Sanbuk mark: a dhow under a pomegranate sailSanbukBook a table
A whole fish charring over charcoal and palm fronds at dusk, a cook's arm turning the grill. An illustration generated for Sanbuk, not a photograph of its own.

Story ยท the log of the sanbuk

A dhow, a chef, a morning's fish.

Sanbuk takes its name from the dhow that carried the Gulf's pearls, dates and fish between its ports. The cooking follows the same route.

01

The sanbuk

The dhow

The sanbuk carried the Gulf's pearls, dates and fish between its ports. Sanbuk, the restaurant group, cooks the food that travelled with it.

  • Gulf coastthe home waters
  • Basra
  • Malabar
  • Zanzibar
02

The chef

Maitha Al Ketbi

Chef Maitha Al Ketbi cooks the food of the Gulf coast and of the ports its dhows traded with: Malabar, Zanzibar and Basra. Her fires are three: the charcoal counter, the beach grill and the clay oven.

  • Sanbuk Oven2019
  • Sanbuk Shore2021
  • Sanbuk Counter2024
03

The fish

Deira, each morning

Bought at the Deira waterfront fish market.

Whole hamour and kanaad on crushed ice in early morning market light. An illustration generated for Sanbuk, not a photograph of its own.
The morning's catch on ice. Illustration.

Nothing on the Shore's ice is older than a day. You choose the fish, it is weighed and grilled whole over charcoal and dried palm fronds.

  • Hamour
  • Sheri
  • Safi
  • KanaadAED 42 per 100 g
04

The flour

Rafiq and the tannour

A baker's floured hands shaping dough beside a clay tannour. An illustration generated for Sanbuk, not a photograph of its own.
Dough at the tannour. Illustration.

Rafiq Kunjumon is head baker at Sanbuk Oven and runs its clay tannour. Breads are baked to order: khameer, regag, balaleet and chebab.

Where to taste it

Sanbuk Oven, daily 07:00 to 15:00, Ground Floor, Qanat House, Canal Side, Business Bay. No bookings: walk in.

Taste the route.
Request a table.

Request a table