Weekly A to Z, Dec 24th.
In advance of the holiday, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!
A beautiful weekend with a stunner of a flank steak from Australia Lamb and Beef. We marinated it, put the steak on the grill, and it was a generous (and delicious) portion for four people. #gifted
On Saturday, we went to try the new season, Maison du Curry, at Tresind Studio, which was, as always, a pleasure. Some old favorites and new courses keep things interesting and Chef Himanshu was kind enough to send us home with some of his incredible broth. Check out our visit and the new menu here.
Sunday was a relatively quiet day, but a delivery from Legal Home Delivery certainly started the week on the right note. LHD has an amazing 30% off promotion, perfect timing for those looking to prepare for the festive period. I happily accepted an offer from Izu Burger for an easy lunch. The current holiday packaging is some straight-up branding brilliance. Did Chef Nouel also send through some stunning ube pastries? He did! #gifted
On Monday, we had to get acquainted with the remainder of Dubai restaurants, so the best stop was (of course) Time Out Market Dubai. I booked the editor’s table (AED300 per person with cards to spend on food and beverages). Though not entirely necessary at lunchtime, it was still lots of fun. Having a dedicated runner for food makes the whole experience easy, and direct access to the bar is certainly a festive approach. Would I do it again? Absolutely (especially if going during a more crowded time). We ate our way through all of our local favorites, and you better believe I ordered the Pickl turkey burger again.
Tuesday was…you guessed it — Expo! It’s definitely picking up, and Baron was kind enough to invite us over for lunch. Come for the location (directly on Wasl Square), stay for the menu. Our favorites were everything, but I highly suggest ordering the cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and scallops. (And yes, they are licensed!) Check out more of our visit here. #invited Lotsa Lazy Cake sent over their Lazy Bûche de Noël, which is beautiful, delicious, and festive — winning. #gifted
On Wednesday, our commitment to tourism continued, and we tried the Ain Dubai, which was amazing! I highly recommend booking a private cabin, and you can check out the video here. I also received an (epic) box from FarmBox, with plenty of local produce. Use my code COURTNEY10 to receive 10% off any upcoming order (valid for 30 days). #gifted
For Thursday, we recovered and went to Spinneys for a bit for some shopping. We baked up some rum cake and prepped for a large portion of bacon-wrapped dates. Did I take a shortcut for a turkey dinner for Christmas Eve Eve? I did! Radisson Blu Media City sent over a turkey dinner with all the trimmings — we can’t wait to make turkey curry with the leftovers. #gifted
Links, please.
Are you eating fried chicken tomorrow? CNN
But I’m also kind of into this duck approach. Umami Cart
Just enjoy the damn food. Cooking Light
Yes, plant-based ‘meat’ is that much better for the environment. Vox
The Bloody Mary turns 100. NPR
Congratulations to Leen, Claudia, and the entire MENA 50 Best Academy team. 50 Best
Here for these regular food reviews. Gawker
Your compendium of fast food breakfast hours. The Takeout
Parrots getting drunk on mangoes. Vice
Outdoor dining has been great for families with children. Eater
This…makes me feel better. Twitter
Cooking Christmas dinner…in a truck. NYT
How would you describe yourself in 5 words? Cup of Jo
Wine was more valuable than gold in 2021. The Takeout
25 essential meals in New York. NYT
TikTok is getting into the food industry. Bloomberg
The (real) history of Chop Suey. Atlas Obscura
Diet soda no more? The Takeout
Congratulations, Hattem and team! Instagram
Never thought about it like that. Twitter
This weekend we’re getting together with friends and family (keeping as socially distanced as possible, damn you, Omicron!), and I’m already thinking ahead for my best meals of 2021. Next week, I’ll be working on a project with Grana Padano, and will tell you more when I can.
If you enjoy this newsletter and want to support me, consider sharing this newsletter on social media, ordering from these restaurants, purchasing my books (or these novels), or buying me coffee. Archives of the Weekly A to Z can be found here.
C.
