Dubai gained popularity over time as the emirate expanded and attracted Western and Asian pakistani restaurant  expats as well as Emiratis. When he visited Ravi in 2010 for one of his TV shows, renowned culinary critic Anthony Bourdain assisted in putting the restaurant on the map. A few years later, rapper Snoop Dogg also stopped over, and Ravi became a must-see event.

In addition to its servings, costs, and flavours, Ravi’s lack of pretentiousness, unfortunately, offers it status. Customers swarm the restaurant for large dinners or late-night snacks while dressed in everything from professional suits to traditional saris to sneakers. People frequently stand in long lineups at the door or take their food outside to eat it. Customers are seated inside at tables with plastic covers and flashing neon lights. The sound of ceiling fans is muffled by conversation. The aroma of curry and grilled meat fills the air as chicken biryani, daal, and naan are thrown out of the kitchen over the serving counter and quickly delivered to the tables by waiters.

The Pakistani restaurant hosted a meeting of social media influencers last week to publicise the debut of Adidas’ brand cooperation with Ravi. The event had a decidedly Dubai-style impact.

Adidas created a unique limited-edition Superstar Ravi sneaker with the restaurant’s name, the year it debuted, and a list of the menu’s top six dishes on the inside of the tongue. The shoe is green and white. When asked whether the restaurant would profit financially from the sale of the sneakers, Ravi and Adidas both declined to discuss the specifics of the agreement with The Associated Press. According to Waseem Abdul Hameed, it illustrates how the restaurant is woven into Dubai’s cultural landscape. “They chose us since you had to go to Ravi restaurant for a dinner.”

It stands in stark contrast to other recent Adidas product lines, such as one with Gucci that features sneakers that can be purchased for $899 in Dubai and other places. However, the partnership illustrates how companies like Adidas are looking for fresh methods to engage customers who are seeking originality. After the sneaker launch, consumers waited in line outside Ravi on a recent hot summer day.

“I enjoy it because it’s authentic,” said Dana, a 32-year-old native of Dubai who has been visiting Ravi for years with her friends.