72 HOURS OF DECADENCE

Dubai is home to many culinary treasures. From world cuisine served in fine-dining restaurants to Arabic delicacies whipped up inside humble kitchens in souks, the city has something for every palate. PRIYANKA CHAKRABARTI samples the city’s variety during the Dubai Food Festival.

- PRIYANKA CHAKRABARTI

AT A TIME WHEN SAFETY is the top priority for travellers, Dubai has aced the game by receiving recognition from the World Tourism Organisation for its continuous efforts to combat the pandemic. So, when I received an invitation from the Dubai Tourism Board to attend the annual Dubai Food Festival (visitdubai.com), my travel-starved mind was filled with a deep sense of wanderlust.

I land in Dubai on a sun-kissed afternoon. I’m supposed to quarantine in my hotel, Sofi tel Dubai Downtown, for 24 hours—until my COVID test results arrive. I spend this time indulging in scrumptious in-room dining; think creamy mushroom soup, alfredo pasta, and the quintessential chicken biryani that unfurls a gamut of delicate flavors. After a restful slumber and a reassuring negative test report, I’m ready to make acquaintance with Dubai’s best gastronomic offerings, one restaurant at a time.

AN ODE TO LONDON

Day one starts with lunch at Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen & Bar (BSK) in Atlantis, the Palm. An extension of the original BSK in London, this restaurant is known for its delectable British classics. We start with crab on toast, which comes topped with garden-fresh veggies tossed in crab mayonnaise and chilli. For mains, we order signature dishes like