India Palace
The Walk
JBR
Dubai
437 0279
The India Palace in Delhi is a greta restaurant that serves authentic Mughlai food. Lured by the name, we walked into this restaurant on the walk.
The interiors were beautifully done and very enticing. Sadly the food did not match up to the standards set by the decor.
It may be easy enough for the India palace to purport to be authentic Indian cuisine to the tourists pounding the sidewalk, but no self-respecting Indian would ever go back a second time.
The Thandaii - 13- almond and cardamom flavored milk based drink - was an interesting starting point which lulled us into believing that better things were to come. Unfortunately other than the stuffed aloo kulcha (7) - Indian bread stuffed with potatoes - nothing else even came close.
We ordered the tarah tarah ke kebab (an assortment of kebabs/grilled meats) - 52- hoping to enjoy a selection of tender chunks and morsels of meat. What was served was dehydrated bits of meat that did not seem to have seen the enfolding embrace of a marinade for more than a minute.
The tadka dhal - 14- yellow lentils was absolutely band without even the flavor of tomato or tempering of cumin.
The banjara kabab - 22- extolled as a cottage cheese dumpling, coated with spinach and nuts cooken in saffron flavored rich tomato and cashew gravy tasted as vegetable dumplings tossed into a generic butter chicken/butter paneer gravy.
Normally in large restaurants, different chefs manage the tandoor (where kebabs are grilled) and the main kitchen. Hoping to strike lucky with some rice, we ordered the ghosht biryani-35- lamb biryani. the rice was dry. Large pieces of mint leaves were liberally mixed into the dish and the meat was dry.
If you want to eat good Indian food in Dubai, stick to Karama. Those eateries may be basic, but they sure know how to cook food the way an Indian mom/grandmom would cook it. Lots of effort + fresh ingredients = unbeatable flavor.
Showing posts with label Indian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indian. Show all posts
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Manvaar Restaurant, Dubai
Manvaar Restaurant
Opposite Reem Residency
Near Fish Market
Karama
Dubai
336 8332
Manvaar serves some outstanding Rajasthani food and while they do deliver home, I would highly recommend eating on location at least once. The experience starts right at the great wooden door and continues to the waiters dressed in costume and the bandhini printed table napkins. Its a lovely place to take non-Indian friends to impress them with the colors of India and lovely food to boot.
Their paneer starters/kebabs are good(in the 20dhs range) as the paneer is of good quality. I love the glotty kebab (8pcs - 28dhs) although it is as far from a Lucnowi galouti kebab as you can get. The Manvaar version is made from pounded mince, but mixed with solid chopped pieces of onion, green chilli and corriander. The Lucknowi version is sometimes difficult to even pick up with your fingers before it disintegrates. If you would like to try out the variety of starters, you can opt for the mix platter (veg-32dhs and non-veg-42dhs)
They have a long list of Rajasthani special mains. The most famous being the dhal batti churma (22dhs) which is excellent. The Rajasthani Phumbi (mushroom 15dhs) was very tasty, but I have my suspicions that the mushrooms came from a tin. We had ordered this as a delivery, so I can't be absolutely sure. Methi Papad, papad ki sabji, gulab jamun ki sabji (I wonder what this is) are listed as other specials.
The Lal Maans (26 with bone, 30 for boneless) is a traditional Rajasthani meat dish made very well. I remember hearing somewhere that this was an easy to cook dish devised by Rajasthani cooks of yore when out on a hunt with the ruling royalty. They used ingredients that were easy to carry and did not need much preparation to cook the game. Nowadays Lal Maans is normally made from mutton. Rotis are between 2-4dhs each and 5dhs for the masala kulcha. The bread basket (20dhs) is a good way to smaple the different Indian breads.
While the Rajasthani dishes and some of the North Indian dishes on the menu are excellent, I would not recommend their biriyani(18-25dhs), simply because Dubai has much better biriyanis to offer. If you want to order this dish with the rest of your meal from Manvaar then it is ok, but not as your main order.
Desserts are also excellent. I would highly recommend the rabri ghewar(12dhs) which is a large orange jelebi (called an imarti in some parts of India) soaked in rabri (Indian version of clotted and whipped cream)
Do visit them on location to enjoy the whole experience of eating a Rajasthani meal.
Opposite Reem Residency
Near Fish Market
Karama
Dubai
336 8332
Manvaar serves some outstanding Rajasthani food and while they do deliver home, I would highly recommend eating on location at least once. The experience starts right at the great wooden door and continues to the waiters dressed in costume and the bandhini printed table napkins. Its a lovely place to take non-Indian friends to impress them with the colors of India and lovely food to boot.
Their paneer starters/kebabs are good(in the 20dhs range) as the paneer is of good quality. I love the glotty kebab (8pcs - 28dhs) although it is as far from a Lucnowi galouti kebab as you can get. The Manvaar version is made from pounded mince, but mixed with solid chopped pieces of onion, green chilli and corriander. The Lucknowi version is sometimes difficult to even pick up with your fingers before it disintegrates. If you would like to try out the variety of starters, you can opt for the mix platter (veg-32dhs and non-veg-42dhs)
They have a long list of Rajasthani special mains. The most famous being the dhal batti churma (22dhs) which is excellent. The Rajasthani Phumbi (mushroom 15dhs) was very tasty, but I have my suspicions that the mushrooms came from a tin. We had ordered this as a delivery, so I can't be absolutely sure. Methi Papad, papad ki sabji, gulab jamun ki sabji (I wonder what this is) are listed as other specials.
The Lal Maans (26 with bone, 30 for boneless) is a traditional Rajasthani meat dish made very well. I remember hearing somewhere that this was an easy to cook dish devised by Rajasthani cooks of yore when out on a hunt with the ruling royalty. They used ingredients that were easy to carry and did not need much preparation to cook the game. Nowadays Lal Maans is normally made from mutton. Rotis are between 2-4dhs each and 5dhs for the masala kulcha. The bread basket (20dhs) is a good way to smaple the different Indian breads.
While the Rajasthani dishes and some of the North Indian dishes on the menu are excellent, I would not recommend their biriyani(18-25dhs), simply because Dubai has much better biriyanis to offer. If you want to order this dish with the rest of your meal from Manvaar then it is ok, but not as your main order.
Desserts are also excellent. I would highly recommend the rabri ghewar(12dhs) which is a large orange jelebi (called an imarti in some parts of India) soaked in rabri (Indian version of clotted and whipped cream)
Do visit them on location to enjoy the whole experience of eating a Rajasthani meal.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Saravana Bhavan, Dubai
Saravana Bhavan
Karama
Dubai
04 334 5252/ 336 9109
I first had the good fortune of eating at the original Saravana Bhavan in Chennai over 12 years ago. At that time it was the low cost of quality food that drove me there. But with that initial experience I was hooked, I have since had the opportunity to eat at 2 of their US locations and now the one in Dubai too. What is outstanding is the adherence to quality, hygiene and strict standardisation, so the food tastes the same, no matter where in the world you are eating.
Saravanas Bhavan is a saving grace for many South Indian Brahmins who are posted abroad, especially Tamilians since this is the style of Saravanas Cooking. this is a very similar style to Udipi cooking in the sense that the dishes as named in the menu may seem the same. It is the flavours which differ. this difference makes its most marked presence in the sambhar (lentil and vegetable curry) The Udipi Sambhar has a sweeter flavour to it while the Tamilian one tends to be more spicy.
The only problem with visiting most Udipi and Tamilian restaurants at lunch times is that they will only serve you meals (no idlis, no dosas, no vadas - just meals)
The meals themselves are quite good. Most restaurants will also give you free refills on everything. Saravanas Bhavan is no different. The advantage of visiting Udipi and Tamilian restaurants anywhere in the world, is that you don't have to bother about hygiene at all, as everything is cleaned thoroughly. Part of the cleaning & cooking process of kitchens run by Brahmins (which they used to be and very often still are)
The meals at Saravanas Bhavan are just 15dhs. For this princely amount you can have unlimited quantities of various items. The items change daily depending on what vegetable produce was best that day. There will always be rice as the main item. Some restaurants offer some kind of Indian bread too in the meal.
On the day we ate at Saravanas, we had the following meal. While some items will remain constant, some will change based on availability.
Rasam - a pepper and tomato based thin soup, normally drunk in the beginning as an appetiser and consumed again after the mel as a digestive, sometimes also mixed with rice.
Sambhar - a lentil based curry with vegetables. Always served with idlis and vadas and other snacks.
one more curry on the sour side.
Avial - a curd and coconut curry with vegetables.
Peas kurma - which went excellently with the puris
Potato dry dish.
Buttermilk - to soothes your tastebuds if anything is too spicy.
a sweet fruit salad.
a sweet rice based dish.
Pickles
Rice
Papads
bananas
curd
Very filling, yet very light on the stomach. You can always ask for ghee to be pured on your rice if you crave a slightly richer taste or just have your last mouthfuls of rice with ghee and salt or ghee and sugar depending on what taste you prefer.
A large bottle of water costs 3dhs.
They have a large variety of snacks which are served in the morning and evening in the 6-12 dhs range. There are even packaged snacks and sweets that you can buy to be consumed at home at your leisure.
Karama
Dubai
04 334 5252/ 336 9109
I first had the good fortune of eating at the original Saravana Bhavan in Chennai over 12 years ago. At that time it was the low cost of quality food that drove me there. But with that initial experience I was hooked, I have since had the opportunity to eat at 2 of their US locations and now the one in Dubai too. What is outstanding is the adherence to quality, hygiene and strict standardisation, so the food tastes the same, no matter where in the world you are eating.
Saravanas Bhavan is a saving grace for many South Indian Brahmins who are posted abroad, especially Tamilians since this is the style of Saravanas Cooking. this is a very similar style to Udipi cooking in the sense that the dishes as named in the menu may seem the same. It is the flavours which differ. this difference makes its most marked presence in the sambhar (lentil and vegetable curry) The Udipi Sambhar has a sweeter flavour to it while the Tamilian one tends to be more spicy.
The only problem with visiting most Udipi and Tamilian restaurants at lunch times is that they will only serve you meals (no idlis, no dosas, no vadas - just meals)
The meals themselves are quite good. Most restaurants will also give you free refills on everything. Saravanas Bhavan is no different. The advantage of visiting Udipi and Tamilian restaurants anywhere in the world, is that you don't have to bother about hygiene at all, as everything is cleaned thoroughly. Part of the cleaning & cooking process of kitchens run by Brahmins (which they used to be and very often still are)
The meals at Saravanas Bhavan are just 15dhs. For this princely amount you can have unlimited quantities of various items. The items change daily depending on what vegetable produce was best that day. There will always be rice as the main item. Some restaurants offer some kind of Indian bread too in the meal.
On the day we ate at Saravanas, we had the following meal. While some items will remain constant, some will change based on availability.
Rasam - a pepper and tomato based thin soup, normally drunk in the beginning as an appetiser and consumed again after the mel as a digestive, sometimes also mixed with rice.
Sambhar - a lentil based curry with vegetables. Always served with idlis and vadas and other snacks.
one more curry on the sour side.
Avial - a curd and coconut curry with vegetables.
Peas kurma - which went excellently with the puris
Potato dry dish.
Buttermilk - to soothes your tastebuds if anything is too spicy.
a sweet fruit salad.
a sweet rice based dish.
Pickles
Rice
Papads
bananas
curd
Very filling, yet very light on the stomach. You can always ask for ghee to be pured on your rice if you crave a slightly richer taste or just have your last mouthfuls of rice with ghee and salt or ghee and sugar depending on what taste you prefer.
A large bottle of water costs 3dhs.
They have a large variety of snacks which are served in the morning and evening in the 6-12 dhs range. There are even packaged snacks and sweets that you can buy to be consumed at home at your leisure.
Coconut Grove Restaurant, Dubai
Coconut Grove Restaurant
Rydges Plaza
Satwa Roundabout
Dubai
04- 398 3800/2222
Small little restaurant located in the Rydges Hotel, it fills up fast, so get there early or try to make a reservation. the restaurant is done up with traditional decor from Kerala but serves food from Kerala, Goa, Mangalore, Chettinad, Balti & Sri Lanka.
We focused mainly on Kerala food with a Sri Lankan dish thrown in to taste and we LOVED it all. The food smelled so awesome, that I couldn't be bothered to take pictures before digging in. The crabs got my fingers all dirty and the camera was the last thing on my mind :)
Service was a bit slow but the food was worth the wait and more. We sipped on a Kurumba punch (tender coconut water, mint leaves and lemon juice - 15dhs) while we waited which was cool and refreshing and helped build our appetites. A large bottle of water will cost you 5dhs. We were served a platter of pappadum strips with a tasty green chutney dip as a complementary starter while we waited for the food we had ordered.
For starters we had the malabar fried chicken - 25 - spicy batter fried bits of boneless chicken, masala fried prawns -50 - batter fried fresh medium sized prawns and deep fried mussels - 30. the chicken and prawns were excellent. Tender, fresh and bursting with flavor. We had asked for our food to be made extra spicyt and the chef obliged. Such a pleasure to eat after what passes as spicy food in Egyptian restaurants. What passes as 10 on a scle of 10 on spiciness in Egypt, would barely be a 3 or a 4 on a similar scale in Dubai or India. The mussels were shelled but were deep fried to a crisp, which meant they werent soft and easy to bite into, they felt a little chewy after the texture of the other starters although the flavor was great.
For the main course, we ordered a crab pepper masala which was excellent at 45. A semi dry gravy this was beautifully complemented with the appams (6 for 2 pieces if plain, 6 for one piece if topped with an egg) and malabar paratha (6)
We also had Gedara Sadu kukulmas - a Sri lankan chicken curry with coconut milk that went well with the idiappam (string hoppers - 3 pieces for 5 dhs)
We rounded off the dinner with 2 from the large choice of deserts to chose from. The Gajar ka halwa (15) was nothing like what my North Indian husband has ever eaten as it was cooked in coconut milk. He was expecting the regular halwa and wasn't too ecstatic about his desert, though he said it did taste good. I tried a famous Kerala dessert called Parippu pradhaman (a kheer made from coconut milk, jaggery and lentils - 15) this is a dish we cook in my hometown too and it brought back many happy memories from my childhoood.
They do have soups and vegetarian options, but the star is definitely the Kerala style seafood.
Excellent restaurant with outstanding food - provided you get a table.
I have heard that eating at Coconut Grove is a gamble. On most days the food is excellent, but on some days the food and service can suck.
Do note that in most restaurants in Dubai the taxes are included in the price of the item as printed in the menu.
Read reviews of this restaurant on
Time Out Dubai
Yahoo Travel
Rydges Plaza
Satwa Roundabout
Dubai
04- 398 3800/2222
Small little restaurant located in the Rydges Hotel, it fills up fast, so get there early or try to make a reservation. the restaurant is done up with traditional decor from Kerala but serves food from Kerala, Goa, Mangalore, Chettinad, Balti & Sri Lanka.
We focused mainly on Kerala food with a Sri Lankan dish thrown in to taste and we LOVED it all. The food smelled so awesome, that I couldn't be bothered to take pictures before digging in. The crabs got my fingers all dirty and the camera was the last thing on my mind :)
Service was a bit slow but the food was worth the wait and more. We sipped on a Kurumba punch (tender coconut water, mint leaves and lemon juice - 15dhs) while we waited which was cool and refreshing and helped build our appetites. A large bottle of water will cost you 5dhs. We were served a platter of pappadum strips with a tasty green chutney dip as a complementary starter while we waited for the food we had ordered.
For starters we had the malabar fried chicken - 25 - spicy batter fried bits of boneless chicken, masala fried prawns -50 - batter fried fresh medium sized prawns and deep fried mussels - 30. the chicken and prawns were excellent. Tender, fresh and bursting with flavor. We had asked for our food to be made extra spicyt and the chef obliged. Such a pleasure to eat after what passes as spicy food in Egyptian restaurants. What passes as 10 on a scle of 10 on spiciness in Egypt, would barely be a 3 or a 4 on a similar scale in Dubai or India. The mussels were shelled but were deep fried to a crisp, which meant they werent soft and easy to bite into, they felt a little chewy after the texture of the other starters although the flavor was great.
For the main course, we ordered a crab pepper masala which was excellent at 45. A semi dry gravy this was beautifully complemented with the appams (6 for 2 pieces if plain, 6 for one piece if topped with an egg) and malabar paratha (6)
We also had Gedara Sadu kukulmas - a Sri lankan chicken curry with coconut milk that went well with the idiappam (string hoppers - 3 pieces for 5 dhs)
We rounded off the dinner with 2 from the large choice of deserts to chose from. The Gajar ka halwa (15) was nothing like what my North Indian husband has ever eaten as it was cooked in coconut milk. He was expecting the regular halwa and wasn't too ecstatic about his desert, though he said it did taste good. I tried a famous Kerala dessert called Parippu pradhaman (a kheer made from coconut milk, jaggery and lentils - 15) this is a dish we cook in my hometown too and it brought back many happy memories from my childhoood.
They do have soups and vegetarian options, but the star is definitely the Kerala style seafood.
Excellent restaurant with outstanding food - provided you get a table.
I have heard that eating at Coconut Grove is a gamble. On most days the food is excellent, but on some days the food and service can suck.
Do note that in most restaurants in Dubai the taxes are included in the price of the item as printed in the menu.
Read reviews of this restaurant on
Time Out Dubai
Yahoo Travel
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Oasis, Chembur, Mumbai
My SIL chose this place for rakhi (a festival celebration of the brother sister bond) dinner with her bhaiyya (elder brother).
The ambience was really nice, inspite of the loud kitty party like dinner going on on the premises. (in one of the other rooms)
The dining hall was a large open space with white tablecloths and muted lighting. Very romantic setting if you take a table for two.
The food was the star. Being back in India after ages, I had decided I would only drink and eat Indian specialities. In keeping with that, I ordered a masaledaar chaas (70) and asked them to add some finely chopped chillies to the drink. The drink was outstandingly flavored and balanced and the chillies were chopped so fine, that they did not catch in your teeth (they were chopped not pureed)
They serve alcohol and cocktails too. The Singapore sling (130) was a strawberry flavored cocktail that was interesting. A small peg - 30ml of bacardi was 190 and the diet pepsi was Rs60. The kingfisher pint was 120. Water was 50 bucks for a liter.
The aloo cheese balls(185) were good, but I still crave the taste of the old Prithvi cafe ones at 1/3rd the price and thrice the flavor. The corn tikki (165) was interesting and tasty with lots of corn unlike most locations which overdo the batter holding it together.
The makhmali tukda (190) was the most outstanding paneer I have eaten in a long time. The paneer itself was soft and tender which had been seared to crispness on the outside in a tandoor, but not over done. Highly recommended.
Chicken Hazari kebab (215) was tender, soft and marinated in a malai'ish sauce. Malai and white kebabs are not my favorite (I like more kick in my kebabs) unless its is a malai-kali mirch combination, but this one was worth having a second round of.
For the main course, we ordered Paneer mazedar (205) which tasted suspiciously like a butter paneer with minimal jazzing up. I'd prefer the kebabs any day.
Murgh hari mirch (215) which wasn't very spicy, but tasty none-the-less.
Kulchas and makai roti were 35. Butter kulchas 45. Kulchas were soft and easy to tear apart. the makai roti was kadak in a good way.
The star of my evening was the kacche ghosht ki dum biryani (220) I ordered the boneless variety and I was in heaven. Right balance of spices, browned onions, tender mutton. My mouth stil waters at the memory.
For dessert, we wrapped it up with a malai kulfi (95) and gajar halwa (75) Halwa was really good, but the kulfi was rather generic.
I'd definitely visit again the next time I am Chembur, but I will stick to the chaas, paneer kebabs and the biryani. My own little version of heaven on earth :)
The ambience was really nice, inspite of the loud kitty party like dinner going on on the premises. (in one of the other rooms)
The dining hall was a large open space with white tablecloths and muted lighting. Very romantic setting if you take a table for two.
The food was the star. Being back in India after ages, I had decided I would only drink and eat Indian specialities. In keeping with that, I ordered a masaledaar chaas (70) and asked them to add some finely chopped chillies to the drink. The drink was outstandingly flavored and balanced and the chillies were chopped so fine, that they did not catch in your teeth (they were chopped not pureed)
They serve alcohol and cocktails too. The Singapore sling (130) was a strawberry flavored cocktail that was interesting. A small peg - 30ml of bacardi was 190 and the diet pepsi was Rs60. The kingfisher pint was 120. Water was 50 bucks for a liter.
The aloo cheese balls(185) were good, but I still crave the taste of the old Prithvi cafe ones at 1/3rd the price and thrice the flavor. The corn tikki (165) was interesting and tasty with lots of corn unlike most locations which overdo the batter holding it together.
The makhmali tukda (190) was the most outstanding paneer I have eaten in a long time. The paneer itself was soft and tender which had been seared to crispness on the outside in a tandoor, but not over done. Highly recommended.
Chicken Hazari kebab (215) was tender, soft and marinated in a malai'ish sauce. Malai and white kebabs are not my favorite (I like more kick in my kebabs) unless its is a malai-kali mirch combination, but this one was worth having a second round of.
For the main course, we ordered Paneer mazedar (205) which tasted suspiciously like a butter paneer with minimal jazzing up. I'd prefer the kebabs any day.
Murgh hari mirch (215) which wasn't very spicy, but tasty none-the-less.
Kulchas and makai roti were 35. Butter kulchas 45. Kulchas were soft and easy to tear apart. the makai roti was kadak in a good way.
The star of my evening was the kacche ghosht ki dum biryani (220) I ordered the boneless variety and I was in heaven. Right balance of spices, browned onions, tender mutton. My mouth stil waters at the memory.
For dessert, we wrapped it up with a malai kulfi (95) and gajar halwa (75) Halwa was really good, but the kulfi was rather generic.
I'd definitely visit again the next time I am Chembur, but I will stick to the chaas, paneer kebabs and the biryani. My own little version of heaven on earth :)
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