If a picture-perfect plate of food is created and nobody on Instagram is there to double tap it, was it really ever made at all? Foodie philosophy aside, just where would your online feed be without food, glorious, food.
Eye-catching snaps of mouth-watering main courses, decadent desserts and quirky coffees remain a huge culinary craze on social media platforms – and a communal love of a bite that is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach is the focal point of an on-trend new festival.
Club Social, which is taking over Yas Beach this weekend, is encouraging the capital’s web warriors to log off their laptops and head outdoors to make more than a virtual connection through a shared love of great food.
Visitors will be able to sample a host of live cooking stations, pop-up restaurants, food trucks and much more. And, never fear, you can still take a sneaky snap of the delights on offer to stir up some Instagram envy from your followers. Let’s dig in.
FOOD TRUCKS
Andiamo Pizza Truck
Pizza on the beach? That sounds like a little slice of perfection that is going to be tough to top. Enjoy a taste of Italian with a modern twist as Andiamo serves up its tasty selection of signature pizzas, which are fresh, big on flavour and also have your health in mind. Andiamo are currently reinventing their menu, so make sure you don’t miss out on a ‘pizza’ the action (sorry, had to be done) when they park on beautiful Yas Beach this weekend.
Eighties
Have a blast with the past at this funky diner-style spot. As you may have guessed from the title, this place has a bit of an 1980s vibe, and the menu is a massive hit in 2018, too. Pop over to the food truck to sample some of the must-try dishes, including Buffy Taxis – a fried chicken burger lathered in a special sauce – as well as shakasheek shrimp and zaatar bites. No visit is complete with demolishing the Cheetos chilly fries, either. Now where were they in the the school canteen?
Karak House
You can sink your teeth into food from all over the world at Club Social, but make sure to explore the UAE’s own culinary roots while you are at it. Karak House is a homegrown Emirati spot serving up food inspired by traditional dishes from the nation, with a contemporary twist, such as mutton biryani and shish taouk. You really must wash your food down with a signature chai karak, a beautiful blend of cardamom, milk, dark tea and secret spices that will set you up nicely for your beach day.
Moshi
Two culinary classics are brought together to create fantastic fusion food. The Asian delights of momo (Nepalese dumplings) and sushi are showcased in style, with no shortage of fun, flair and innovation thrown into the mix as well. Moshi was founded by a Dubai millennial and has a hot social media presence and puts the emphasis on being casual and fun. It is a business with a social conscience, too, as they set aside five percent of their revenue to feed local construction workers. That sounds like a cause well worth supporting.
Take A Bao
Okay, so if you love a good pun (just us, then) you will already absolutely adore this Asian favourite. It’s more than just a clever name, though, as the vibrancy of the Far Eastern street food is showcased brilliantly here. Make sure to get your hands on the beef, chicken and veggie options and go for the combo deal, where you can enjoy two baos and delicious fries. Best of all, it is all homemade and there is even dessert offerings if you save some room. ‘Bao’ could you say no?
FOOD KIOSKS
7 Cones
Right, get your phone out, we know you can’t resist taking a snap any longer. This is no ordinary pasta so who can blame you? 7 Cones serves up a magnificent seven flavours of pasta in, you guessed it, a cone. Fill up on your carbs and enjoy a picture-perfect pasta pleasure, with flavours such as al dente pasta with a generous helping of parmesan. Ice cream in a cone – that’s surely ‘pasta’ it’s sell by date. There’s a new ingredient in town.
Flakes Hub
Don’t worry, this place isn’t just full of bowls of cornflakes, though that does sound very nice in itself. The forward-thinking joint is giving diners some food for thought, with flake-themed dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You may never have thought you really wanted flake fish and chips or a juicy burger with flakes, but make sure to try it out for yourself.
Loca
Now, this is a great way to spice up your day out. The lively Mexican joint has wowed diners with its vibrant flavours and funky vibes since swinging open its doors in the foodie hub of The Galleria on Al Maryah Island at the start of last year. If you haven’t been yet (we can’t think why) you can sample the rich array of Latin bites on offer at Yas Beach.
Nolu’s
As culinary unisons go, Afghanistan and California might not immediately spring to mind. But the pair makes for a more than harmonious combo at Nolu’s. The restaurant, which has two outlets in the capital, was the dream of an Afghani-American entrepreneur who grew up watching her mother introduce Afghani recipes to diners in California. Nolu’s carries on that fine tradition, serving up California-style cuisine with a healthy and wholesome Afghani influence. This is anything but a clash of cultures, it’s a recipe for success.
The Inventing Room
We don’t care whether you are 8 or 80, this place will fill you with childlike wonder (we guess that goes without saying if you are still
a child, but you get the point, right?). The Willy Wonka-inspired spot is a unique science-lab dessert bar where eye-catching creations are made in a hail of liquid nitrogen. Think exploding whipped cream, space foam, miracle fruit (we don’t know what it is but we want to find out) and compressed apple with coconut caviar. Who knew getting your five-a-day could be so much fun. Culinary mastermind Ian Kleinman began his dessert-based dream nine years ago in Denver, Colorado, and has come up with a concept that will dazzle, delight and keep you coming back for more.
FOOD HUTS
Flooka
Fresh seafood flavours will be transported from the venue’s permanent home overlooking the lush Eastern Mangroves to the golden sands of Yas Beach. Whatever the location, you are sure to be hooked by the superb Mediterranean tastes being cooked up here. The pop-up eatery will give foodie fans a chance to sample some of the great catches of the day on offer all-year-round at Flooka. Dive in.
Hola Delights
Hola means hello in Spanish (see, those ‘Español’ lessons didn’t go to waste) and you can expect a warm greeting at this cool and colourful hut. Perfect for a hot day, the Latin concept focuses fresh fruit and vegetables, with everything from popsicles and ice cream bowls to fruit salads and fruit sushi. The hut is set to look pretty funky, too, so take a sun-kissed selfie outside it before trying out the wonderfully fresh flavours. Just make sure you mop the ice-cream of your top first.
FOOD SET-UPS
BBQ Box
The sun is shining, the water is shimmering and those sands have never looked more pristine. All you need now is a barbecue. As luck would have it, you can chill over the grill with BBQ Box. The team, who create specially insulated cool boxes with all the ingredients you need for an alfresco feed such as beef patties, cheddar cheese, buns and toppings, will have a stand at Yas Beach so you can see for yourself why they are such a sizzling success.
Papa Burty’s
Add a sprinkling of Carribean cool to your day in the sunshine. Coming to the capital by way of the West Indies, the food here is all about good vibes and good times. Papa B himself has scoured the world in search of wonderful flavours and now you can share the delights he has discovered. Make sure to try out the signature Jamaican patties, those wonderfully flaky bites of goodness. Expect to be serenaded by the wonderful strains of Bob Marley while you enjoy chowing down. Is this love, is this love that I’m feeling?
