A foodie long weekend in Al Ain
If you haven’t yet been to Al Ain, you’ve been missing out- especially if you’re a foodie. If you happen to visit during one of the food festivals, you’ll be able to see exactly why Al Ain is known as a foodies paradise.
If you are visiting the UAE, it’s important to remember to purchase travel insurance before you go. Sometimes it can seem like travel insurance is an unnecessary hassle- until something goes wrong and you’re thanking your lucky stars that you have it.
The Love Food Festival is a favourite among both locals and tourists in Abu Dhabi, and some of the standout dishes from last year included:
Fried Chicken Sandwich
But not just any sandwich- this is deep-fried buttermilk chicken, and comes with a honey bun, coleslaw, pickles, and smoked honey butter. The sandwich was served from an old ambulance that was converted and repurposed, and reviews stated that the sandwich was perfectly balanced, with the salty, savoury chicken working well with the sweet honey bun.
Fishdog
Hix’s Fishdog was a must-eat, with most people lining up for the fish cakes and fish dogs, although the spicy crab chips were reputably impeccable, topped with chives, chilli mayonnaise, and a sweet crab meat.
Dixie Union
Sure, this may not exactly be the traditional New Orleans style po’boy, but if you’re looking for flavour, this was a huge favourite at the Love Food Festival last year. You’ll be enjoying blackened grilled shrimp, which has been marinated in a lip-smacking Cajun spice mix, and comes with a habanero chilli jam, coleslaw, cheese, and purple cabbage, all in a nice soft bun.
Sushi
Not just any sushi- vegan sushi. It may sound weird, but this is a super delicious way to enjoy sushi for both vegans and non-vegans. The vegan duck roll was especially popular, and was made with sticky hoisin sauce, inari tofu, spring onion, green pepper, toasted sesame seeds, avocado, and cucumber. Yum.
Creme Brulee
Once it was time for dessert, visitors at the Love Food Festival visited the Crema Caravan food truck for top-notch creme brulee. The honey and pistachio was hugely popular, which had delicious honey creme underneath a lovely crisp topping and a scattering of roasted pistachios for a salty finish on top.
As you can see, the Love Food Festival is one great reason to visit Abu Dhabi, but if you miss out, there are still plenty of ways you can enjoy a long weekend in Al Ain.
The Abu Dhabi Food Festival is also a big draw, and includes a number of smaller festivals such as the Street Feast in Al Ain, the SIAL trade fair, and Gourmet Abu Dhabi. Make sure you’re visiting with an empty stomach, and be prepared to leave feeling overly full but seriously satisfied.
If you’re planning to visit the UAE, a foodie long weekend in Al Ain is a great way to taste local and international food, talk to locals, and enjoy Abu Dhabi.