A new weigh ahead for dining out

The most reliable mechanism against overeating: charging customers by weight (Alamy)

It is the most reliable mechanism against over-eating: charging customers by the weight of what they order. Or at least that's one of the reasons served up by the chef at Gramo in Dubai. The new restaurant at the Al Jawhara hotel has drawn national and international comment, as Dubai has up until now been considered the land of the all-you-can-eat buffet.

Of course, in other places around the world it's not such a new thing. In Brazil, the "kilo" restaurant, as it's known, is a culinary phenomenon. Harried office workers have long been acquainted with them, too. The Whole Foods supermarket next to The Independent's office is one such place. As a frequent luncher there, I can offer Gramo's diners a word or two of advice: eschew beef for salmon, drain the sauce from curries, and get the potatoes only if you are willing to remortgage your house.