“Tapas” is a noun being bandied about with worrying frequency in the UAE. Last weekend I went to an “Asian tapas supper” at a hotel in Dubai; this was followed the next day by a “tapas brunch.”
Neither fitted the traditional definition of tapas as being a “small, savoury dish typically served with drinks at a bar.” The tapas supper was a set menu of around 10 mostly substantial items, with no element of choice permitted; the second was a bacchanalian smorgasbord of, granted, small dishes, but quality was variable and very few of the hundreds of items available at the buffet were even vaguely Spanish.
So it was with excitement that I was invited to try Barcelona Street Foods, a new (and temporary) menu at Catalan, a Spanish restaurant at the Rosewood Abu Dhabi. While the Guadi-inspired interior is a far cry from a bustling Barcelona eatery, and chef Antonio Saez known for his two Michelin stars, I was tempted primarily by the first item on the menu, patatas bravas (“fried potatoes in extra virgin olive oil with spicy sauce”).
With 10 items on the menu, a friend and I ordered eight to share. It was a while, though, before the potatoes arrived. First there was an olive-based amuse bouche, which I didn’t try because I don’t like olives; my friend described it as “smooth, with a tiny piece of crunchy fruit.” A token piece of pan con tomate was so laughably small (one tiny strip between two?) I had to order more (the crusty bread served with Catalonian olive oil was also a highlight). The green gazpacho, based primarily on cucumber and apple and served in a tiny bottle, was much more successful and balanced, as was the vegetable gazpacho which followed immediately after.
Small sardines, which were not on the street food menu and had to be ordered from the main menu, were served attractively on a piece of slate, and there was a decent number of them (6), though in all honesty I prefer them with oil and vinegar. The crispy oysters (Dh60 for two) were pleasantly substantial and sea-smelling, though the octopus (Dh65) didn’t seem to absorb enough of the paprika it was served with and came out rather bland. The languoustines, deliciously cooked in lemon and garlic (Dh215 per kilo) were a delight, as the meat came effortlessly out of the bisected shell. A relatively large slice of foie gras terrine was devoured quickly once extra bread arrived.
Unfortunately, not all the dishes were served at once, so we’d filled up on bread by the time the air dried beef, mozzarella and black truffle sandwich (Dh75) arrived, though it was light and tasty. Nothing could have stopped us from finishing the six perfectly bite-sized patatas bravas, which lived up to expectations. The skins were enviably crispy and the insides floury without being crumbly, and each piece was topped with a fiery dollop of garlic aioli. Also moreish was the fried egg with chips and foie gras steak (Dh65) - though by that point we’d had enough fois gras.
Dessert was a decadent “pa, sal i xocolata” - bread, salt and chocolate (Dh42) - and a traditional crema catalana (Dh42); though the second was done in exemplary fashion, we preferred the first.
It isn’t Spain, there’s no bar and the food is a little fussily presented to be shared easily, but if you were to order just a small handful of items, even on your own, you’d probably be hard pressed to find better in the UAE. And the pan con tomate is great - and free.
Barcelona Street Foods is on offer at Catalan at the Rosewood Abu Dhabi (www.rosewoodhotels.com) until March 27th. For reservations call 02 813 5552.
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
Tips for avoiding trouble online
- Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
- Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
- Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
- Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
- Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Civil%20War
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Six pitfalls to avoid when trading company stocks
Following fashion
Investing is cyclical, buying last year's winners often means holding this year's losers.
Losing your balance
You end up with too much exposure to an individual company or sector that has taken your fancy.
Being over active
If you chop and change your portfolio too often, dealing charges will eat up your gains.
Running your losers
Investors hate admitting mistakes and hold onto bad stocks hoping they will come good.
Selling in a panic
If you sell up when the market drops, you have locked yourself out of the recovery.
Timing the market
Even the best investor in the world cannot consistently call market movements.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 0
Manchester City 2
Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
