Saturdays are Sunnier at Sufra Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek’s Sunny Saturdays & Meal Voucher for 2.

SUFRA SUNNY SATURDAYS is basically a new late and leisurely breakfast concept for the whole family where you can enjoy your time by the Creek. Introduced at Sufra by Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights, it is available every Saturday from 12 noon to 4:00pm.

 

The whole concept of Sunny Saturdays is unique and representing family routine where you sit and eat on a perfect leisurely afternoon to enjoy breakfast beyond the traditional morning hours and routine setup. You will find it as a complete package be it healthy, hearty fare or continental classics along with everyone’s favorite breakfast item.

 

It definitely was a Saturday packed with pleasure of relaxed dining experienced by myself and family. Tantalizing aromas of coffees and quintessential breakfast fare was served amidst casual vibe and in chic surrounds.

 

Since we first reviewed Iftar Buffet at Sufra, we are completely in love with ambiance and décor of this contemporary venue, it’s chic, uber and very spacious and you get to enjoy the family and friends set-up. The seating arrangements are managed with round table as well as the square tables to facilitate the group of 4, 6 or couples.

Bright, green and gold interiors overlook the neighboring Dubai Creek Park through huge floor to ceiling windows giving the impression of an inside/outside feel and the ambience of an urban garden.

When seated we were welcomed with a signature bread basket. Later we took a tour around the spread out buffet featuring Cold variety of cheeses, assorted cold cuts and composed salads.

You will also find the LIVE Stations for following:

Grill – selection of succulent meats grilled a la minute

Carving – whole roasted meat with accompaniments ·

Eggs and Hash – eggs cooked any style alongside traditional Eggs Benedict, Steak and Hash  ·

Shawarma  · Crepes and Waffles  ·

 

Hot Buffet focused more on Western, Arabic and Indian breakfast favorites.

Last but not the least is desserts and Ice-cream corner which win over hearts of those tiny creatures along with us. They enjoyed home-made gelatos, pan cakes, fruit yogurt etc.

 

Beverages team has introduced some quirky and new anti-oxidant and detox drinks, made up of fruity as well as veggie flavors. One must try the refreshing cucumber and broccoli mixture.

Highlight of the evening was when chefs actually pass around bringing down to your table those small tasty small bites of Crab Cakes, Sliders and mini Pancakes.

 

Kids were more than welcome with a separate buffet setup just for them as well as an Activities’ Corner with games and entertainment (however this particular setup is subjected to number of booking) while the adults can relax and recharge, preparing for the week ahead. Swimming Pool is just around the Kids Club and you can surely enjoy the weather or beat the heat by dipping into the spacious pool, book early to avoid disappointment.

Great New:

Sufra Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek is offering Mahiblog’s subscriber a discount of 20% on dine in. To get the code, simply mail us at info@mahiblog.com with your blog registered email address and we will send you the code.

How to win:

For your chance to win simply do the following:

1- Subscribe (via email id) on Mahi Blog,

2- It is MANDATORY  to LIKE & FOLLOW Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Facebook & Instagram pages and mention that @mahiblog has sent you.

2- Share this post using buttons below of FB, Twitter, IG etc

Tag Mahi Blog on FB, Instagram, Twitter to let us know that you share !!!!

“WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN ON MAXIMUM SHARES BASIS”

To win you must do all the above steps. Winners will be announced on October 5th, 2015.  Only UAE fans can take part.

Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to Leenu Bablani, Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek, Sufra’s Management & humble staff for coordination. We were invited however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. Please do not use any pics without prior permission.

 

 

CITY WALK – Event Review – “It’s MySpace” at IDdesign via MOMSOUQ.

‘It’s MySpace’ held at IDdesign showroom, in collaboration with MOMSOUQ.”

It was thrilling to be a part of “It’s My Space” Organized by ID Design in collaboration with Mom Souq. Mom Souq is my favorite family community and I love their awareness events, hence I happily accepted the invite and was all set to visit one of the most happening and new hotspot shopping destination Dalma Mall in AbuDhabi.

Event started on time and all the participants along with IDdesign experts were been introduced. We get to learn a lot of tips and techniques where you can actually learn some quick and easy fixes to change the mood of any room. Also I get to learn about the latest trends in interior design styles and home furnishings.

Then comes the most important part of being creative, 3 teams were made and were asked to show their decorating skills via creating a mood board.  It was such an interactive, fun and team building activity and  de-clustered so many concepts for me regarding interior settings. Winning team get the prizes, and IDdesign Goodie bags were provided to all participants at the event.

The tips shared by designers Mei and Nataliya on the importance of a moodboard; whether you’re looking to de-clutter your home or having to bargain color palettes & approach with other members of your family, provided some stimulation for our home. They were so generous and open about listening to your home staying queries and provide some useful info.

    

To relax and unwind we sat back, and enjoyed some healthy and yummy refreshments and sweet bite size treats. I took a good roam around in their store, as they were offering 25-75% sale in their store. To stay informed of future events, as well as in store promotions and IDdesign’s latest furniture & accessories collections in our Abu Dhabi or Dubai showrooms, you can visit their website or Facebook page.

Special Thanks to Mona Tavassoli, Founder & CEO of Mom Souq for pulling off yet another successful and well organized event, Lovely Designers at IDdesign and the management of the store been extra courteous and responsive to participants need and for the preview of their special promotion items at Sale. I am certainly returning back to store for good bargains.

 

Here comes the Pizza – Grand Launch of Russo’s NY Pizzeria!

“Mangia bene! “ [Eat well] -Chef Anthony Russo. The Russo’s Dalma Mall “Grand Launch” was a private event, as guests are welcomed by CEO himself along with Marketing team and during the event there is a free flow on Pizza and appetizers via attentive hostesses. You won’t miss the store at this location in mall because it is located right near the Cinemas. This restaurant displayed a Russo’s board at the entrance and there is a strong aroma indication to guide to further !

Had an incredible time at the festive cooking demo at Russo’s by none other than the man himself, founder and Chef Anothony Russo. The variety and colors are so fresh and yummy. It can literally turn an adult into a child in a pizza world. Today, you can find Russo’s New York Pizzeria all around the world. Yet, it is no typical franchise. No matter which location it is, almost everything is made in-house, from the pizza dough to the gnocchi and mainly handpicked and exported from their sorted locations.

All in all it was great evening I simple loved the menu of the night in Starters my favorite were Caprese Salad, Pomodora Brushetta and Fried Portobello Mushrooms. Of course you can’t beat their originals Cheese and Chicken Rustica Pizzas !!     Lasagna Al forno was indeed a great touch and how can I not mention very tempting Panna Cotta & Tiramisu. I am not a huge fan of Risotto however did taste their Porcini one with drizzled Truffle Oil and it is indeed very delicious!  One could smell the oven baked pizza while you are just passing near cine royal on the same floor. I’m normally not a fan of the thin crust, but this is the right blend of crisp and juicy with each slice covered with fresh toppings. Russo’s is worth a visit. The quality of food and service definitely won’t disappoint!   Russo is the story of a chef with immense dreams and have done it in grace, someone who was able to take a winning perception and wrap up it in a way that, in the hands of the right people, can be replicated over and over again. Anthony Russo has developed one of the first New York-style pizzeria concept in Houston, after Mastering his family’s recipes for his own restaurants, he took the idea and started franchising it. That concept was Russo’s New York Pizzeria. I loved the opportunity to taste some of the finest Russo’s creation customized that day and to know about him and chat over some desserts in late evening on same day. We break it down our cluster conversation with him into below main Q & A: Where do you source your ingredients from? Some from Italy and some from US. What about the local market, do you think it’s readily available or is it the procedures and policy of the company/ management decision? It involves a lot of items about 60-70 and in most of the cases we usually bring it from abroad. You have a lot of Arab based and UAE restaurants? Do you adjust/alter your recipes  to meet the demand of the customers in this region? The recipes do not change much, except recipes where it’s pertaining to the nature of ingredients and meat (halal) to be replaced others which do not involve any such obligations remain same and as healthy and full of taste as I have inherited and created some hence It’s a family recipes which we are making for years. What sort of R&D is involved, as you have to make sure it shall be liked by the residents here and matches to their taste buds? Indeed. We want clients & foodies in every market to suit the liking for our food, whether locally or internationally, to enjoy their experience at Russo’s. A big part of that is integrating local gastronomy and ingredients into dishes. Luckily in case of UAE it’s quite Mediterranean and this is a plus for us and a lot of material like egg-plant, veggies  cheese and sauces are rich in such tastes and help us win over the hearts of locals and other nationalities in the region. What about the chefs at different outlets of Russo’s , are the only from particular region? No, they vary however all of them are being trained for one month to six weeks under an extensive program, even in some locations I’d come in to train them and show them how to do it. I teach them how to cook and carry on the family recipe, I won’t mind doing it as I love my family recipes and treasure them. I wanted to make sure when I handed it off to someone who pizza was going to taste really like New York-style pizza. We make sure that the recipes are ideal. That, no matter who maneuvers the restaurant, the food is going to taste the same as I would make it from our family recipe. What is the reason behind Russo’s being distinctive? It’s the ingredients that you use. Also the simplicity which goes in making this Italian cuisine, the beauty of compatibility and adaptability of its taste by different customs and regions. It has to be high-quality and you need to know what kind of flour to use, back home I pick all the ingredients from flour till veggies on my own. I use high-gluten flour with the highest protein. It’s milled in a certain part of Illinois. The flour, the cheese and the sauce is significant.   How many branches in region? We have 6 units in total, and are planning to have 10 more in the coming year. However, in the next month we will be opening a branch in Riyadh. What is the biggest challenge you face here in this region? To maintain the quality, as I have been to some place here in UAE and it was really different from the US, in terms of quality, I found it that it is quite challenging to keep the same level of quality that we find in the US, although it is improved over the years, as you can find the best category of Parmesan over here due to export. We also have to bring in ingredients from abroad to maintain the quality of food and that is the only challenge we face. What is the biggest strength you have and what advice you want to give to my readers? My biggest strength is food off course, cause if not, we would not be successful. The only food advice I can give to your readers is if they require pizza and pasta, only go to russo’s 😉 Disclaimer & Notes: A huge Thank you to CEO, host Marketing team at Russo’s, Prime Hospitality, Mutaz (for coordination), charming Layal, Suzzane & most Importantly my favorite Chef Anthony RUSSO! from NY Pizzeria. We were guests there however it did not influence our thoughts and reviews, all opinions content are our own. You can not use any pics without prior permission.

 

City Walk – Event Review: “Short+Sweet” theatre festival.

Abu Dhabi enjoyed its first taste of the international theatre festival ‘Short+Sweet’ this weekend, when a touring show of the festival’s 10-minute plays visited the capital as part of a day of theatre events at Abu Dhabi Theatre. The Short+Sweet festival has run successfully in Dubai for the last three years, and organisers hosted the theatre day to give locals a taste of the fun and energy involved in the event and to promote the idea of having a full Short+Sweet Abu Dhabi theatre festival in early 2016. The day began with an acting workshop on stage, a  playwriting workshop in the afternoon and a performance of ‘Short+Sweet – the Best of Short+Sweet Dubai’ showing some of the most successful, and funniest, 10-minute plays in the world.

Says Alex Broun, world-leading playwright and producer of Short+Sweet Dubai: “Short+Sweet has really helped to promote homegrown theatre talent in Dubai. Last February we had over 250 actors, writers and directors involved in staging 70, 10-minute plays and it really brought out the best from local theatre groups”. He continues “there is some incredible creative talent in Abu Dhabi, both Emirati and expatriate. We want to start a full festival of 10-minute plays here, Short+Sweet Abu Dhabi, to give local people a challenge and to enable them to collaborate across cultural divides”.

Short+Sweet currently runs across 23 cities, in seven different countries, although Dubai is currently the only Emirate to host it. The Shorter+Sweeter show, a touring production, hopes to tour the GCC and then Italy later in the year. Anyone who wants to get involved in Short+Sweet Abu Dhabi should contact alex@constellation.ae, at Dubai’s newest performing arts company Constellation.

 

CITY WALK – Guylian Chocolates R Here! – Rich in Creativity, Style & Cocoa butter!

 

 

 We were invited at the launch event of Guylian Belgian Chocolate Café, at YAS mall (Yas Island) – AbuDhabi. In it’s Unique Sea shell creativity, this Chocolate Café offers Original Belgian Chocolate Sea Shells which are sure to deliver you the ultimate chocolate experience. It is so rich and creamy from outside and have this oh-so-yummy  famous Guylian hazelnut flavor.

 

The open-air cafe location was classy, and the evening was startling with Chocolate truffles, desserts, snacks and coffee served in a modern Art Deco setting, we surely had enjoyed the beautiful array of delights and pander to our passion for the premium Belgian chocolates, exquisite cakes and decadent desserts.

 

 

While the cafe focused on Guylian’s signature chocolate that made them a recognized global brand, the eatery also sell sandwiches, pastries, coffee, cakes and more. I simply loved the fact how soft and creamy these chocolates are, they simply melts in your mouth simultaneously giving you this delectable taste of signature hazelnut praliné filling with in.

     

We had a privilege of greeting the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the UAE and a meeting and interview with an Ever-smiling Mieke Callebaut, Marketing & Sales Director Europe/USA of the brand Guylian. She has briefed us about the origin of the World’s Favorite Belgian Sea Shells, of how the Chocolatier Guy Foubert become the first to come up with the idea of making chocolates in this shape, while returning home, thinking of bringing gifts to friends and family and passing along the coastline and getting his inspiration from the seashells.

 

A Story of Love and Chocolate:

She also narrates how the whole journey of Guylian begans, “Guylian”, the romantic combination of the founders’ names, the Belgian couple Guy and Liliane. Guylian was started in 1958 by a Guy Foubert, a Belgian chocolatier who specialised in artisanal handmade chocolate truffles. The chocolates are now sold in more than 120 destinations around the world, but the company’s signature truffle recipe is still made in small-batch copper kettles exclusively by Guylian’s master chocolatiers in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. The chocolates are available in hypermarkets, department stores and duty-free shops at major airports around the world.

Inspiration for Outlet in UAE:

It lovely to know the similarities and fondness Brand Owners find in the culture of UAE, they love the culture and tradition of giving and sharing in this region which inspires them to have Guylian Belgian Chocolate Café established here and the products be part on national and traditional festivities, Giveaways and Warm Gifts giving activities which is a part of our rich culture in UAE.

Some interesting fact:

• Every Sea Shell is marked with a Guylian “G” stamp, the sign of a genuine Guylian chocolate & a mark of an artist.

• The shape of the Guylian chocolate seahorse is distinctive. It has its tail coiling the other way around than seahorses in life.

• They serve a gourmet range too.

 

It is an exclusive and classy location at Luxury Court on the ground level in Yas Mall. to indulge in all the luscious Guylian pleasures. it’s open from Saturday to Wednesday: 10:00am – 10:00pm and Thursday to Friday until midnight.

All in all it was a great event, very well coordinated and organized by TohPR, with goody bags and unlimited flow of Guylian famous chocolates and Canapés, we surely had some coddle chocolate moments there! We are going back there very soon 😉

 

Images Courtesy: Kaby Klick

 

A Sweet Journey to Candylicious !

Candylicious is not just a store it a dream concept representing fantasy, joy and inimitable early days reminiscences. It’s a heaven for Candy Lovers and home to the largest ‘pick and mix’ wall in Asia and the Middle East. I recall tourists footing outside posing for pictures at the storefront when I walked past Dubai Mall Store when we visited.

Candylicious — the world’s largest candy store, recently launched its branch in Abu Dhabi at Yas Mall. You won’t miss the store because it is located just next to the Food Court.  Mall Walks with Little humans of my family give us a plea to pass through this store in each trip. 

But then last week’s Blogger’s Event Invite for #ASweetJourney from Candylicious made this sweet fantasy a truly memorable experience providing a sneak peak into their Exciting newbie’s at Store such as the Garrett’s Popcorn and Spun Candy stations, followed by lunch at ROGO’S, the world’s biggest ROLLERCOASTERRESTAURANT®.

I was so impressed by the oversize candy tree in the middle, near the entrance. It was dripping with candy flank & Swirly Spun Lollipops, hanging full of candy bars and chocolate balls. The design and section Management of the store is well engineered & fascinating that it invites curiosity to every by passer who desire to consume every candy available, I felt myself  “Alice in Wonderland” but “Kid in a Candy Store” – Candylicious Version 😉

We have also been given live demo for Spun Handmade Delicious Confectionery in Covent Garden and believe me seeing a hard candy being made infront of me has major influence on my understanding of what the results look like since its been always my concern when consumed by my kids.

  

Sight of those Clustered dispenser and lined walls with over 250 pick-and-mix varieties that reaches the ceiling awed me. The store also offers thousands of different products from well-known brands such as M&M’s and Hershey’s, gourmet cookies, lollipops in all shapes and sizes you can imagine, & above all mouth watering smell of popcorn was announcing the Garrett’s Popcorn caramel indulgence.

  

They have my very favorite Oh-so-Yummy Tiny & Chewy Jell Belly in all flavors; it can burst happiness in your mouth. We had an opportunity to taste some delicious candies and also take away some with us too. We tasted the signature Reese’s Peanut butter chocolate too.

Word of caution: All in all it was great event; Sweets, Treats and Candy Galore, What a Celebration they had in store. This store casts a spell and mesmerize all specially the candy lovers and chances are that you may shop till you drop so do watch your calories, watch your teeth, Keep shopping as they gluten free options too 😀