Dubai, the multicultural city. A local writer will guide you on a dazzling gourmet journey

A long-established Iranian restaurant where kebabs have been loved for many years, even by Dubai's royal family

Al Ustad Special Kabab

Dubai is a Middle Eastern hub where people and goods from all over the world gather. Competition in the food and beverage industry is fierce, with restaurants changing hands in less than a year. In this fast-changing city, one long-established Iranian restaurant that has been loved by people for many years is Al Ustad Special Kabab.

You may wonder why there is Iranian food in Dubai. Iran and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) are geographically close to each other, and have had a deep relationship since before the UAE was founded in 1971. Most of the saffron, said to be the world's most luxurious spice, and rose water (distilled rose water) that are often seen in Dubai's souks (markets) are imported from Iran. There are also several beautiful Iranian-style mosques in Dubai, with a blue motif, which are places where Iranians living in Dubai gather.

Some things that are now being spoken of as "Dubai traditions" have their origins in Iran. The best example is the well-known tourist spot "Bastakiya", known as "Dubai's traditional district". This district, which reproduces traditional houses built at the end of the 19th century, was named after the place where merchants from Bastak in southern Iran originally settled.

The Iranian restaurant I would like to introduce is located just a few minutes walk from Bastakiya. Unfortunately, the standard route for tourists is to walk around the "traditional area of Dubai" and then eat camel meat burgers at a stylish restaurant in the area. It would be a shame to pass up this restaurant, even though it is only a few dozen meters away.

If you visit this restaurant, you should definitely try the "Cherou Kebab," one of Iran's most representative dishes. Cherou means rice in Persian, and kebab means grilled meat.

Mix the butter served with the rice and mix it with the salty kebab to eat. The slight sweetness of the rice and the saltiness of the kebab complement each other in an exquisite balance.

While you're eating, be sure to take a look at the decorations inside the restaurant. Open since 1978, the walls of this restaurant are covered with commemorative photos of people who have visited, including some of Dubai's royal family. Dubai, an emerging city that is often mocked both at home and abroad for having "no history," has a modest history here that tells the story of the relationship between Iran and Dubai.

Supporting the stomachs of Dubai residents: A Pakistani restaurant serving cheap and delicious curry

Ravi Restaurant

In Dubai, there are fewer 24-hour family restaurants and convenience stores than in Japan. However, there is one restaurant that operates almost 24 hours a day with an amazing spirit of service. That restaurant is the Pakistani restaurant "Ravi Restaurant" in the Satwa district.

Although it is called a restaurant, it is more accurate to describe it as a cafeteria. Customers come and go one after another because they can eat cheap, fast and delicious food. In Dubai, eating out is almost exclusively for families, and it is common to see families taking their time to enjoy a meal together, but compared to that, the turnover rate is astonishing.

Moreover, most of the customers are men. Dubai, where urban development continues at a dizzying pace, accepts many single migrant workers, mainly for construction work, and nearly 70% of the population is male. As a result, there are many spots that are full of men. This restaurant is one of them, and it may take some courage for a woman to go in. However, the food is certainly delicious.

The main dish is curry, with over 15 different types. If you feel overwhelmed by the menu, choose the popular "Mutton Peshawari" or "Chicken Peshawari" at this restaurant. You'll be full and the price will be only 20 dirhams (about 600 yen). Even a simple business lunch will easily cost 2,000 to 3,000 yen in Dubai. You can see how cheap this is.

This is a wonderful restaurant that caters to the stomachs of the men working in Dubai.

The sweet aroma is addictive. Desert nomad style pancakes

Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe

Nowadays, the image of UAE people is that of wealthy people driving around in Mercedes Benz 4WDs. However, just 50 years ago, they were desert nomads who rode camels instead of Mercedes Benzes. At Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe, you can enjoy meals from that "nomad era."

The nomadic-style breakfast is very simple, as if to represent life in the desert, where there is neither greenery nor water. However, it has a rustic taste. The pancakes have a faint aroma of date syrup.

Dubai's dining tables are now saturated with all kinds of food from around the world, from fast food to fine cuisine, but Al Fanar is a place where you can enjoy simple flavors and harken back to Dubai's origins.

The cheapest in Dubai!? An Afghan bakery famous for its fluffy, freshly baked bread for just 30 yen

ADRAR Bakery

If you want to enjoy the local atmosphere in Dubai, we recommend the Naif Souk area in the Deira district, located about a 10-minute walk from the Gold Souk, a classic Dubai tourist spot.

This place comes alive just after noon on Fridays, when congregational prayers are held around noon on Fridays, an Islamic holiday. After the prayers are over, people leave the mosque all at once, and the area begins to bustle, a stark contrast to the ghost town-like scene before the prayers.

Families eating at restaurants near the mosque, and Arab women eagerly browsing perfumes in the souk. In this area in particular, a "Friday market" that can't be seen on weekdays is held in various places. Used clothes, fruits, and other items are lined up on the streets, turning them into impromptu open-air markets.

As I turned into a back alley from the main street, I saw a crowd of people and a fragrant smell. People who had just finished their prayers had come to buy lunch. I pushed my way through the crowd and found three men baking bread called "roti" in a shared system. They all said they had come from Afghanistan.

Don't be fooled by its simple appearance. Freshly baked Afghan roti has a texture that surpasses even "super rich". What's more, one is only 30 yen.

If you go a little away from the tourist areas and walk down the backstreets, you will find these super cheap gourmet restaurants in Dubai. Especially near mosques, people gather there, so restaurants tend to gather there. It's not a bad idea to drop into an unfamiliar restaurant on a Friday, relying on the crowds.

Dubai is home to people of many different nationalities, and there are many stomachs that cannot be satisfied by Arab cuisine alone. When walking around Dubai's downtown areas such as Satwa and Deira, you often come across foods that are unfamiliar to Japanese people, and each time you do, you are amazed by the diversity of Dubai. Encountering such unknown foods is surely one of the best parts of sightseeing in Dubai.

Note: Opening hours may change during Ramadan (the fasting month; in 2019 it runs for about 30 days from early May), so it is best to call in advance to confirm.