Located in the Al Bastakiya trading village in the Al Fahidi Historic District, we enjoyed a cultural lunch at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding in the ambience of an authentic wind tower house. Set in the heart of old Dubai, it’s a fantastic destination for tourists and residents alike that want to learn more about the culture and history of the emirate.
The lunch takes a different approach from a typical tour guide or lecture, and is more like a laid back discussion with an Emirati host. After being welcomed with a cup of Arabic coffee (Gahwa), and an interesting and less mainstream history of the region, the questions and answers session began. With no topic off limits, an open dialogue about relevant culture, religion and politics was encouraged. Their open doors, open minds mantra is really put into practice in their frank and open discussions, where the host invites guests to ask absolutely anything, to help dispel misconceptions and bridge gaps in cultural understanding.
The Lunch: we were served traditional lunchtime meals that included Lamb and Chicken Machboos - a traditional rice based dish, white rice with a vegetable Salona (curry), and ligamat for dessert served with date syrup (dibbs).
The lunch ended with a cup of black tea and burned the customary incense known as bukhoor - which our host joked was our polite cue to leave!
An overall fun and unique experience that I’ll definitely be taking my next visitors for! The cultural lunches are every Sunday and Tuesday at 1pm. They also do breakfast, lunch and dinner timings, ranging from Dhs 80-100 per person, as well as guided tours. For more information visit www.cultures.ae or call 04-3536666. - A.D.