If you want to know what traditional Dubai Arabic sweets are like, prepare for what you’ve likely seen across the region if you’ve previously traveled in the Middle East, or at least for what is most commonly found in Turkey. Finding Arabic sweets in Dubai isn’t as simple as you’d think. Sure, you might spot industrially packaged versions in supermarkets or listed on restaurant menus. But for the authentic, handmade treats?
Dubai Arabic Sweets
Fortunately, I stumbled upon a small, handmade sweets shop tucked away in the modern Dubai Marina district. It was like stepping into dessert heaven, with cheese and nuts wrapped in delicate kadaif, in all shapes and sizes, still warm and dripping with sugar syrup from the crispy noodles.
Real Arabic kunafa (or knafeh), just like I remember from my time in Amman, Jordan in 2008. Back then, every trip home to Serbia had to include a kilo of knafeh packed in my suitcase!
Kunafa in Dubai
Smiling, I pointed to a batch of sweets behind the glass case and told the friendly shop assistant, “I’d like half a kilo of those in the corner.”
The man, an enthusiastic Filipino, beamed back at me, pointed to a huge tray, and asked, “This one?”
“Yes, please,” I replied, but curiosity got the better of me. I couldn’t help but ask about the difference between that batch and the tempting selection right next to it. The assistant’s smile faltered slightly as he looked a little puzzled.
I tried again, piecing together a few Arabic words in case he didn’t understand English. Still, he just stared at me, smiling without a word. After a brief pause, he nervously pointed at the same tray and asked, “This one?!”
It wasn’t his fault, of course. He wasn’t fluent in English—or Arabic, for that matter. Coming all the way from the Philippines to earn a living, he found himself in charge of selling traditional Arabic sweets. And that, my friends, is a small glimpse of the real Dubai.
P.S. By the way, the kunafa was absolutely delicious!
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11 responses
My mouth is watering. I have a massive sweet tooth. Knafeh sound amazing. When I visited Dubai in 2006, I had a very lovely Indian taxi driver. He explained to me, he came he to earn better money for his family and he sends it home to them. He didn’t see his family that often either. It is incredible what one will do for his or her family to try and get ahead. I feel for them and their family not being together.
Of course, and they are usually underpaid. On the other hand, hardworking, extremely lovely, always smiling. The situation here, however, was more of a comic one. It crossed my mind than: I’m from Serbia, he was from Philippines, and how would I ask for those sweets if neither one of us spoke either English or Arabic? 😀 Just pointing at stuff?! 😀
And yes, knafeh is my favorite! Try it some time and write back, hehehe. 😉
Sign language will only get you so far in situations like these. Happy to hear the ‘knafeh’ was great anyway. I have never had it, so I’ll have to try it sometime.
Sign language and a smile or two, I agree. 🙂 Thanks for visiting, Romy.
That’s interesting. My cousin is living there right now. I haven’t heard much yet but I’m very interested in what she has to say about it.
Hope everything goes well for her, keep us posted. Thanks! 🙂
This is the place for me. You see I have a big sweet tooth and I just love to get my hands on them. I am sure the Arab sweets would have a lot of dates and such. Who wants to know the name any 🙂 🙂
Haha, you’re so right! 😀
That is one of the most interesting things about travel- meeting people from across the globe. This adds more flavor to the place you are visiting, it is a mixture of different cultures. By the way, need to try knafeh when I visit Dubai!
If you go to some other Arab country before that, try it there, since it’s a bit hard to find knafeh in Dubai. 😉 Thanks, I agree, that’s the beauty of it all!