TIMEOUTABUDHABI.COM | FEB 15, 2023 – MAR 14, 2023 | VOL 22 | ISSUE 01 | DHS12 | PRICE INCLUDES VAT | AN ITP MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATIONTIMETIMETIMEOUTAOUTAOUTABUDHBUDHBUDHABI.ABI.BI COM COM | FEB FEB FEB 15, 15, 15, 2023202302 – M– MMAR 1AR 1AR 4, 24, 2, 2023 023 023 | VOL VOL VO 222222 | ISSUISSUSSUE 01E 0101 | DHS1DHS1DHS1222 | PRICPRICPRICE INE INI CLUDCLUDLUDES VES VS AT AT AT | AN IAN IAN ITP MTP MTP MEDIAEDIAEDIA GROGROGROUP PUP PUP PUBLIUBLIBL CATICATICATIONONON 11 NEW HOTELS TO BOOK NOW 8 UAE CONCERTS NOT TO MISS WHERE TO GET THE BAND BACK TOGETHER THIS WEEKENDtimeoutabudhabi.com February 15 – March 14 2023 3 Abu Dhabi Discover the best of the city this month FEATURES AND REGULARS 6 City life 8 Things to do 34 Louvre latest 36 Fresh UAE stays 44 Qasr Al Hosn quick guide 48 Food 52 Nightlife 58 Art & Culture 62 Sport & Wellbeing 64 Family & Kids 66 Hype dish Grills@Chill’O PAGE 26 Trending travel Looking ahead to your next holiday? These destinations are where all the cool kids are heading in 2023 PAGE 60 What a concept Find unique buys at these brilliant boutiques and cute concept stores across Abu Dhabi PAGE 12 Your ultimate brunch guide All the brunches you can book in the capital right now, from family-friendly Àestas to total party starters JOIN THE CONVERSATION When it comes to catching up with friends, there’s nothing better than a brunch. Sure, you could head to your local for a quick drink after work, but why would you when you could spend three to Àve hours stufÀng your face, sharing your latest life updates and biggest work dramas in between rounds of oysters, maki rolls and meat skewers? Whether you’re a fan of a blow-out Saturday feast, or prefer a casual Sunday roast, Abu Dhabi has the option for you. Elsewhere in the mag, we’ve rounded up the newest hotels for your next staycay, and some travel inspiration for those heading further aÀeld. Alternatively, shop ’til you drop at a concept store, or Àll your noggin with culture for free. Whatever you feel like doing this month, make sure you tell your friends all about it (and how you read it in Time Out Abu Dhabi). Hello, Abu Dhabi Dianne Apen-Sadler Group Editor facebook.com/ timeoutabudhabi timeoutabudhabi@timeoutabudhabiyoutube.com/ timeoutgcc Published by ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC © 2023 Time Out Group Ltd, London, UK. Time Out Abu Dhabi PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel +971 4 444 3000 www.itp.com Offi ces in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London & Mumbai ITP Media Group CEO Ali Akawi Managing Director Martin Chambers Editorial Director Holly Sands Time Out Abu Dhabi Editorial Group Editor, Time Out Abu Dhabi & Time Out Doha Dianne Apen-Sadler Tel: +971 4 444 3460 email: dianne.apensadler@itp.com Deputy Editor Estee Kerschoff Tel: +971 4 444 3448 email: estee.kershoff@itp.com Arabic Editor Aline Alkhoury Tel: +971 4 444 3695 email: aline.alkhoury@itp.com Group Video Editor Bharat Tahiliani Tel: +971 4 444 3559 email: bharat.tahiliani@itp.com Digital Content Lead Jeffrey Casiño Tel: +971 4 444 3591 email: jeffrey.casino@itp.com Content Executive Rodelito Mamuad Tel: +971 4 444 3657 email: rodelito.mamuad@itp.com Events & Marketing Events & Marketing Manager Eleanor Ashton eleanor.ashton@itp.com Events & Marketing Executive Kate Galaktionova kate.galaktionova@itp.com Art Head of Design Rita Ghantous Senior Image Editor Emmalyn Robles Image Editor Jemima Joy Group Video Editor Bharat Tahiliani Video Editor Hana Morsy Videographer Ajith Narendra Production Production Manager Denny Kollannoor Production Coordinator Balasubramanian P Tel: +971 4 444 3871 email: balasubramanian.p@itp.com Distribution & Circulation Distribution Coordinator Avinash Pereira Tel: +971 4 444 3669 email: avinash.pereira@itp.com Circulation Executive Rajesh Pillai Tel: +971 4 444 3236 email: rajesh.pillai@itp.com Advertising Group Commercial Director Sally Whittam Tel: +971 4 444 3348 mobile: +971 56 104 0567 email: sally.whittam@itp.com Commercial Manager Stuart Singleton Tel: +971 4 444 3000 Mobile: +971 52 352 3645 email: stuart.singleton@itp.com ITP Group CEO Ali Akawi CFO Toby Jay Spencer-Davies The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. 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Time Out Abu Dhabi regular news-stand retail price is £3.50/Dhs12.00.6 February 15 – March 14 2023 timeoutabudhabi.com PERHAPS BY WRITING about this we are destroying part of the fun, but a new Japanese restaurant has just opened in Abu Dhabi, and inside you’ll Ànd a hidden bar. Located at the Anantara Eastern Mangroves, Ba:TE by Wawa Dining is serving up contemporary Japanese dishes with Korean and Peruvian twists. One of those twists is the Jumak Bar, which you can enter through an antique green wardrobe shipped over from Korea. You won’t be meeting the Lion or the Witch on the other side, though: Instead, you’ll Ànd an intimate space for enjoying mixed drinks in a relaxed setting. Wondering what’s for dinner? Award- winning chef Eric Jung, the former head chef at COYA over in Dubai, has created a menu New restaurant with hidden bar opens that focuses on the quality and purity of the ingredients. To do this, the restaurant created the concept of Àne-JAKO – a holistic Àne- dining experience that not only delights all Àve senses but nourishes body and soul. One of the restaurant’s signature dishes, for instance, is called Sotbab, Ba:TE’s version of a traditional bowl of nourishing steamed rice. At Ba:TE, the rice is prepared in a clay pot with some fresh and healthy ingredients added along the way. Other menu items include fresh sashimi and salads, as well as signature desserts. To contribute to the holistic dining experience, the interiors are calm and minimalist throughout with traditional Japanese design touches such as ch chin- style lanterns and calligraphy art on the walls. Ba:TE and Jumak are open now between 5pm and midnight daily. Considering Wawa Dining was just shortlisted in our sister title Time Out Dubai’s restaurant awards for 2023, we have very high expectations. O Open daily 5pm-midnight. Anantara Eastern Mangroves Abu Dhabi Hotel, @bateabudhabi (02 632 5272). “You enter the bar through an antique wardrobe” City Lifetimeoutabudhabi.com February 15 – March 14 2023 7 ALWAYS ON THE on the hunt for the latest and greatest in fashion? Your search is about to get a lot easier with the launch of a new concept store at Yas Mall. ETHER, which is being launched by Abu Dhabi-born coworking brand Cloud Spaces, will showcase both emerging and established brands from the UAE and beyond. For fashionistas, ETHER will stock everything from athleisure and colourful prints to kimonos and abayas. Current brands include Boo Stores, FMM Dubai, I AM ACTIVE and Sascha Wear. That’s not all, either, as you’ll be able to browse local wellness brands like Skin Story and Matia Natural, or food and beverage brands like Monica Bakes and Fluffy Puff Floss. ETHER aims to a marketplace for businesses looking to make their debut in the UAE market, with one-, three-, six- and 12-month contracts and lots varying in size from four to 56 square metres. The concept store is due to open in February 2023 (and may even be open by the time you read this magazine), and you can Ànd out more over on etherbycs.com. O ETHER, Yas Mall, etherbycs.com (800 38537). IF YOU LIVE oon Reem Island, your commute to work might now be shorter thanks to the opening of this new bridge. Umm Yifeenah Bridge, a new 11-kilometre superhighway which connects Reem Island, Umm Yifeenah Island and Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street, has just been inaugurated. The six-lane highway can accommodate up to 6,000 journeys per hour in each direction and aims to reduce trafÀc in the area. There’s even more good news for residents, as Umm Yifeenah Bridge is just the Àrst phase of the Mid-Island Parkway project. Once Ànished, the project will link Reem Island and Saadiyat Island, Al Raha Beach and Khalifa City. Due for completion by 2028, mega-infrastructure project also includes walking and cycling paths, as well as bike rental facilities. Aldar and the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) took a number of sustainability measures while working on Umm Yifeenah Bridge, including sourcing 85 per cent of materials locally. Mangrove trees were planted on Jubail Island, and the arched causeway was designed to maintain navigation channels so Àsh and other marine animals can pass freely. His Excellency Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of DMT, said, “We are proud to complete this landmark project, which reÁects the leadership’s vision to provide world-class infrastructure, enhance community welfare, and offer a business-friendly environment that ensures the best possible quality of life for the emirate’s citizens, residents and visitors.” O Open now. Reem Island, Umm Yifeenah Island and Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street. Your commute might now be shorter Shop local at this cool concept store8 February 15 – March 14 2023 timeoutabudhabi.com Things to do Desert pop-up Dubai-born restaurants 3Fils and BRIX Desserts are now in Abu Dhabi for the very Àrst time with a new pop-up dining experience. Priced at Dhs900, you’ll enjoy a 12-course degustation menu paired with Àve house beverages (and sensational desert views). O Dhs900. Until Fri Mar 31. Every Thu, Fri and Sat 6pm onwards. Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, brixdessert.com/qas.timeoutabudhabi.com February 15 – March 14 2023 9 Big beats THIS IS WHAT YOU CAME FOR Calvin Harris to hit the stage at ULTRA EDM fans, get excited, because ULTRA Abu Dhabi is Ànally happening this month. Originally announced in 2020, the two-day fest will be hitting Etihad Park on Saturday March 4 and Sunday March 5. The line-up includes One Kiss hitmaker Calvin Harris, Afrojack and Skrillex, and tickets start from Dhs360. O From Dhs360. Sat Mar 4-Sun Mar 5. Etihad Park, Yas Island, ultraabudhabi.com. MISSING THIS WOULD BE A TRAVIS-TY Catch Travis Scott, M.I.A. and more at Wireless Famed London festival Wireless is heading to the Middle East for the Àrst time in March, and you’re not going to want to miss it. Artists like Travis Scott, M.I.A. and Lil Uzi Vert are headlining the festival at Yas Island’s Etihad Park on Saturday March 11. Tickets start from Dhs295, but you can nab a spot in the golden circle for Dhs795. O From Dhs295. Sat Mar 11. Etihad Park, Yas Island, wirelessfestival.me. OCEAN BOUND Discover the UAE’s heritage The Maritime Heritage Festival 2023 will once again tell the origin stories of the Emirates and celebrate Abu Dhabi’s coastal culture through an immersive experience along the Corniche from Friday February 17 to Sunday February 26 this year. O Dhs30 (adults), Dhs15 (kids). Fri Feb 17-Sun Feb 26. Abu Dhabi Corniche, @admarinefest. MEFCC’s megastars The Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC) will be running from Friday March 3 to Sunday March 5 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Fans can look forward to meeting some big names including Matt Smith, of Doctor Who and House of the Dragon fame, Andy Serkis (best known as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings), and Jamie Campbell Bower who played Henry Creel and [spoiler] in the latest season of Stranger Things. O From Dhs135 (one-day pass), Dhs700 (VIP). Fri Mar 3-Sun Mar 5. Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Capital Centre, mefcc.com. Get a reality check You can catch American comedian Kevin Hart’s comedy skit in the capital on Wednesday February 22. The show promises to deliver loads of laughter from Yas Island’s CIO (chief island ofÀcer, that is). O From Dhs439. Wed Feb 22 6pm. Etihad Arena, Yas Island, abu-dhabi.platinumlist.net.Next >