Melting Pot

On a hopping tour of Dubai’s restaurants, Rashima Nagpal discovers surprising nuances in the vegetarian platters.

- Rashima Nagpal

AS FAR AS VISITOR STORIES GO, Dubai comes across as an abundance of lavish malls and desert safaris. None of these interested me. Tasting local food is integral to my experience of a new destination. But as a vegetarian visiting Dubai for the first time, I knew that traditional Emirati cuisine, which comprises mostly meat dishes, would not be my cup of tea. On my way, I resorted to dreams of finding the best hummus of my life.

In Dubai, the locals make up just about 20 per cent of the population, the rest being a global mix of expats. Its culinary culture is, thus, a smorgasbord of cuisines. The Dubai Food Festival—held in February every year— was a good place to start exploring. As a guest of the Dubai Tourism Board, I got a taste of this fancy little emirate, one restaurant at a time.

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