One (Dubai) winter night, after a great Barasti party that brought my friends and I together for the first time in 2013 after the snowy holidays in Europe, we discovered what we now grew to love and call our favourite "habibi" food joint (please, no offence for the "branding", I love the word "habibi" and I use it for everything Arabic - habibi music, habibi food, habibi friends, habibi business) - Zaroob.



Being the only one in the group living on SZR (literally 5 minutes walk from Zaroob) and not in Marina or JBR or JLT, I thank all the 14 people in my group for driving all the way for a late snack and gossip over piping hot food, tea and coffee. And, more than anyone, I need to raise my glass to one of my "habibi" friends who had the idea of breaking the routine of eating" midnight saj" in a popular night eatery (and I'm sure everyone who likes to party until closing knows what I'm talking about) and making a change.



We entered Zaroob in a cheerful group, as mentioned, demanding attention, a long table to fit the group size, our appetites and sanguine personalities and we got what we wanted in a flash. Going over the menu and ordering proved to be more complicated tasks that it was designed, that's for sure. The system is very simple and straight-forward, hassle-free really: wooden clip board, paper menu, pen; 1). tick what you want, 2). give it to the waiter who will confirm your order by circling your choices with the same pen and 3). you are done, kick back and enjoy the ride. In this overly "complicated" process that needs a flowchart, we managed to get lost. We actually double-ordered the food, since we were ticking the same items from two different menus, but forgot to order any drinks. But, it's ok, the food is so awesome, that no one minded the up-size of fresh saj, falafel and hummus. 



Since January 2013 since now, May 2013, I have visited Zaroob with the precision of a Swiss watch, twice a week (ok, sometimes three times...). Statistically speaking, from an approximate number of 70 dishes (including the fries, vegetable platter, eggs and shawarma varieties, manoushe and falafel), I have eaten more than 50% of the menu. I tried the falafel (platter, sandwich and stuffed), fattoush, tabbouleh, shawarma (in Arabic bread and saj, also platter), the foul in a jar and foul b tahini, hummus (traditional, with chicken meat, with garlic), the wrapped ma'noushe and the flat one (with zaatar, labneh, sojuk and cheese, trio of cheese, turkey, etc. etc.) and much more. Aaaa, plus the laban which tastes super good and is served in a jar, quite cool!



From all this list, there is only one dish that I don't enjoy and that is the fattoush: the salad is cut too big, the acidity level is too high, even for me. I never back out from (very) sour food, but this one put me in a pickle.



Now moving on to more happy times, the rest of the food is to die for (I think I would actually fall sick if I have to go one week with eating here) and here are my absolute favourites: lamb flat ma'noushe (P.S.: eat it immediately when it's pipping hot, cold lamb is just such a waste!), sojuk & cheese wrapped ma'noushe (P.S.2: attention girls (and guys) who really watch their figure and count calories, this has too many calories for you! All the rest, eat up, it's awesome! A bit on the fatty, greasy side from the melted cheese and sujok, I officialy declare this ma'noushe a perfect greasy snack after a long thirsty night ;) ), foul in a jar (P.S.3: people, out of respect for food, learn the proper etiquette for eating this: put a spoon full on your plate, mix it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped tomato and onion and fresh parsley, dip bread in it and (attention!) eat it with your right hand; and for God's sake, order it for sharing, this is just too much for one!) and hummus (all-time classic, doesn't need any words, just shut up and eat).



For the last 40 days, I have been fasting (I'm writing this on the 5th May 2013), meaning hello veggies, goodbye meat and dairy (expression taken from "hello vodka, goodbye dignity" - check their FB page, you'll recognize yourself in some of their stories, I'm sure). During this long and tedious fasting period (I am a carnivore, just so you know), Zaroob has been by my side on an two-days basis, providing me with unlimited tasty falafel and huge foul b tahini bowls. I am convinced that, should my lent have lasted just a few days longer, I would have become chickpeas and fries. I still need to check if some of my muscle mass became falafel over these 40 days. 



How fasting is very important for me, breaking the fast is also a huge celebration (P.S.4: ask my friends if I have been talking about anything else but food and eating during the last week of lent; they have known endless days and nights of prioritizing chocolate over laban and meat over cheese, trying to decide how I will break my fast). I broke my fast in Zaroob, with a huge jar of laban and a nice ma'noushe. I chose Zaroob because it feels like home and this is what holidays are all about, right?



Many people have been talking the look and the ambiance of Zaroob. Hats off to them for what they did with the place! quirky, funny, colourful, and most important different! Dubai F&B entrepreneurs, watch and learn from this place, this is the future. Local brands, originality and guts. No more American franchises, no more standardized food, no more conventional. Even if it is located on SZR facing the busy traffic, the terrace takes you to a far away place and makes you forget where you are (P.S.5: if you are a sun lover, passionate bookworm and hungry individual, take your book and ask for a table for one in Zaroob, and let go; guaranteed happy tummy and mind). If outdoors is not your thing, go inside and choose your seats between a communal table, separate table for 2, 4 or 6, either on the ground floor next to the bustling kitchen or upstairs. I personally chose the terrace...I'm a sun-lover, bookworm and always hungry!



I go to Zaroob, not because it's cool, but because it's different, cozy. I go there because it makes me feel in a certain way - good, comfortable, relaxed. I go there and I invite everyone there because this colourful place is "my place" where I take all my friends, it's my proud discovery. I go there because I'm welcomed when I wear a dress after a night out or my "street pijamas" (it's a thing!) on a lazy Friday morning. I go there because I'm welcomed when I go alone, with one friend or with 20, at any time of the day.



Thank you Zaroob, places like you make me call Dubai home.



In January 2013, I had my first date with Zaroob. It was a group date, as mentioned, but very enjoyable nevertheless. I fell hopelessly in love. Since then, many one-on-one (as well as group dates) followed...I left my heart in the "small alley"...



FINAL P.S.: Zaroob literally means "small alley".