February 1, 2011 | Short Order
Shelly Fireman Opens Brooklyn Diner in Dubai

         The pastrami, corned beef and Shelly Fireman’s 15 bite hot dog will all be Halal when the Brooklyn Diner opens in a Dubai hotel enclave on February 15 with its “finer diner” menu almost in tact, including kugel with the oven roasted Dodger pot roast. Officially connected to the Intercontinental Hotel – permitting alcohol service in a mostly dry country – the Dubai outpost will look like the faux diner on West 57th, with neon, a maitre d’ in a tux and sneakers and Brooklyn photographs by WeeGee. A supply of Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup has been ordered for authentic egg creams. Alas, there will be no seltzer.

        Brooklyn Diner Dubai will have the same Ebbets Field mural, outsize dessert display and brass plaques with names of American celebrities and sport figures plus locals expected to become regulars, said Don Fitzgerald, producer of the out-of-town show. Like maybe, the Sultan of Brunei.

        In deference to Muslim custom, there will be no organ meats (86 the chicken liver with hot schmaltz). That will be hickory smoked beef-bacon on the burger, beef sausage on the pizza, and diced smoked turkey in the pea soup. They will call it egg bread, not challah and it will be Sicilian sea salt not kosher. You don’t want to be too Jewish in Dubai.

        A Fireman Group team leaves February 7 to train the launch crew and taste the cured meat samples coming from Germany. U.S. government regulations kept the meat from entering New York for tastings here. Son Jon Fireman, will arrive the following week with and the boss himself plans to fly in a few days after the opening with his wife Marilyn.

        Dubai backers insisted on adding some local favorites: Shish tawouk (marinated chicken kebabs), chelo kebab koobideh (charbroiled beef or lamb strips on rice) and a mild Thai green chicken coconut curry. “Strangely enough the last item is extremely popular in Dubai,” Shelly Fireman notes.

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