Over the years, Japanese food has evolved from being an acquired taste to a widely appreciated and popular cuisine. This may also the reason why Japanese restaurants continue to appear in different parts of the world, even in the midst of the warm desert of the United Arab Emirates.

Aside from being a crowd favourite, authentic Japanese food has also become quite popular among couples. Their multi-layered-yet-simple meals offer a unique experience that is best enjoyed with your significant other.

If you’re planning to bring your date to a Japanese restaurant, these delectable dishes will definitely help you leave a good impression:

1. Sushi and Sashimi

via: This One vs That One

Nothing says Japanese quite better than these platter-served helpings of pure Oriental goodness. Typically made with raw seafood and rice, sushi has become popular across the globe, even in the Western hemisphere. In fact, Americans have even crafted their own version of this mouthwatering appetizer known as the “California roll”.

Authentic Japanese sushi comes in several different variants based on the seafood enveloped inside it. If you’re looking to impress, you should offer your date sushi made from salmon roe, tuna, seabass, yellowtail, snow crab, salmon, or scallop.

Sashimi, on the other hand, is a version of sushi that removes the rice from the equation. Since it is basically small portions of raw fish meat, sashimi is best served fresh. Dip it in wasabi-spiced soy sauce before offering it to your date; do remember to go light since wasabi is as hot can ever be.

2. Gyoza

via: Taste

Gyoza is a form of pan-fried dumpling originally made by the Chinese but has since been improved by the unique Japanese palate. It has a crunchy exterior and is considered a great appetizer for a Japanese full-course meal. Inside, you’ll find a rich mixture of shredded cabbage, chives, garlic and ground pork, with all the savoury juices intact.

3. Shabu Shabu

via: Okinawanderer

Shabu-shabu is a Japanese hotpot dish mainly composed of boiled vegetables and an assortment of meat that is sliced thinly. It is known as a great sukiyaki alternative, especially if you’re still getting used to the richness of Japanese cuisine, because of its lighter broth.

Some restaurants serve shabu-shabu with additional ingredients like seaweed, mushroom, cabbage, and onions, with a cup of rice on the side.

4. Miso Soup

via: Cook with Campbell’s

Your Japanese cuisine date wouldn’t be complete without a comforting bowl of miso soup. This light and soothing broth contain a combination of silken tofu, miso paste, dashi stock (made from fish and kelp), seaweed, and some additional toppings like spring onions and meat. This soup also comes in a vegetarian variant, with the dashi stock replaced with vegetable stock and the meat with tofu.

5. Japanese Vegetable Curry

via: Twitter

While the term “curry” is more popularly associated with Indian cuisine, the Japanese are also known to be expert curry chefs. However, unlike the original lamb curry created by the British or the different meaty curries of the Indians, Japanese curry is made from vegetables.

Japanese vegetable curry often contains tofu, carrots, taro, and zucchini and is sometimes paired with fried garlic and mushroom. This particular type of curry is often mixed up to accommodate vegetables that are in season and can provide more vitamins, minerals, and protein to diners.

6. Japanese Noodles

via: Nankaseimen

Another signature dish that is commonly associated with Japanese cuisine involves noodles. In Japanese culture, ramen reigns supreme. This dish made from Chinese-style noodles has become quite popular because it is inexpensive but tasty and is readily available to eat no matter where you are.

Of course, Japanese noodles aren’t limited to just ramen. You and your date should also try the Nagasaki prefecture pride— Sara udon or the so-called “plate noodles” with fried vegetables, seafood, or meat toppings. Or better yet, try a bite or two each of the following:

• Tensoba (wheat noodles and tempura dish)
• Yaki Udon (stir-fried thick white udon noodles in soy sauce)
• Yakisoba (stir-fried wheat noodles in oyster sauce)

7. Grilled Fish and Meat

via: Le Creuset

If you’re a big fan of steaks but already tried everything in your favourite steakhouse’s menu, it may be high time that you try Japanese grilled dishes.

Rather than limiting your date to the classic red meat steak, you should try a scrumptious helping of grilled sea bass and spicy yakitori (grilled chicken) that is crispy outside and juicy on the inside.

Go Japanese to Impress Your Date

Japanese cuisine offers you a wide variety of meals to choose from. From classic native dishes to various fusions of the original, you can never go wrong with this cuisine, especially if you’re putting your best foot forward in a quest to make a good impression with someone you like.

Author Bio

Jenene Bronwin Batts is the Senior Marketing Coordinator at Saadiyat Beach Club. She oversees website maintenance, PR requests, marketing initiatives and all general guests’ enquiries for the company’s destinations, including KOI Restaurant & Lounge and Boa Steakhouse in Abu Dhabi.

Holi is known to be the festival of colours and joy. Gujiya, which is a popular traditional sweet filled with sweet fillings and lots of dry fruits with a sugar syrup toppings on it. This is the most loved sweets among all the age groups. Instead of trying out those boring traditional Mawa Gujiyas, try something interesting and different variations of Gujiyas that you might have never heard of before.

In this article, we have listed 8 unique types of Gujiyas that you should not miss this Holi season.

1. Rabdi Gujiya

via: BetterButter

Well, this is absolutely an amazing way to make your Gujiyas with a slight twist instead of using traditional Mawa. Mixing Mawa fillings with Rabdi will further enhance the taste of Gujiyas.

To make it more binding and tastier, you may also add cardamom or elaichi along with powdered nuts and dried fruits. Serving Rabdi filled gujiyas will surely win the hearts of your guests visiting your house.

2. Gulkand or Rose Petal Gujiya

via: Annapurna

Give your Gujiyas a rosy flavour twist by adding a Gulkand or rose petal fillings in it. Gulkand is also used in paan and a number of Indian desserts to add the heady rose flavour to them.

3. Dark Chocolate Gujiya

via: Merisaheli

Sweets sound incomplete without chocolates. How about adding some dark melted chocolate in those sweet pockets of deliciousness this Holi? Sound’s amazing right? This gujiya is specially meant for those who are never tired of eating chocolates.

4. Desi Coconut Gujiya

via: Free Press Journal

Add some desiccated coconut to your Gujiyas to give them a slight twist this holi. The crunchy coconut filling will enhance the flavour of Gujiyas. If you further want to make this variation better, try using sweetened ground coconut with flakes of mixed nuts.

5. Apple Gujiya

via: Aishwarya Eats

Who doesn’t like fruits, especially apples? You can give your Gujiya a healthy twist by filling it with some chopped apples along with the usual spices, dry fruits and khoya mixture. If you don’t like apples, then you may also use any fruit of your choice like pineapples or pears.

6. Figs or Anjeer Gujiya

via: Meri Saheli

Fig or Anjeer is another classic fruit that you can use in your gujiyas to make your filling. Anjeer is also a storehouse of calcium and can make your gujiya more nutritious by mixing them with some dry fruits.

7. Halwa Gujiya

via: YouTube

Halwa is one of all time favourite desserts of Indian families. Be it suji halwa, gajar halwa or moong dal halwa. You can give your gujiyas an interesting approach by filling them with the halwa of your choice.

8. Fresh Fruit Gujiya

via: Tangylife

Yes, you’ve heard right, Gujiyas can also be made by using chopped fruits of your choice like apple, pears or pineapples in its filling. Although it sounds a bit weird, but yet it is a tempting combination that you should try this Holi season.

Almost everyone loves to have a sip of their one of the most beloved beverage what we call as Tea! For us, tea is something is which is normally made by making use of some common ingredients which everyone must have heard of like Sugar, Milk, Tea leaves and Ginger. But do you know,

There are some bizarre tea flavours which you might have not even heard of. We are listing some unusual brews that you might want to know about.

1. Kombucha Tea

via: thrivemarket

Kombucha Tea is quite popular tea flavours in Russia. This is a strong black tea for which bacteria and yeast are introduced in the process of its fermentation which makes it super healthy. This tea is popularly termed as an “Immortal Health Elixir” by the Chinese peoples.

2. Yellow Gold Tea Buds

via: YP

As its name reflects itself, the yellow gold tea buds are created from the leaves which are coated with 24-carat gold. You will find this tea mostly in Singapore and is harvested on only one particular day of the year which makes it quite unique.

3. Cheese Tea

via: Zomato

It is a tea which is served along with an iced beverage, which is topped along with a whipped cheese. The tea was first introduced in Taiwan, it has become popular since then and now you can find this tea at most of the places easily including Hong Kong to New York.

4. Gyokuro Tea

via: Buddha Teas

This is an exotic tea flavour which has a cost of approximately Rs. 41,000. You will find this tea in the Uji district of Japan. More, interestingly this tea is cultivated only under the shade and it has a strong and striking rich flavour.

5. Blue Tea

via: Amazon

It is very unusual to hear that the tea could also be of blue colour. This tea is very unique and it is produced using dried butterfly pea flowers that are found in Thailand.

The tea usually tastes flowery. One might also add some drops of lemon to enhance its taste further and this is the ingredient which makes this tea blue in colour.

6. Bubble Tea

via: Notonthehighstreet

This is a cold tea which has been originated in Taiwan during the period of the 1980s. This is a tea which is more like a milkshake. The tea consists of tea base, fruits, milk and some chewy tapioca balls.

The tea has gained popularity in a few days only after its invention that most of the coffee manufacturers have started experimenting with different flavours.

7. Pu-erh Tea

via: Brevardaim

Pu-erh tea is produced in the most unique manner by slowly aging the green tea by making the use of fungus. The tea is being produced only in the Yunnan province. The tea has a host of benefits and advantages which is good for health if we start drinking.

The tea is believed to be one of the most expensive teas in the world so it is a bit hard to afford this tea for most of the tea lovers.

8. Gunpowder tea

via: English Tea Store

The tea is named such because its leaves resemble the grains of black powder. The leaves are crushed and rolled by hand or by using a machine in order to avoid them to break and to keep their flavour and aroma intact with its leaves.