Each with their own story of Dubai, chefs Himanshu Saini and Solemann Haddad have one thing in common: their love for Dubai’s hidden gems. In a big city known to be a hub to many international names, we tend to forget that its local finds are just as iconic. Chefs reflect their surroundings and their background through their cuisine and techniques, and these two Dubai culinary artists do just that.
Follow us as they guide us through their favourite local hotspots to give us a small taste of their Dubai.
The MICHELIN-selected chef and co-owner of moonrise grew up in Dubai and of course, gets inspiration from the hidden gems that he was surrounded by throughout his life. “We cook the stories of Dubai,” he says as he describes the concept behind his Omakase restaurant. So it is no surprise that the next stop of the day consists of showing Chef Himanshu a taste of Dubai’s underrated cafeteria culture, specifically the place he dubs “his childhood,” Al Ijaza Cafeteria.
“I want ten Hassan Mattar, extra dakkous, extra sauce, extra crunchy, extra everything. I want it to be very juicy,” Solemann says as he comically orders his usual at his favourite cafeteria for an eager Himanshu to try. “Cafeteria culture is all about taking it easy. It's all about joking. It's all about having a good time,” he continues to explain. Dubai’s cafeteria culture is where Middle Eastern street food meets Indian street food. You can expect to taste a chicken shawarma spiced in a South Indian way, wrapped in a paratha. “It’s fusion of the two cultures that creates this third culture, Dubai identity that I'm so proud to be part of,” Solemann passionately describes. As they wrap up their first meal of the day, it’s time to head to Chef Himanshu’s little piece of home away from home.
Having lived in Dubai for 10 years, Chef Himanshu’s culinary journey delves into the elevation of Indian cuisine and uses his dishes to express the rich history of his culture’s well-known eats. “Our restaurant is an ode to the evolution of Indian food with originality at heart,” he says as he describes his restaurant, one-MICHELIN-star Trèsind Studio. With the aim to tell the stories of his humble homeland in refined dishes, Himanshu begins the day by taking Chef Solemann to a place that he’s visited frequently since moving to Dubai a decade ago.
“I have so many memories attached to this place,” Himanshu excitedly tells Solemann as they walk through a sea of the Dubai’s finest fresh fish selections at the Waterfront Market. Visiting the market became part of his daily routine during the pandemic due to limited supplies, but it served to be much more than just that. “For me, when I moved to Dubai, this was such an exploration where I learned so much about this produce, the amazing Omani prawns, the crabs…” he continues to explain. As they make their way out of the market, Chef Himanshu’s takes Chef Solemann to the part of Dubai that reminds him of home.
The next location is Raju Omlet, an Indian restaurant with eggs being their main ingredient. Originally from Gujurat in India, this predominantly vegetarian restaurant is where Chef Himanshu finds the comfort food that he was raised around. “If you see the ambience of this place also, it just brings you back to the streets of Mumbai and that's the thing I love the most,” he tells first-time visitor Solemann as they sit down to order masala omelette, ghotala, Pahadi-style chicken wrapped in paratha and a yolky ragu. “Everything is so aggressively seasoned, I love it,” Solemann happily expresses to Himanshu while he dips his paratha wrap in egg yolk from a previous dish. With their stomachs filled to the brim, the chefs head to the final location of the day and it’s one they both love owned by common friend.
1004 Gourmet is a store that Chef Himanshu and Chef Solemann share as their local favourite. Owned by Chang Sup Shin, this Dubai-based shop imports, distributes and retails Korean and Japanese products and also supplies various restaurants in the MICHELIN Guide. As they walk through the aisles filled with Asian products alongside Chang, the chefs reflect on their day exploring each other’s version of Dubai. As the day comes to an end, there’s not doubt that they both added new favourites to come back to in the city.
