Dreaming in Dubai: Dubai

Showing posts with label Dubai. Show all posts

This plum, peach, and lime juice is possibly the best thing I've ever tasted.

I think my title for this blog post a little misleading. Tom and Serg, the ultra - hip, incredibly cool, local producing serving cafe that's opened up in Al Qouz of all places has introduced hipster to Dubai rather than bringing it back. I know hipster has garnered a bit of a negative connotation lately because it leads people to think of entitled millennials but in the context of Tom and Serg, hipster is a very good thing. Tom and Serg opened up their cafe in what had originally been a warehouse in one of the most industrial areas of Dubai. While this isn't unusual in places like Brooklyn and LA, it was revolutionary for Dubai where good food is related with opulence and luxury. Tom and Serg is changing the way that people think about food in Dubai. By opening up in an unusual area, creating a selective yet impressive menu and showing that good culinary experience don't have to be luxurious, Tom and Serg has made a mark in the Dubai food scene.

The seared tuna tacos are perfection.

A restaurant can't get by with a cool idea, it has to have good food to back it up and Tom and Serg doesn't fail to measure up. The menu is kept limited but each item has been crafted carefully by Tom and Serg (the owners) themselves. My husband and I first discovered this place a few months ago after hearing raving reviews about it on Zomato and Instagram. We decided to try it and we were blown away. It's become our favorite spot for brunch, early morning breakfasts and everything in between. We've made it our goal to try every item on the menu. So far we've covered their seared tuna tacos, scrambled eggs (best we've had in Dubai!), salted caramel french toast, Moroccan chicken salad, and berry granola. It's kind of sad that I remember every dish that we've tried there but it goes to show how good the food actually is. Oh, and did I mention they serve Valrhona hot chocolate? Because they do. If that's not reason alone to try this place then I don't know what is! Next time you're looking for a place to brunch be sure to give Tom and Serg a try because you won't regret it.

*This post was not sponsored and all opinions expressed are mine, and mine only.

Weekend brunch is a big deal in Dubai. Although my husband and I like to avoid the rush of the brunch scene and have breakfast at home instead we decided to go out today and try something new. I immediately suggested we try The Hamptons, a cafe inspired by the famous vacation town in New York. Despite being from Connecticut I've never been to the Hamptons before but I knew just by driving past the cafe that it emulated the simplistic and elegant vibe that the Hamptons is so famous for.

Since I'm a sucker for chic, white interiors I felt like I had walked into interior design heaven as soon as I stepped into The Hamptons. The space was filled with natural light with large airy windows and an understated and classic decor. We were seated on the rooftop level like we had requested. I would definitely suggest making a reservation before going especially if you want to sit on the rooftop since. The place is packed on weekends and it can be difficult to get a table otherwise. When it came time to order we were given two iPads which contained the menus. I ordered the West Hamptons Breakfast which included a yogurt parfait, a croissant, jam, and a fresh orange juice. My husband ordered the French Toast. We also got a hot chocolate which came with a free macaron and we ordered an extra macaron for good luck!

We were so surprised when the food arrived in under 15 minutes. Unlike other places where you have to wait forever for your food we were served so quickly despite the rush. As you can see from the pictures the presentation of the food was incredible. Everything was served on wicker trays which I now totally want to get for my own home. The hot chocolate had the cutest anchor on it. After we were done staring at how cute the food was and taking pictures it was finally time to dig in. As soon as we had our first bite we were blown away. Everything was incredible. The yogurt parfait contained almost everything you could think of from granola to fresh fruit to dried fruit and nuts. The hot chocolate was one of the best I've ever had and the macarons were amazing. We were worried that we might have ordered to little food initially but the portions were more than enough for us.

I really can't say enough good things about this place. From the quality of the food to the amazing service this place has everything that defines a fantastic restaurant. We'll definitely be going back soon!

Biryani and I have a bit of a history. Growing up, I abhorred any food that contained whole spices. Cloves, peppercorns, coriander seeds, you name it. Just the sight of them in my food would be enough to make me nauseous. This made eating biryani quite the struggle. I was the only Pakistani child I knew of who didn't like biryani. Not liking biryani in the desi community is more than enough to get you ostracized. It's practically considered sacrilege. Over the years I learned how to stealthily pass up biryani at desi gatherings and people learned to like me regardless.

I thought I had finally escaped the curse of biryani until I met my husband. I quickly discovered that he like most Desis loved his biryani. Actually, it's his all time favorite food. I could no longer ignore it, in fact I would have to learn how to make it. I thought if I do have to make biryani I should do it in a way that would appeal to both my husband and I. I left out the whole spices and replaced them with other flavors I could tolerate. Regardless, my first attempt was not pretty. It was a gooey, yogurty, bland mess. My poor husband ate it anyway and that was the moment I knew I had married a saint. Fast forward to around a year later and I've slowly gotten my biryani recipe down. It's a bit different from the traditional variety but it's a crowd pleaser none the less. I infuse it with lots of fresh herbs, lemon, and chilies which create an incredible aroma and taste. I always serve biryani with a bowl of fresh raita (a yogurt sauce) which compliments the spicy rice perfectly. I make my biryani with chicken but it can easily be made into a vegetable biryani by replacing the chicken with any veggies of your choice. Here's my step by step biryani guide. This recipe generously feeds 2 people.

(I finished making this biryani minutes before our fast was about to open so there wasn't a lot of time to take pictures!)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of Basmati Rice

1/2 pound of chicken (you can use whatever cuts you prefer as long as it's not boneless)

3 - 4 red or yellow medium sized onions

1 - 2 tomatoes

1/4 cup of plain yogurt

1 cup of oil

Fresh coriander

Lemon slices to taste

Green chilies to taste

Spices: (these are the spices I use but you can modify them to fit your taste)

2 tablespoons of Shan Bombay Biryani Masala

1 heaping tablespoon of salt

1 tablespoon of red chilli powder

1 tablespoon of cumin powder

1 tablespoon of coriander powder

1. Soak 1.5 cups of Basmati rice in water for 30 minutes.

2. Drain the water and boil your rice. Make sure you salt the water generously and add in around two tablespoons of vegetable oil to keep your rice from sticking.

3. After your rice has cooked to the point where it is soft but still not cooked through all of the way remove it from the heat and drain it in a colander. Set your rice aside and let it cool.

4. Now it's time to prepare your chicken mixture. In a large pot fry 3 - 4 medium sized onions until they are golden brown. Add in 1 heaping tablespoon of ginger garlic paste and fry some more.

5. Add in your chicken and fry it with the onions until the chicken changes color and becomes white.

6. Slice 1 - 2 medium sized tomatoes and add it into your pot along with 2 - 3 green chillies. Cover with a lid and let the mixture cook on low heat for a few minutes until the tomatoes get very soft.

7. Mix your yogurt and spices in a separate bowl and add them to the chicken mixture. Make sure the heat is low or otherwise your yogurt will curdle.

8. Once your yogurt has mixed with the chicken add around 1 cup of water and let it cook until the sauce in the chicken mixture becomes thick.

9. Once your chicken mixture has finished cooking add in a handful of chopped coriander, 3 - 4 slices of lemon, and a few green chilies along with your rice.

10. Cover with a lid and set the heat to medium. Let the mixture steam for 15 - 20 minutes.

There it is, your biryani is ready to serve!