Ever wonder what Dubai was like in the 1960s? Consider Al Fanar a time machine. Named for the kerosene lamps that used to light the heritage mud-packed homes, this Festival City restaurant serves traditional Emirati cuisine, just like how grandma used to make it. Al Fanar is particularly popular with locals who enjoy leisurely feasts in the cushioned, majlis-style tents that flap in the canal-side breeze. And keep an eye out for the pair of camels, a Bedouin tending his goats, and the tree growing in an inner stone courtyard – fake, yes, but still all good fun.
