Al Ghurair Centre to launch a unique dining district concept unlike no other in Dubai

Mall launches community concept dining with international brands, untypical to malls in the region.

As the summer season approaches, shoppers at Al Ghurair Centre will have more culinary options than ever. A new “dining district” will soon be unveiled at Al Ghurair Centre, the result of the final installment of the  redevelopment project that revamps the old inner road with an urban outdoor space featuring dining outlets and outdoor dining terraces.

New restaurants will include Din Tai Fung and Jollibee. The official opening for the dining district is set for June this year, which should provide inspiration for post-Ramadan shoppers to hit the Eid sales and enjoy a whole new experience.

“Those who go to the mall expect that they’re only going to find quick-service fast food,” said Hani Dabash, VP-Mall, Residential and Commercial of the Al Ghurair Centre.

“But the vision is something completely different now. It’s one step away from the mall where you come to shop. You can now enjoy an international experience within the traditional community feel,” he said, highlighting Sangeetha Veg. Restaurant and Atisuto amongst some of his favourites.

Destination restaurants like these offer “more of an entertainment environment,” said Hani. In response to stiff competition from online retailers and the many brick-and-mortar shopping malls, Al Ghurair Centre management are striving to develop a more urban feel, where “a group of nice restaurants and stores all kind of fit in together to create a lovely way to spend your afternoon or evening,” he said.

Located just around the corner from the mall’s Entrance 4, Sangeetha Veg. Restaurant in Al Ghurair Centre is the first dine-in concept of the brand. The vegetarian restaurant concept was brought over from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Sangeetha Vegetarian restaurant currently operates 47 outlets worldwide in India, UAE, USA, UK, France, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia etc. ‘The ambience and aura we render at our restaurants are sure to leave diners with a sense of heightened spirits and tastes. We are in constant search of new avenues to establish our brand and Al Ghurair Centre’s new dining district is a perfect fit for us,’ said Deen Sadiq, Group Director of LMZ Cuisines.

‘In the kitchen, you might see cooks preparing Mini Tiffin, a combination of South Indian favorites vada, masala dosa, pongal, sweet and mini filter coffee, or Falooda, a magical blend of ice cream, basil seeds, strawberry jelly and fresh fruits,” he explained.

Another new favorite is Japanese restaurant Atisuto. The décor pays homage to both modern and traditional Japanese culture. Graffiti art is everywhere. Large paintings in shades of grey and splashes of crimson show street life in Japan.

The combination of high-quality Japanese food with some comforting ingredients thrown in for good measure is tailor-made for the shopper, said Orestes Lopez, Operations Manager of Atisuto.

“There’s a symbiotic synergy between the mall and us,” Orestes continued. “After a hard day of shopping, you want to feel comfortable and it’s nice to have that little indulgence.”

Little culinary indulgences turn up on the menu at Atisuto with pleasing regularity. “The Jigoku Beef Ramen uses chicken broth that was used to boil another chicken to give that extra flavor. We then add our secret ingredient Jigoku paste. Once the paste has melted in the broth, we add the Rasen noodles until they are al dente and we serve it in a bowl with char siu beef made with wagyu brisket, boiled egg, spring onions and beansprouts. Perfect for after shopping relaxation,’ said Orestes.

Situated at the corner of Rigga Road is the newly opened Kababji Grill, serving authentic Lebanese grills prepared in an open kitchen using a charcoal grill and a brick oven with an emphasis on product freshness, healthy cooking, and advanced hygiene standards.

“Kababji Grill appeals to the modern health conscious consumer who is more and more demanding in terms of taste, fast & yet pleasant service,” said Faysal Tounes the CEO of Eathos. The style works well in a mall environment with shoppers on the run, Faysal said. “You can have a Kababji any time of the day,” he said. “It can be a quick thing or as elaborate as you like.’

This is just the beginning of the highly anticipated dining district launch at Al Ghurair Centre with many other outlets such as Bestoon Samad, Doner Kebab, and Kimchikin set to open towards the second quarter of the year. “There’s a new buzz around in what has always been known as the oldest mall in Dubai. You can feel the fresh atmosphere here at the centre with shoppers from many different cultures traveling in to see this positive and vibrant phase,’ said Hani. ‘Having new international dining concepts here at Al Ghurair Centre was always part of the bigger plan for us and we are pleased at how much the environment has changed for the better.’ This really is a whole new era for Dubai’s first ever shopping mall. The significant improvement is not only in F&B but also in the retail mix with popular fashion brands and calendar of events and promotions such as Shop Once Win Twice. For every AED 300 spent in Al Ghurair Centre’s promotion, customers will be automatically entered into the raffle draw to win huge prizes such as a brand new high-end model of Infiniti QX80. The same coupon also gives the customer a chance to win one of the daily prizes such as shopping vouchers, home theatre system, tablets, watches, mobile phones, cruise tickets, Sparky’s game cards and more.