Atlantis does things properly and Suhoor, presented in the Asateer tent, is no exception. The tent, decoration and location are nothing if not remarkable. In fact, ‘tent’ doesn’t really conjure the right images if one is hoping to set expectations. But before I move on to setting your expectations, let me digress for a moment in order to set the scene.
Ramadan, Suhoor and Asateer: a short explanation
For non-Muslims and those not exposed to the traditions, Ramadan represents a month of fasting during sunlight hours. Fasting represents a physical sacrifice, reminding those choosing to fast of their blessed place in the world and to keep those less fortunate in mind. Ramadan is also a time of increased worship and spiritual cleansing. It centres around charity and good deeds shown to the poor, similar to the Catholic tradition of giving something up for the duration of Lent. As well as a time of sacrifice, Ramadan is also a time of celebration. It is a time to be with family and friends, a time when good deeds performed will be rewarded in kind.
Generally Suhoor (also Sahūr or Suhūr as well as Persian/Urdu/Bengali variations), refers to the tradition of family and friends gathering sometime between night through to early morning to eat and celebrate during the holy month of Ramadan.
However, strictly speaking, the word translates to ‘of the dawn’ or ‘pre-dawn’ and refers to the early morning meal eaten before morning prayer and prior to the commencement of the day’s fasting at sunrise during Ramadan.
Suhoor commences sometime after iftar has been consumed and the evening prayers have been offered. Iftar is breakfast, literally the breaking of the day’s fast.
The word asateer roughly translates to myth or mythogony (the study of myths). Although derived from Roman Urdu (maher asateer), the phrase is now most ordinarily associated with Urdu (asateer shanasi) with the phrase being cited as equivalent to fable. The exact interpretation seems to vary and could be variations of a short story, including:
- a short moral story (often with animal characters);
- a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events; or
- a deliberately false or improbable account.
I am not enough of a linguist to expand upon these basic explanations. Nevertheless, this is not the point of my story anyway, so I shall move on. Suffice it to say that both the fable and the meal are apparent here tonight.
Asateer
The Asateer tent, a sprawling arrangement with a seating capacity of circa 500, is more like an exhibition centre or a ballroom than a tent. After valet parking, we are welcomed in the entrance foyer, decorated with fresh flowers, and shown to our table. The walk takes in a corridor, also decorated with fresh flowers, before we enter the main tent. It is a breathtaking set up, reminiscent of something one might expect from a Hollywood movie as opposed to a mid-week catch up with friends.
We are seated and once we have settled in we are able to get reacquainted and place our food order – a lovely selection of Arabic mezze: falafel, humus, moutabel, fried halloumi, zaatar manouche, baba ganoush, fatouche and tabouli, plus Arabic bread, of course. Two of us order karkade(h), a sweet hibiscus tea and a traditional Ramadan drink. The others order Moroccan tea, another delicious drink.
We sit back and talk, catching up without skipping a beat, as long time friends do. Talk of family, children, friends, work and business merge into a conversation that once again feels overdue.
The highlight of the evening is the company, of course. However, a close second is the sahlep – a rich, hot milky beverage made with wild orchid tuber flour and flavoured with crushed pistachio. Delicious.
After a few hours, with the haze of shisha smoke getting thicker, we call it a night. Before lining up at the valet for our car there is time to snap some pictures of the picturesque tent. We also stop to take some snaps in the dramatic foyer with its bounty of fresh blooms providing both a beautiful backdrop and a welcome perfume.
It’s 3am before I am home, showered and in bed. Suhoor is certainly more suited to the night owls out there, my morning is going to be difficult and I’m not even fasting! Kudos to those who are.
Good To Know
Asateer is popular and has two seatings per night during Ramadan – iftar and suhoor. Bookings are recommended.
Iftar runs from sunset (sounding of the canon) to 8:30pm (AED240 weeknights/AED260 weekends).
Suhoor timing is 10pm – 2:30am with a minimum spend (AED170) based on dining from the a la carte menu and excluding shisha.
Would I Return?
Yes. However, the drawcard here is really the experience of the tent itself. The food and service are good but not distinctive and the Ramadan treats, while nice, can also be found elsewhere. In addition the music was loud (although live music is a nice touch) and the airconditioning fierce.
If you haven’t experience Suhoor before then Asateer certainly provides that ‘wow’ factor. However, if you just want to catch up with friends, you might prefer somewhere quieter and more intimate.
