In addition to long-established Canadian brands such as Tim Hortons, Cinnamon City and Second Cup, the UAE has more recently welcomed a host of other popular Canadian food concepts. Check our list of the UAE’s latest Cannuck offerings.
1 Eggspectation
Eggspectation, at The Beach at Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai, specialises in brunch – traditional North American-style brunch, that is, not the all-you-can-eat Friday-buffet kind.
Its signature dish is two eggs, any style, two slices of brioche French toast served with pure maple syrup, Lyonnaise potatoes and a choice of beef bacon or sausages.
Eggspectation cracked its first shell in 1993 in Downtown Montreal and has branched out to the United States, Qatar and India, as well as Dubai.
2 BeaverTails
If a Canadian offers you a Beaver’s Tail, do not assume they’ve been dissecting their furry native animals.
BeaverTails, which opened last year, sells flat, fried pastries in the shape of the creature’s tail, with a choice of toppings.
They are very popular in Quebec, where the first of 27 BeaverTails stores opened in 1978.
As well as two branches in Dubai, at Ibn Battuta Mall and Kite Beach, the brand has also expanded to South Korea and Japan.
3 Big Smoke Burger
Much to their annoyance, Canadians expatriates occasionally get mistaken for their North American neighbours. In much the same way, Big Smoke Burger, which opened its first UAE restaurant last April in Dubai’s Box Park, might seem to be specialising in serving the national dish of the United States.
But don’t be fooled, this chain’s roots are firmly planted north of the border, in Toronto. Even its name is a noted nickname for the city.
It boasts what is probably the most authentic poutine in the region – as the cheese curds are imported from Quebec.
The menu also features hand-cut French fries – made fresh every day and cooked in trans-fat-free canola oil – as well as hand-spun milkshakes and house-made sauces.
• Call 04 3436533 for details
4 Felix & Norton cookies
This Canadian sweet-treat company opened its first store outside of Canada at Al Ain Mall. Funky cookie flavours on the menu include pistachio with honey, and cappuccino.
5 Maple Leaf
The maple leaf is not only the Canadian national symbol, but also the name of a restaurant chain, which has two venues in Dubai (on Jumeirah Road and in JLT). It offers typical dishes from Montreal, including smoked-meat sandwiches and six varieties of poutine. The latter might look like sloppy leftovers – the name comes from the French slang term for ‘messy’ – but Canadians assure us it tastes delicious.
