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Local fruit and vegetables are increasingly available and
there is excellent local fish. Hotels serve both Arab and
European food and there is also a number of Chinese, Indian
and other restaurants.
Things to know: All the Emirates, with the exception of Sharjah,
permit the consumption of alcohol by non-Muslims. It is illegal
to drink alcohol in the street or to buy it for a UAE citizen.
National specialities:
• Hummus (chickpea and sesame paste).
• Tabbouleh (bulghur wheat with mint and parsley).
• Ghuzi (roast lamb with rice and nuts).
• Warak enab (stuffed vine leaves).
• Koussa mashi (stuffed courgettes).
• Makbous (spicy lamb with rice).
• Seafood with spicy rice are also popular.
National drinks:
• Ayran (a refreshing yoghurt drink).
• Strong black coffee.
Tipping: Most hotels, restaurants and clubs
add fairly high service charges to the bill, therefore tipping
is not necessary. Taxi drivers are not tipped.
Nightlife
There are several nightclubs located in major centres and
entertainment ranges from Arabic singers and dancers to international
pop stars. Bars are found in all top hotels and range from
sophisticated cocktail lounges to English-style pubs. Some
hotels also have discos. Traditional dances are performed
on public holidays. Most large towns have cinemas showing
English-language films.
Shopping
Customs duties are low and therefore luxury goods are cheaper
than in most countries. The Dubai duty-free shop is one of
the cheapest in the world. Souks sell traditional Emirate
leather goods, gold, brass and silverware. Shopping hours:
Daily 0900-1300 and 1600-2100, but many shops are open all
day. Shops close for prayers Fri 1130-1330.
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