There are plenty of things in life that you should take with a pinch of salt, but the Salt Camp is not one of them. The annual winter pop-up is serious. About fun. When the beloved homegrown burger brand’s pop-up camp appears behind the Museum of the Future, that’s when you know Dubai’s hot chocolate season (aka winter) is well and truly underway. But unlike its previous well-known blindingly pink avatar, this winter camp has revamped itself into a lush matcha green for its 4th edition, taking inspiration from Japan. Here are 4 reasons why you need to visit this pop-up open until March 9.
1. Tokyo’s gardens meet Bedouin desert camps in the heart of Dubai
This time around, this winter pop-up’s original elements of traditional Bedouin desert camps such as as floor seating and enjoying food in a shared communal setting blend in with Japanese food, culture, art and entertainment. The usual heaps of desert sand carpeting the floors of the campsite have been switched out with colourful gravelled pathways reminiscent of Japanese gardens. All this set bang in the middle of the city, in the financial district of DIFC, makes this a perfect escape.
2. Salt Camp is still very Instagrammable
True, the eyeball-grabbing blast of pink that turned the heads of passers-by is gone. But this refreshing minimalistic green Salt Camp is still a show-stealer. The iconic airstream trailer, a clever nod to Salt’s origin as a food truck parked by Kite Beach, is still there. Also firmly present are the camels that stroll around in unique saddles. Vibrant multicoloured saddles have replaced last year’s bedazzled saddles. The central campfire pit around which the gourmet food is cooked up and served has also stuck around.
3. Free edamame and green tea at Salt Camp
Traditional camping nosh pales before the gourmet-level delicacies served here. It’s safe to say that 60% of the visitors at Salt Camp are there for the food and the remaining 40% head to this pop-up venue for both the food and the Instagram fodder it serves.
But coming back to the food – this year, you’ll gorge on playful campfire variations of traditional Japanese food. Enjoy free edamame while you wait on orders of A5 Wagyu steaks hot off the grill, steak sandos, scrummy fries and more. Complimentary cups of green tea warm up visitors queuing out in the biting cold.
4. Live Japanese entertainment and gorgeous sunsets
Traditional Japanese musicians and dancers dressed in kimonos with artistic fans and umbrellas put up fantastic shows every evening. A live calligraphy artist is also present at the venue creating souvenirs for visitors’ with their names written decoratively. Plus, when you’re inside the Salt Camp, train your eyes on the Museum of the Future as the sun begins to set. You’ll have one of the best vantage points in the city to capture the beautiful building in all its architectural splendour.
Salt Camp is open every day until March 9, from 12pm-12am on weekdays and till 1am on weekends