DUBAI – You might not expect to find Greek food in Dubai but there’s a shared history between Greek and Middle Eastern food that have some common ingredients and recipes, such as stuffed grape vine leaves, baklava, and even moussaka.

There’s been growing interest in Dubai in Greek dishes, said the Khaleej Times, claiming the country is the world’s new food capital.

The site said customers are even taking to breaking dishes, thinking it’s a Greek tradition, and ordering keftethes, souvlaki, tzatziki (classic Greek yogurt-cucumber-garlic sauce), and more.

“Greek gastronomy having had the influence of the Ottomans shares a few similarities with the likes of what is served within the Arabian peninsula region, but with a twist. This zest of familiarity is also what makes it appealing to try. Imagine you’ve landed in a place where you don’t know a single item on the food menu. Chances are you’ll pick the closest thing you can identify with. I think, that’s why people in this region are so attracted to Greek food,” said Timothy Newton, Group Executive Chef/Partner, OPA, a Greek restaurant and Myrra, a Greek-Spanish restaurant launched in 2018.