My Own Home: Three generations under one roof at Dh2.1 million Damac Hills 2 villa
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The National
27-06-2025
- The National
Krave Al Qana review: Clean eating cafe makes Abu Dhabi debut with measured success
Offering prime views of the Al Qana waterfront, Krave made its Abu Dhabi debut in May. The clean eating cafe launched in Dubai in 2016, and now has outposts in Dubai Mall, Barsha Heights, the Dubai International Financial Centre and Silicon Oasis. The National made its way to sample the brand's signature menu, with its promise of bringing healthy but tasty dishes to the capital. Where to sit and what to expect Fittingly, Krave Abu Dhabi is located on the lower level of The Bridge Lifestyle Hub, an 8,000-square-metre gym and wellness centre. The open-plan layout is dominated by shades of brown, including potted wooden slats interspersed between actual plants. Industrial-chic lighting with exposed bulbs and wires give the space a cosy feel despite its expanse. The 100-seater restaurant has a central bar serving innovative smoothies on one end and a long kitchen counter on the other, with the chefs partially visible behind glass partitions. Tables in the indoor dining hall almost have too much space between them, and Krave also has two outdoor sections, one along the waterfront and the other for private events. The menu Breakfast is a big draw at the Krave locations in Dubai, and the Abu Dhabi menu is no different – listed calorie count and all. Served until noon each day, options include everything from spinach egg white omelette (Dh62; 155 calories) and Greek yoghurt with mixed berries and granola (Dh48; 224 calories) to skinny pancakes (Dh63; 342 calories) and an indulgent sourdough with avocado, smoked salmon and omega-3 poached eggs (Dh74; 421 calories). My party of three visited at the fag end of the work week, so we were not really in the mood to count calories. Even so, none of us exceeded more than 550 calories. Even the 'light' range of desserts hover at an average of 100 calories less than their regular counterparts. Of the dishes we tried, the paprika-roasted potatoes (Dh42) proved to be a standout starter. Crisp on the outside and mushy within, the tangy tatters were generously coated in spices balanced by a side dip of low-fat sour cream. The spicy cashew chicken (Dh76) – natural-fed and hormone-free – was another highlight, the tender and well-salted meat blending well with chargrilled bell peppers and slivers of carrot. Despite not being overly saucy, it teamed well with both the buckwheat soba noodles (Dh62) and sticky coconut rice (Dh24). The fillet of the pistachio-crusted salmon (Dh98) was a tad too plump for my taste, but the meat itself was suitably moist and flaky. The same cannot be said for the tenderloin, unfortunately. Not only were we not asked how we want the meat cooked, but the slabs served also committed culinary blasphemy by being well done to the point of blending in with the restaurant's wooden decor. Fortunately, dessert more than made up for this faux pas. In keeping with Krave's promise of 'treats that taste indulgent without the sugar crash', both the milk cake and tiramisu were light as air, and utterly delectable. To order or not to order Of the dishes we got, I'd go back for the milk cake, again and again and again. After all, it is available in not only the original flavour, but also pistachio, saffron and chocolate variations. The same excitement cannot be extended to the tenderloin. Save or splurge A three-course meal at Krave can cost between Dh120 and Dh341. On the high end of the price spectrum lie the teriyaki salmon bowl (Dh86); beef tenderloin (Dh106); and light pistachio milk cake (Dh49). The three most reasonable dishes across starter, main and dessert are: hummus with celery sticks, cucumber and baked wholewheat tortilla nachos (Dh36); spicy garlic chicken shawarma wrap (Dh51); and light carrot cake (Dh33). Krave is open from 8am to midnight. For more information or to make a reservation, call 02 616 4540.
The National
05-06-2025
- The National
Recycling hotel soap to help communities in need
Discarded soap is collected from UAE hotels and recycled to be redistributed to people in need. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National
The National
09-04-2025
- The National
My Own Home: Feng shui expert loves living in Dh2.75m, Vastu-compliant Dubai Marina apartment
My Own Home takes you inside a reader-owned property to ask how much they paid, why they decided to buy and what they have done with it since moving in Kanupriya Saraf wears many hats in her career, which encompasses life mentoring and astrology, but her work as a feng shui and Vastu consultant was a guiding force when choosing the home she'd live in. She moved to Dubai from India two years ago and bought her first property here last May. She chose a two-bedroom apartment in Dubai Marina, which she got for Dh2.75 million, and where she now lives with her one-and-a-half-year-old Maltipoo puppy and a house helper. Everything from the style of the building's reception to the communal lounge and her north-east-facing property has created a sense of 'Zen' for Ms Saraf, and she has no plans to move out any time soon. The National takes a look around. I put a lot of focus on the home and everything that goes inside its four walls. It's a two-bedroom flat, and there's also a maid's room. There are two bathrooms and one powder room. There is an open-style kitchen, which I put a glass door over because we Indians don't always want our cooking smell all inside the house. I'm generally sensitive to smells as well. I don't get a straight view of the Palm, but then it's on the 12th floor, so from the balcony I do get a small view of the water body of the Marina. I bought it in May 2024 for about Dh2.75 million. I do not know what it's worth now, but I have done a lot on renovation of the flat, so I don't bother checking its worth. I've changed the ceiling lighting. There was just one lamp in the centre of every room, but I put spotlights and LED lighting to enhance the mood. I also put some chandeliers around the house, and yellow lighting as there was white light everywhere. I changed the bathrooms, especially the wash basin and some of the tiling. I added the kitchen door, and I made more chests of drawers and cabinet storage in the kitchen. I added more storage in the maid's room. I also put something to circulate the air on top of the ceiling. That's very important for me with my work in the space of feng shui. I need to put the element of wind in the house, so it allows for the air circulation, especially in the hot environment. I wanted to balance the wind element with the water element of the Marina. There's a lot of wind if you stand on the balcony, if I open the doors, which is great. I also changed the wall colours and added knick-knacks here and there. I believe that if somebody does have the finances in hand, it makes sense to buy a property. You get the visa when you buy a property and if you're looking to stay here, it just makes sense. If somebody does decide to leave, they can always rent it, so I know that even if I ever left Dubai, I can always come back. I will always have some friends living here. I believe a home is something that is owned by me. Even from the Vastu and feng shui concept, a home is a very safe space for me, so I find that safety when I own that property myself and I can decorate it as I please. I like to create a Zen space in the house. I keep my walls and my curtains white, very minimalistic or ivory beige, or a very light brown colour, and then I complement it with a touch of orange colours. The orange represents joy and creativity. In my living room, I've used the orange colour in my cushions and I like to add natural elements as well, because I really like nature. I have some plants and the cushion covers have birds on them. The furniture will add the warmth, add the wood element with the brown colour. It's not very bright, but it's a very aesthetically pleasing environment, very peaceful, very Zen, very serene, but also very luxurious and very classy at the same time. In my bedroom, the bed is a very nice blue colour, and then everything else is white, and the chandelier and the fans are golden. So it's a combination of white, which represents purity, gold represents luxury and the blue is just adding a touch of colour. I mix these concepts in the house throughout. The building is excellent. I got the north-east-facing flat, which is very feng shui and Vastu-compliant. I check all the geometries and the energy, not just of the flat, but even the building. There's a beautiful reception and the facility management staff in the building are very helpful, very professional. There's a walking track in the building, there's a swimming pool, there's a gym, there's a steam room and sauna. There is a kids' play area. There is also a lounge if I want to host a small event, which can accommodate easily up to 25 people. It has free guest parking available. There's also a concierge service. I have had residency in Dubai for the last eight years and one of my family members used to have a home in the Marina, so I used to be in and out of the area a lot. But then, when I finally decided to make the UAE my home, I was exploring flats in Marina, JLT, JBR, Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Hills. I was sure that I was looking for a flat. Because I live by myself, I wasn't so open to a town house and I needed a bigger budget for that. The building is so strategically located that you enter and exit the Marina from where I am, so you never get stuck in traffic. It's also a 1,650-square-foot flat. If I compare it to Dubai Hills, I would have to pay a lot more there, and for me, size was important. Generally, the Marina is a more well-established community and I wanted to be around people who have been in Dubai for a longer time. I would definitely keep this property longer term and whenever I get married, I would move out into a bigger place, but I plan to keep this property until that happens. I don't want to sell it. I would rent it out, but if I do rent it out it would be to a family that values it because of its Vastu compliance. It's almost like a five-star accommodation in the middle of the Marina.
