Welcome, I'm Rahaf Kayyali

Food critic, creator and home cook

Honest restaurant reviews, easy recipes and food stories from the best tables in Dubai, shared with a community of food lovers.

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Latest reviews

Smoky, tender and bright with herbs: the steak that won me over this month.

An earthy, comforting pasta that proves vegetarian dishes can steal the show.

Silky sauce, sweet shrimp and just enough garlic. Pure weeknight luxury.

Behind the scenes of a seafood kitchen that has locals queuing round the block.

A long family lunch of sharing plates, slow-cooked lamb and too many desserts.

Twelve stalls, ten dishes and one very full critic.

Pancakes, shakshuka and eggs Benedict from three local favourites.

The places I keep going back to, from steak houses to bakeries, and why they deserve a visit.

Dry-aged cuts, a charcoal grill and service that makes every dinner feel like an occasion.

Tabletop barbecue, bubbling stews and the best kimchi pancakes I have tasted.

Creative plant-based plates that even committed carnivores will love.

Flaky croissants in the morning and celebration cakes worth queuing for.

Layered cakes, saffron milk cake and Arabic coffee served until late.

Farm-to-table lunches in the mountains, cooked with produce picked that morning.