Tourists visiting Dubai now have the opportunity to sample the local cuisine, camel meat in the form of a  burger , curry or steak.
 

Camels are big business in Dubai, where annual camel beauty contests have become one of the leading social events and thousands attend camel races.
 

A restaurant called Local House offers tourists the chance to sample camel meat in various forms and sizes, a chance to taste one of the local delicacies.
 

According to restaurant manager Ramish, the idea was the brainchild of a local citizen who was raised on camel meat and milk.
 

"We have... camel soup, camel salad, then we have the camel burger, camel kebab, camel steak, then we have camel biryani -- that is a mixture of rice and camel meat," says Ramesh.

The restaurant also offers a camel curry dish, grilled camel ribs and the camel special, which is cooked in oyster sauce. Camel sausage, bacon and pizza are in the works, Ramesh says.
 

"Camelicious" brand camel milk, milk chocolates and milkshakes made with camel milk are some of the other offerings.
 

Dishes range between $6 and $20, but the most popular item on the menu is the camel burger Ramesh said.

There is currently only one branch of the restaurant, but Ramesh says there are plans to expand to other emirates in the UAE, and also to open a branch in Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.