Does art go hand in hand with the dining experience? Sara Taher talks to Aida Mansour, the vibrant owner of well known Abu Dhabi eatery Café Arabia, about how two different worlds can work well together.
Café Arabia is quickly establishing itself as a cultural hub in the city. How did you promote this vibe?
I started off by word of mouth and with the support of very popular local artists – namely my next-door neighbour Emily Gordon, as well as Jennifer Simon and Heidi Halls. From there we launched our first exhibition. I made it a point to encourage both budding artists and professional ones to bring in their work. In April, we are expecting a Scottish artist, who will fly to the UAE to exhibit exclusively at Café Arabia, showcasing the breathtaking landscapes of Scotland.
Can you tell us about some of the art events that you have hosted?
We hosted an exhibition called Gems of the Middle East, with art works flown in from Jordan and managed by my good friend Suha Tabari. The event was a huge success. We also recently had an exhibition by Panna Taher, Heidi Halls, Nabil Al Muhairi and Marian Richardson. We also had three launching events for an Emirati writer, Sultan Al Amimi, and Lebanese celebrity TV presenter and poet, Zahi Wehbe. We try to keep a variety in our events, such as CD launch for an international musical celebrity Marcel Khalife, who is an UNESCO Peace Ambassador, and has played in places like Olympia in Paris and New York. We also like to involve the younger community as this is very dear to my heart. Once, we brought the work of the students of the ACS middle and high school outside the walls of the school to be shared and appreciated by our community.
How do you think hosting plays and exhibitions makes eating at your café a special experience?
I think eating at Café Arabia is, on its own, a great experience as we maintain the family-style food presentation. Add to this the ambiance of art and culture, and I think this makes the experience even more special. We have the concept ‘food for thought’ – we like you to feed your body and your soul.
Where do you see Café Arabia in five years?
I see it as one of the main attractions on the Abu Dhabi scene, both for residents and visitors, and I hope to see Café Arabia in another major capital in the world to spread the concept of food for thought: traditional family food, recipes from friends prepared from the heart and creating yet another extended community.
How important do you think your venue is to the developing art scene in Abu Dhabi?
I think Café Arabia’s homely feel is inspiring not only to artists who join our regular arts and crafts souq and art exhibitions, but also to anyone who enjoys cultural activities and expression. Our café is frequently visited by the community and visitors to the capital – and we are getting more recognition than a formal gallery. I think we play an important role in shaping the art trend here. Café Arabia’s success is also inspiring to many entrepreneurs who are already copying the basic concept, and that’s very flattering, creating new independent venues with a flare. I think Café Arabia has taken the lead to innovate (as one of our first guests described it), ‘a huge leap in terms of cool for Abu Dhabi’.
What message would you like to give the community?
I hope to extend an invitation to all artists to bring in their art for either a group exhibition or individual exhibition, and I hope all those who have any crafty hands will come and join our regular exhibitions, we will be hosting one in the beginning of October. I would also like to invite all musical performers and talents, regardless of age. We enjoy putting on performances in front of the general public in an informal setting. I really hope and aim to incorporate schools and universities to showcase their art, musical performances, theatre in public… This café belongs to the community and it’s an open stage to welcome everyone.
Café Arabia is open daily from 8am-10pm. Between Al Karama and Airport Road (02 643 9699).
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You can see works by British artist Emily Gordon, who has lived in the region for 25 years, here.
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