Machboos, but make it arancini: The fine dining wave reshaping Emirati cuisine

Murmur, a new Sharjah restaurant, has reimagined the traditional Emirati rice dish machboos by transforming it into arancini. The crisp exterior of the fried rice balls keeps the original spices and seasoning intact. Founder Saeed AlGaz chose machboos as the perfect starting point because it is familiar, yet still distinctly Emirati.

For visitors from abroad, a main course of machboos would be the ideal way to experience local flavors. With a menu ranging from pasta to Asian and Levantine dishes, Murmur aims to provide a modern twist on classic Emirati food. Other restaurants in the UAE have also taken similar creative liberties with local staples, such as Al Fanar and Meylas.

These establishments serve Emirati cuisine within a nostalgic or contemporary setting. Gerbou, a Michelin-listed restaurant in Dubai, has experimented with reimagining machboos as a tart and margooga as a risotto. Head chef Ninad Salvi draws inspiration from traditional Emirati families' cooking methods, using a tanoor oven for slow-cooked marinated meat.

Erth in Abu Dhabi, led by chef Arivu Ravi, employs a local spice blend called bezar and loomi, or dried lime, to maintain Emirati flavors while presenting dishes in a modern fine dining context. In Al Muntazah, Jaww Spot, known as "neo-Emirati," reinterprets Emirati dishes like hares and camel meat as croquettes and vol-au-vent pastry, respectively.

Chef Steve Delpino aimed to define Emirati cuisine as a fusion of various influences, and he has successfully incorporated this concept into his menu.