Delights of Dubai

Maryam Qaiser samples desert city's food and fun from budget to blowout

- NIGEL THOMPSON

The heat hits me despite wearing a traditional headscarf as I climb into a 1950 Land Rover ready to embark on an adventure through Dubai's Desert Conservation Reserve.

I watch in awe as we wind our way through sand dunes spotting native wildlife including Arabian oryx and sand fish lizards.

Rare summer rain has caused bursts of vegetation, boosting biodiversity and attracting wildlife.

As the sun begins to set, our tour guide Amjjad Mehmood from safari firm Platinum Heritage, parks up so we can take pictures and enjoy a glass of Vimto - a huge hit in the Middle East - and traditional tea before heading to watch a falcon display led by Waseem.

Getting to hold the falcon turns out to be pretty spectacular. After we posed for photos, we made our way to our torchlit Bedouin Camp for the evening, made of wood and natural stone.

We were welcomed with traditional dates and coffee. Our Heritage Desert Safari package included a four-course meal, with fresh meat and chicken straight off the barbecue and fresh bread hot off the stove. Camel meat was also on offer, a popular dish in the United Arab Emirates.

Starters included, shorbat adas (lentil soup), kibbeh (ground lamb and beef mixed with nuts), sambousek (pastry with mozzarella and halloumi filling), baba ganoush (roasted eggplant), houmus and fattoush salad - a favourite of mine.

Mains were traditional lamb ouzi (arabic spiced lamb simmered for six hours in an underground pit), which oozed flavour, served with ouzi rice and spiced vegetables.

The buffet went on with options including charcoal grilled chicken, vegetable tagine, and grilled vegetable kebab.

To finish off, we indulged in luqaimat (arabic style bitesize doughnuts), fresh fruit and ice cream, while watching an Emirati performance of drumming and yola dancing.