A general view of the Business Bay area, after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 28, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Satish Kumar / File.

JNS.org – On the heels of the Abraham Accords signed in Washington between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates comes Armani/Kaf, the first kosher-certified dining destination in the UAE, which officially opened its doors on Sept. 17.

The 40-seat pop-up dinner venue on the ground floor of the award-winning Burj Khalifa and Armani Hotel Dubai will specialize in kosher cuisine that complies with kashrut, Jewish dietary laws.

It will be operated under the rabbinical supervision of Rabbi Levi Y. Duchman, rabbi of the UAE, who has certified the venue with glatt kosher and pas Yisroel certifications from Emirates Kosher Supervising Agency, the only UAE-based kosher certifier.

At the culinary helm is Armani Hotel Dubai executive chef Fabien Fayolle. His seasonally changing menu offers a global gourmet take on kosher cuisine designed to reflect Dubai’s multicultural demographic. The menu honors signature Armani dishes with flavors and preparations from Asia and Europe to the Middle East.

The opening menu includes dishes like spaghetti bolognese with fresh basil and cherry tomatoes, pan-fried sea bass with parsnip purée and beef bourguignon with root vegetables. For those seeking traditional Middle Eastern fare, the menu features hummus with tahini, babaganoush, fattoush salad with sumac seasoning and creamy lentil soup.

The iconic venue, with views of downtown Dubai, is one of few five-star hotels that offer guests kosher in-room dining service outside of Israel.

Armani/Kaf will be closed for dine-in guests on Fridays but offers a takeaway menu for Shabbat. Kosher delivery service is also in the works.