On this week’s edition of Cheap Eats on Dubai92, Arva revealed the best place to buy gigantic juicy Medjool dates from Palestine in Dubai!
What’s This Week’s Cheap Eat?
Every week our founder Arva Ahmed goes on air on one of our favourite local radio stations, Dubai92, to share the best food in Dubai or the neighbouring Emirates that’s also incredibly cheap!
This week Arva brought us an enticing treat just in time for Ramadan. You can experience the finest selection of dates at the Waterfront Market in Deira. Known for its vibrant atmosphere, this market offers a delightful date exploration experience. As you stroll along the open date counters, you’ll have the pleasure of sampling various dates, but the true gems that capture Arva’s heart are the “fat jumbo Medjool dates” from Palestine.
These dates are colossal in size and they can easily fill half your palm. With a weight of around 30 to 33 grams per date, they make for a satisfying snack and the perfect way to break the Ramadan fast. These oversized delights are not only a culinary wonder but also make for excellent Ramadan gifts. Whether you’re visiting friends or attending an Iftar, these dates make for an easy (and relatively healthy) crowd-pleaser. And the best part? They come at an unbeatable price. While online markets and grocery stores may charge around 49 to 55 dirhams per kilo, you can snag them at the Waterfront Market for a remarkable 30 dirhams per kilo. For even more savings, consider purchasing a five-kilo box and negotiating an even lower price!
You will find Medjool Dates in Dubai here. Our favourite stall is V128 – Zainab Mohd. Ahmad Dates Shop. You can call them at 050-5282163 or WhatsApp at 055-9963522.
Tune In
Tune in to the segment using this audio recap or check out the transcript below.
Transcript
Jono:
Alright Arva, with Ramadan just around the corner, what have you got for us this week?
Arva:
Alright, so everyone is in the zone where they’re stockpiling dates and if you are one of those people, then this is where you need to go. So, I know a lot of people love having those fat, juicy, Medjool dates. The best place and the best trade that you can get will be at the waterfront market and it is so worth the drive. So if you haven’t been there, this waterfront market is basically in Deira. it’s the old market that they demolished and then rebuilt it as a more mall-like situation and they have these open date counters where you can essentially taste your way through a bunch of different dates and figure out the best ones but the ones that I typically go for are the fat jumbo Medjool dates from Palestine!
Jono:
Now these things, I gotta be honest with you, some of them look like they’re the size of your fist, right? The dates that are on sale down here, I’m like, how do these dates get so big? Come on, this is an apple, for goodness sake! But I think it is one of those places, and especially when it comes close to Ramadan. There are people you gotta buy gifts for, there’s that thing where you always wonder what you bring along if you’ve been invited to an Iftar and dates are the perfect solution to all of that, right?
Arva:
They are! And you know, Jono, to your point, they are massive. I actually weighed one of these Medjool dates and one of them comes to around 30, even over, like maybe sometimes 33 grams, which is huge! I think the way… this is what I’ve heard, this is how I think they do it: I think they pluck off some of the dates from the tree before they can get ripe so the other ones have more nourishment and room to grow and that’s why they become jumbo.
Jono:
Ahhh…I get it… I’ve heard of that. Yeah. I’ve heard of that being done with other fruit right, and you know they do that with grapes as well where you take away the the the low hanging fruit so to speak so that the ones at the top will manage to get bigger and that is incredible! I did not know that! Hey and perfect just in time for Ramadan as well that you’ll have dates galore for your friends, for your family, wherever you’re going to bring these along. How much are we talking though?
Arva:
Alright so usually online the rate that I’ve seen at a lot of the big supermarkets and grocery stores and so on for Medjool dates is about 49 to 55 dirhams a kilo, this is what I’ve seen. At the market, I get them for 30 dirhams a kilo, and if you buy them in bulk which honestly you’ve got to do because each one is so big you’re consuming like a lot in one go. So if I buy like a five-kilo box, you can negotiate the price even lower than 30 dirhams.
Nats:
I love it. Haggling at the waterfront market, Arva. What a top tip!
Arva:
Hundred per cent!
Jono:
As always, check out Frying Pan Adventures! They will have all the info on everywhere you can go and check out to get some scrumptious eats. Arva, thank you so much for joining us.
Arva:
It’s always a pleasure. Have a scrumptious week ahead guys!
Check out Where to Find Streetside Za’atar Cheese Roti in Dubai here!
Arva Ahmed is the co-founder of Frying Pan Adventures, Dubai’s first food tour company, and a celebrated food explorer known for uncovering Dubai’s hidden culinary gems. Her expertise in the city’s diverse food scene has been featured in prominent publications such as CNN, Khaleej Times, BBC Travel, The Sun, The Independent and countless more. She also hosts Ditch the Silver on YouTube. Through her immersive tours and storytelling, Arva brings Dubai’s rich flavors and vibrant cultures to life.
