Walking into Em Sherif Deli’s new Al Ain branch, we were immediately met with warm hospitality.
Located at Al Mutarid Lifestyle Centre, the restaurant has a casual and welcoming feel, with warm lighting, wooden interiors and both indoor and outdoor seating.
It is the brand’s third location in the UAE, following two branches in Dubai, and its first in Al Ain.
Once we sat down, the shawarma immediately caught our attention on the menu. Before ordering, we ended up speaking to a man at a nearby table and asked what he thought we should try.
He recommended the shawarma and was particularly enthusiastic about the shawarma rice bowl, describing it as something “different”.
His recommendations convinced us to go for the shawarma djej, while also encouraging me to try something I probably would not have ordered otherwise, the batata makdous. We added salata arabiyeh on the side.
The shawarma had the familiar Lebanese flavours I was expecting, while the batata makdous gave me something new to try.
It ended up being a good mix of something I already knew I would enjoy and something I might have overlooked on the menu.
What I also liked about the experience was how naturally that conversation happened.
We had only asked another diner what he recommended, and within minutes he was talking us through the dishes he had enjoyed and what he thought was worth ordering.
That sense of hospitality is also something Chef Yasmina Hayek wants to bring to the Al Ain branch.
“Every new location has its own character, and that is something I find especially exciting about bringing Em Sherif Deli to Al Ain,” she said.
“We’re arriving with the flavours and spirit people already know from the Deli, but we also look forward to becoming part of the rhythm of the city and getting to know the community around us.”
Em Sherif Deli first opened at Harrods Food Hall in London in 2022 before expanding to Beirut, Kuwait and Faqra in Lebanon. It later arrived in the UAE with branches at One Central and Galleria Mall in Dubai.
The Al Ain opening is its third location in the country and the first outside Dubai.
By the time we finished, what stayed with me most was how comfortable the whole experience felt, from the welcome when we arrived to the meal itself.
Em Sherif Deli may be new to Al Ain, but there was something familiar about sitting around the table over Lebanese food, which is perhaps the point.
Em Sherif Deli is now open at Al Mutarid Lifestyle Centre in Al Ain.
Source: Khaleej Times