Iftar For A Cause at Holiday Inn, Al Barsha

Ramadan is about to end in a little over a week from now. What seemed to have started just a couple of days ago is actually more than halfway through. While I do not observe fasting and abstinence, I make sure to embrace the Ramadan season by joining Iftar invitations. Apart from the feeling of togetherness during Iftar feasts, with generosity being a basic tenet of the month of Ramadan, I enjoy it even more if it's an Iftar for a cause.

That is why I was more than privileged when I got an Iftar invitation from The Gem Garden in Holiday Inn, Al Barsha. The buffet is quite extensive with a selection of Middle Eastern and international dishes. There's a lot of choices for salads and mezze and traditional Arabic breads and desserts.

Iftar at The Gem Garden, Holiday Inn, Al Barsha

Iftar staples like dates, lamb ouzi, Ramadan juices, and Arabic coffee are also available.

Loved their Arabic mixed grill that I paired with tabbouleh salad, though I found the tabbouleh a little too sour. I enjoyed the jallab, macaroni with bechamel sauce and minced beef, cheese katayef, and vermicelli kunafa with cream.

The kunafa with kishta would have been another favorite if it weren't in a pancake. I don't know but I just find the all-soft-and-mushy texture a bit off and I still prefer kunafas with vermicelli. Mark was raving about the kahk dates, which I unfortunately wasn't able to try.

I also love that they serve Iftar for a cause. With their invitation to "Break your fast with us and help to feed the needy" you will be able to feed not just one but 4 needy persons for one Iftar meal. Diners can experience the true spirit of Ramadan while enjoying a sumptuous Iftar buffet for only AED 109 per person, with special rates for bookings of 10 persons and above.

The true spirit of Ramadan is not only to sacrifice physically by fasting and abstinence, but is also a time for togetherness and a time to practice faith in a righteous manner. So if you are looking for a place for your nightly Iftar and if you want to celebrate togetherness while helping the needy, make sure to dine for Iftar at The Gem Garden!

*Iftar*	*Suhoor*
Cost Per Person: AED 109	Cost Per Person: AED 75
7:00 PM to 10:30 PM (Sun-Sat)	12:00 AM to 4:00 AM (Sun-Sat)
Oriental & Continental Buffet with live cooking station	Oriental set menu
AED 99 per person for group of 10 and above

THE GEM GARDEN

Holiday Inn Dubai - Al Barsha
Sheikh Zayed Road, Barsha 1
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
+971 (0)4 323 4333
www.hialbarshadubai.com
Nearest Metro Station: Sharaf DG (Red Line)

We were guests at The Gem Garden and our meal was complimentary, but as always, this post is sincerely written and all views and opinions are my own.