For a Friend Visiting Abu Dhabi

A friend from Church will soon be visiting Abu Dhabi for a week. Here's the information I sent him regarding eating out. I'm sure there's something I forgot.



Restaurants

Here's a list of restaurants I know in Abu Dhabi. Which to visit really depends on where you are staying. Check out TimeOut Abu Dhabi for suggetions. Also, when you visit one of the many malls, Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall, Khalidiaya Mall, Al Wahda Mall, etc. look for a free copy of Abu Dhabi Week, they are usually posted near the entrances.

• At Marina Mall, eat at Hatam-Iranian Restaurant, 2nd Floor #332, great food, appetizer was a meal in itself.
• At Al Wahda Mall, Beirut Restaurant, 2nd Floor Food Court Area, be ready to stand in line.
• Lebanese Flower off of Defense Road (popular, locals should know where it is).
• Chamas Brazilian Restaurant: Intercontinental Hotel. Expensive, but great if you want to eat a lot of meat.
• Tche Tche Cafe: Corniche Towers, popular with Arabs, smoky from shisha, great iced smoothies, excellent hamburgers.
• Al Safadi, our favorite place for shawarmas: Zayed The First Street, Khalidiyah. Yummy.
• Indigo, Indian Restaurant: Butter Chicken and Buttered Naan! Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area. Very Expensive.

You must try the Hamour when you eat out. It's a firm white fish and very popular. For breakfast and lunch try the "Arab Breakfast" it usually consists of Foul (my favorite) Arab cheese or Labneh, olives, cucumber, tomatoe and sometimes falafel.

Oh, and don't forget to sample the Patchi Chocolate! We're big fans, luckily amazon.com sells it here, but you should buy some there.

TimeOut Abu Dhabi has a decent restaurant guide - http://www.timeoutabudhabi.com/

You can also read my blog for ideas: http://expatwilliam.blogspot.com/

Perfume/Bakhoor

If you are interested in buying perfume for yourself I'd suggest Ajmal Eternal. If you're buying for your wife the same, and also Yaz and Samdi Al Qurashi (but it will be more awkward). Perfumeries are in the malls and in different neighborhoods. You can also buy perfume at Swiss Arabian in the malls (they have good prices and also sell Bahkoor which is Arab incense).

Rules

I'm sure you know the rules: don't stare at locals, don't take pictures of people without asking, don't use your left hand to eat with, don't show the soles of your shoes, and DON'T take the GOLD taxis. Take the Silver taxis or have the hotel get you a driver.

Enjoy the heat! Wish I was going too.