It would be hard to claim Abu Dhabi is overflowing with specialist food shops, famers markets or exotic delicatessen counters. Specialist ingredients, as cooking enthusiasts will know, are hard to come by, but not impossible. The foodie scene in Abu Dhabi is growing fast, and people want to recreate spectacular dishes in their own homes. We went grocery shopping to find out where the best specialist food shops are and where to get the best deals. So if you’re sick of getting stung at Spinney’s or can’t face another trawl around Co-op, try one of these more interesting places to get your shopping staples
Cheese
Jones The Grocer: The most wide-ranging specialist food shop in Abu Dhabi, Jones the Grocer certainly isn’t cheap, but it does have an array of goods that will have your mouth watering as you read the labels – Emiliana Orange Flavoured Balsamic Vinegar or Tartuflanghe Truffle Oil – what wouldn’t taste good with a splash from those bottles? But when we visit we barely pause at these tantalising shelves, because we only have one foodstuff in mind – cheese. We haven’t found a fromagerie to rival Jones The Grocers’ anywhere else in Abu Dhabi – and certainly not one that leaves out a board of samples for munching on while you peruse the wheels of cheese
Recommended product: Mont D’Or cheese – Dhs85 for 500g. This pungent number gets gooey enough to be used as a fondue if left at room temperature, or you can bake it with garlic and a splash of white to unleash its full flavour
Jones The Grocer, Mamoura Building, B Ground Floor 06/07 Corner 4th Muroor & 15th Street Al Muroor, Abu Dhabi (02 443 8762)
Fish
Abu Dhabi Fish Market: The briney smell will hit you long before you enter the doors of the institution that is Abu Dhabi’s fish market. Drive down to Mina Port to get your hands on the freshest fish available in Abu Dhabi, and great deals on shrimps, sardines, hammour and sherry fish . Prices vary quite dramatically, depending on the season and availability, but if you’re buying a lot to stock up your freezer, you should be able to negotiate a pretty decent price from the vendors. Little English is spoken, but you’ll be able to get by with the help of a calculator and a lot of gesticulating.
Recommended products: Hammour – everyone’s favourite local fish, which sells for approximately Dhs30 per kilo.
Fish Souk, Mina Zayed Port, 31st Street
Pasta
Prego’s: If you’re picky about your pasta, stop in at Prego’s Italian restaurant. They sell packets of Rustichella d’Abruzzo pasta at the entrance, in all sorts of shapes and colours. So whether you need black spaghetti, tricolor shapes or just some good quality penne, you’ll find it here. The company uses durum wheat semolina mixed with pure mountain water, and has a drying process that is significantly slower than most industrial processes, giving the pasta a homemade flavour and toughness. You can ask that they cook it up for you in the restaurant or just take it home with you.
Recommended Product: Orecchiette tris. These multi-coloured pieces have a rough texture and a scooped shape for soaking up as much sauce as possible. Dhs23 for 250g
Prego’s, Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area (02 697 9000)
Vegetables
Fruit and Vegetable Market: The fruit and vegetable produce market at Mina Port is much smaller now than it used to be, but still draws a crowd at weekends. Outdoors, but covered over from the glaring sun, you’ll find piles of vegetables and fruit here, usually of better quality, fresher and cheaper than in some of the city’s supermarkets. There’s not much by way of exotic produce here – it’s the usual spread of fresh produce, but we have to direct you towards the dates. This is the best place in the city to pick up a bagful for your home or as a gift. Mountains of dates from Saudi Arabia, Al Ain and Tunisia are piled up next to each other, and vendors are happy to fill your hands with samples and recommend different types depending on what you’re after. If you fancy a more polished approach, Al Dhafra date shop is a few meters away, which does fancier boxed packages with coconut, nuts and chocolate.
Recommended Product: Saudi Arabian dates – light-coloured and oozing sweet stickiness. Dhs40 per kilo
Fruit and Vegetable Market, Mina Zayed Port, 20th Street
