Dubai & Abu Dhabi 7 - Full PDF eBook

satisfied waddle in your step. Favourite

dishes include traditional Mumbai chaat

(savoury street snacks) and cubes of pan-

eer (white cheese) with spinach, peas and

lots of spices. There is a plenty of heat in

the dishes; cool down with a masala mint-

based tea. This is a popular restaurant with

local Indian families and has comfortable

seating and good service.

f re & i ice S akhouTe Se $$$

Map p 214 (%04-341 9888; raffles Dubai, Sheikh

rashid rd; mains Dh95-190, steaks Dh135-420;

h7pm-11.30pm) With its floor-to-ceiling ex-

posed brick walls, the Raffles steakhouse

exudes a sleek, sophisticated New York

vibe. Sip a martini while casually scanning

the contented crowd and anticipating such

menu stars as Angus prime sirloin, rack of

lamb and the signature carrot cake. And

whatever you order, get a serving of fries –

you’ll thank us. There’s an award-winning

list of 900 or so wines, which is especially

strong on New World varietals. Reserva-

tions essential.

c uhTneys i an nDi $$

Map p 214 (%04-310 4340; Mövenpick hotel

bur Dubai, 19 St; mains Dh60-80, thali Dh55-75)

Chutneys provides a first-class culinary

journey to northern India. The lunch-

time-only thalis are superb and include a

vegetarian option, or opt for juicy kebabs,

fluffy birianis or the chicken-based tawa

murgh rayyan – a chicken- and tomato-

based curry that was voted the best in Du-

bai in a local publication. In the evening

you can enjoy a truly romantic dinner for

two by closing the curtains around your

table while Ghazal singers croon smoothly

in the background. Reservations recom-

mended.

o ilVe GourMeT l bane e Se $

Map p 210 ( rJuman Centre, cnr bu khalid bin al-

Waleed & Sheikh khalifa bin Zayed rds; mains

Dh35-48) Right across from the metro en-

trance, this restaurant may not be worth

crossing town to seek out, but if you are in

the BurJuman area, it offers reliably good

and relatively inexpensive Lebanese food.

Take a detour from the usual hummus

and kebab route and order foul medam-

mas (black fava beans with lemon juice,

olive oil, tomatoes and garlic), makanek

(charcoal-grilled sausages in a pomegran-

ate sauce) or fried calamari with garlic and

lemon, all served by congenial fezzed-up

waiters.

Kha Zana i an nDi $$

Map p 214 (%04-336 0061; off 14 St; mains Dh40-

80; hnoon-2.30pm & 7-11pm; c) Khazana

means ‘treasure’ in Hindi and, certainly,

the steady stream of regulars indicates that

Khazana is one of the best Indian restau-

rants in town. Curries are sensitively spiced,

the ingredients are the freshest available,

and as this is Indian celebrity chef Sanjeer

Kapoor’s signature restaurant, the stand-

ard is indisputably high. Ample bamboo

and rattan create a relaxed feel-good ambi-

ence, helped along by the friendly servers.

It’s located behind the American Hospital,

and reservations are recommended.

Kan ZaMan Mi DDle eaSTern $

Map p 210 (Shindagha heritage area, mezze Dh12-

20, mains Dh30-70; h4.30pm-2.30am) Stop

by this Creekside favourite to munch on

mezze and grills (the tangy lamb shwarma

is delish) or fresh saj manakish (Lebanese

pastry topped with cheese, thyme and

meat). At the very least, partake of an avo-

cado smoothie with honey and milk: it’s the

best in town. During the cooler months,

sit on the big outdoor patio and watch the

passing parade of boats against the back-

drop of historic Deira and Bur Dubai.

a que nTi baZaar i an nDi $$

Map p 210 (%04-397 7444; Four points by Shera-

ton bur Dubai, khalid bin al-Waleed rd; mains

Dh40-50) This is not just any old curry-

house – resembling an exotic Mogul pal-

ace, the decor is sumptuously ornate with

carved-wood seats, ivory-inset tables,

swing chairs and richly patterned fabrics.

There is a resident sitar player at lunch-

time, with more of a show at dinner, which

is when the place is most atmospheric.

a es qu Tion of porK

Pork is available for non-Muslims in

a special room at some larger super-

markets� In many hotel restaurants,

pork is a menu item and is usually

clearly labelled as such� However, the

‘beef bacon’ and ‘turkey ham’ that are

commonly available are nothing more

than a reminder of how tasty the real

thing is – unless you are a vegetarian,

of course�

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