitome of tranquility and peacefulness in a busy, modern city life.

Web site: Urban Bistro Dubai.

Urban Bistro Dubai - a hidden gem — Urban Bistro Dubai – a hidden gem

Majestic Muscat: Amazing Crowne Plaza Muscat Breakfast!

One of the remarkable things at the Crowne Plaza Muscat is the breakfast buffet at Tropicana restaurant. Honestly, even the 5-star property hotels can’t match this vast and fresh breakfast spread. The extensive breakfast buffet is served from 6 until 10:30 am on weekdays, and ends at 11:30 am on weekends.

A wide selection of all the possible breakfast variations that anyone might think of is included in the Crowne Plaza muscat breakfast buffet.

With different corners for Arabic, Asian, and Western types of breakfast, prepare to be spoiled for choices and confused as to what to have!

There’s even a pancake machine, coffee machine, and a live cooking station where a chef will make your eggs the way you like to have them.

No matter what your ethnic background or country of origin is, rest assured that there will definitely be something at the Crowne Plaza Muscat buffet to satisfy your palate.

All the staff at this hotel are extremely friendly, well experienced and highly professional individuals. So, having breakfast every day on my own didn’t make me feel awkward or anything. Instead, I felt at home and truly enjoyed my little chats and casual conversations with the breakfast restaurant staff members.

Now, let’s have a look at some of the breakfast buffet options at Crowne Plaza Muscat…

Pancake Machine at Crowne Plaza Muscat Breakfast

Fruit Selection at Crowne Plaza Muscat breakfast

fresh fruits at the Crowne Plaza Muscat breakfast buffet

Being a huge foodie and a true breakfast lover, I was taking my time in having breakfast every day…and in a failed attempt to avoid over-eating (which I must admit that I did during my Muscat trip), I decided to have a delicious freshly made vegetarian omelet on one day, and an Arabic breakfast of “foul” (fava beans) on another 🙂 Not to mention the fresh salad that I would team up with my “foul” day. I know, I’m such a nerd that I even plan what to have for breakfast….

I truly miss the wonderful and fresh breakfast buffet selection at Crowne Plaza Muscat. I was so craving a hearty breakfast this morning, but I decided to stay at home to write this post with a reliable wi-fi connection. All I had was a banana for breakfast, so you can imagine how much I would love to indulge in a Crowne Plaza Muscat breakfast at this very moment…

Stay tuned to this blog for the next post from my Muscat trip…hint: it involves some souvenir shopping and traditional souk hopping 🙂

In the meantime, you can check out my previous Muscat post at the famous Barr Al Jissah.

Love,

The Rebellious Saudi Diva xxx

UD Ramadan Iftar Review: Moroccan Restaurant at Four Points Dubai

I don’t know if some of you had to face the situation of looking for a place in Dubai for a short-term stay, because you were still job hunting or unsure about your future plans for living in the city….but I was there when I first moved to Dubai and so are many people that I have met. I even had someone ask me for advise about where to stay for a short-term period recently. Obviously, not everyone likes to share their private space with others. So for all of you individual souls out there, I have a new property that you can consider moving into if you were in town and were looking for a short-term rental place. Four Points By Sheraton on Sheikh Zayed Road actually has apartments fully equipped with a washer, fridge and other essential facilities. And most importantly, the hotel is located on a prime location only a few minutes walking distance from Financial Center Metro Station.

What’s more is that the hotel has a number of cool restaurants, in addition to a roof top lounge – with the best views of Sheikh Zayed Road….I can’t believe I’m letting this secret out! Honestly, I found out about the roof top location when I was looking for a spot to take a photo for my University photography course. And this is what I was able to get:

Slow Shutter Speed Photography Technique on SZR

A few months later, I get to try out the Iftar menu at the Moroccan Restaurant and Lounge at the Four Points By Sheraton SZR. What makes this venue worth a try is its authentic Moroccan fare presented by a purely Moroccan chef 🙂 Check out their Iftar set menu for AED 175:

Iftar Menu at Four Points By Sheraton SZR

Starters

The traditional Moroccan harira soup was absolutely divine…the taste was just right and it wasn’t too heavy like what you get at some Moroccan concepts. It definitely didn’t fill you up to the point that you can’t have your main course or any more food.

We had two types of salad: one was made with eggplants and the other with capsicum in a rich tomato sauce. Again, the salads were light, healthy and full of flavor.

Main Course

The infamous Couscous was made to perfection, complimented by the vegetables traditionally added to the healthy dish. To add richness to the Couscous, there was a wonderfully cooked lamb Tagine. The tagine had some nicely toasted almonds and glazed prunes for a more healthy and rich taste.

Couscous and Lamb Tagine at Moroccan Restaurant and Lounge

Dessert

Continuing with the healthy and nutritious take on Moroccan food, we had a mildly sweet rice pudding and some fresh fruits with ice-cream on the side.

Dessert at the Moroccan Restaurant and Lounge

What’s so special about the Moroccan Restaurant and Lounge?

It offers a healthy, light and nutritious Iftar set-course menu, created by a real Moroccan chef!
It doesn’t allow over-eating like what usually happens with the typical buffet-style Iftars all around town.
It’s a well-balanced meal at a comfortable setting. Not too formal or glamorous like most hotels in the city.
It’s easily accessible by car or by metro as it’s within walking distance from the Financial Center Metro Station.

Final Notes

The Four Points By Sheraton is a Four-star property under the Starwood hotel group.
It’s suitable for both the business traveler and families with kids on vacation or a short trip.
It offers short-term or long-term stays with fully equipped hotel apartments.

So there you have it, three hidden gems in one place!

You can opt to stay at the hotel rooms or apartment rooms, visit the roof top to take amazing photos of the city streets and lights (after getting permission from the PR team), or dine in at one of their cool and top-quality restaurants and lounges!

Contact:

Check out their Facebook Page, web site or follow them on Twitter 🙂

@fourpointsdubai

The View from the Roof Top at Four Points By Sheraton SZR

UD Review: Sushi Art DIFC

It’s been a roller-coaster ride with this blogging journey…with so many ups and downs. But I think that I’ve finally reached a decision about what I don’t want to continue doing on this blog. Unless I get invites from friends, I don’t plan on doing as many reviews as I did in the past. A change of strategy can’t be a bad thing, right?

I might write another post about what I plan and don’t plan to do with this blog. But for now, let’s try to keep my last reviews as honest and positive as possible.

For those of you interested in knowing how blogging works in this region, in the beginning you don’t really get any invites to review anything. So in my case, I was doing most reviews on my own expenses. Why? I simply enjoyed it, writing is my passion and blogging helped me improve my writing style and build up an online portfolio.

How did I get to review Sushi Art? I simply won a Facebook Competition with a prize of a Black Box Deluxe worth 395 AED 🙂

Note: No one asked me to review the restaurant. I voluntarily chose to write the review.

This was sometime in December of last year…but soon after that, I took a month’s break from blogging. Then I got busy with other reviews and invites and I didn’t have the time to write this post until now!

As you can see, accepting invites to write reviews can sometimes be time-consuming and hectic. Especially when combined with a full-time journalism undergraduate course! So, It’s time for new challenges and other types of blog posts.

What’s in the Black Box Deluxe?

The Luxe Black Box includes 54 pieces of mostly cooked sushi rolls. These are:

2 pieces jalapeno sea bream sushi

4 pieces scallop yuzu sauce sushi

4 pieces salmon sushi

4 pieces cucumber cheese tulip

4 pieces lox & cream cheese sushi

6 pieces French touch rolls

6 pieces shrimp spring rolls

6 pieces maki like tabbouleh

6 pieces shrimp tempura rolls

6 pieces dynamite rolls

6 pieces chicken Caesar rolls

How much does it cost?

395 AED

Savannah and I at Sushi Art's DIFC Branch — Savannah and I at Sushi Art’s DIFC Branch

For more information, check out Sushi Art Dubai’s web site here. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

UD Review: Brunch at Le Rivage in Ocean View Hotel

Sweet Olivia and I at Brunch at Ocean View Hotel JBR

If you asked me what I did on a typical Friday afternoon, I’m not sure if I would have a definite answer. Many people spend their Fridays visiting family or having brunch with friends, or just lounging by the beach on a nice sunny day. Being single and living alone in this city, I would say that I put more effort into organizing going to concerts or parties with friends, attending art or community events, or just simply going out for a casual dinner, movie night or walk at the Marina promenade.

This Friday though, I got invited by friends to the brunch at Le Rivage Brasserie at the latest addition to the JBR walk hotel scene: JA Ocean View Hotel.

If you decide to head out there for brunch, I would strongly recommend that you sit outside. There’s a nice terrace area with a very chilled vibe. You will still be able to hear your all-time favorite hits being played by the live band inside. So don’t worry about missing out on that. My friends and I all agreed on the fact that the live band playing at the brunch was actually very good! It was so entertaining hearing them play every time we went indoors to fill up our plates from the extensive buffet.

The brunch has a wide range of International dishes to satisfy all your moods and preferences. It also features live cooking stations, which I must admit that my favorite was the eggs Benedict one 🙂 The sushi station offered a good selection of various sushi roll options – another favorite of mine.

One thing you don’t want to miss at this lively yet relaxed brunch is the wheat grass and Andalusian gazpacho shots. They were incredibly refreshing and we couldn’t help but go back to the buffet for more!

Of course, no brunch is ever complete without dessert. And this one will keep you wondering whether to stack up on fluffy freshly made waffles, divine date pudding cake, or just indulge in fresh fruit skewers dipped in chocolate syrup and pistachio or almond flakes!

What can I say…next time I get an invite to go to a brunch, I will not think twice about over-eating! It’s only a once a week affair, right? 🙂

Check out my previous posts on the JA Golf Resort and Spa – my favorite destination for a mini getaway in Dubai 🙂

Ciao for now X

V-Day with The Committee Dubai!

Some of you might remember the first meeting I had with this wonderful group of ladies. You can read all about it here if you missed that post.

This month, I had the honor to be invited to the group’s third networking event which was held at the newly opened and uber cool Cargo restaurant and lounge. The theme for the evening was a Valentine’s one, and we were all dressed in red to match the warm and lovely occasion. Despite not having a single red-colored outfit in my overly packed and cluttered wardrobe, and not having enough time to shop prior to the dinner, I managed to get my hands on a cute flower hair pin…I also put on my party-mode dark red lipstick and matched that with a “perfect red” shade of nail polish 🙂

Araceli from What I just Love the Blog and I

Cargo is an Asian fusion place with a cool industrial-look modern interior. The restaurant is located at the third floor of the Pier 7 complex at Dubai Marina. This means that you get a panoramic view of the marina promenade and the surrounding area from the spacious terrace. What I liked about Cargo is its contemporary and eclectic edge. It’s not your typical Asian eatery; the place offers a super chilled and hip vibe…where you can enjoy tasty Asian fusion dishes while unwinding after a long day at work.

It’s also a great place to catch up with friends or go to for a romantic and casual dinner.

Just like our first event, The Committee Dubai members had a fun night out catching up and discussing all sorts of topics. The meetup also gave us the opportunity to network with professionals from media-related industries and bloggers.

I’m truly honored to be part of this group of dynamic, independent and intelligent women. The Committee Dubai is hosted by the lovely and sweet Anita Buys.

Signing off with some photos from our Valentine’s dinner at this Asian fusion hangout with a twist…