Mall Meals

December 1, 2022 by monica Leave a Comment

DUBAI THALI MEALS authentic value for money Indian food

What are Dubai Thali Meals all about then?

UPDATE DECEMBER 2022: NEW THALI LUNCH ALERT

We really liked our Andhra (from Andhra Pradesh state) style thali in Discovery Gardens near the Jebal Ali side of Dubai. It’s called GODAVARI and serves both vegetarian and non vegetarian thalis. Be prepared to wait for a table at the weekend. Definitely worth the trip.

VEG AND NON VEG MEALS FROM GODAVARI RESTAURANT ANDHRA STYLE

Nice place to sit and super grocery shopping at the nearby Flavours supermarket! Blueberry boxes for AED 3 and Strawberries for AED 6!

Dubai Thali Meals are from India mainly. They are a complete meal served to you in separate little bowls all on one, tray style plate. Dubai Thali meals are cheap as chips but hugely authentic, and very tasty too. They’re great for hearty eaters as you can often have refills of your favourite dishes.

Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila Andrha Thali — Andhra Style Thali at Shree Krishna Bhavan in Karama

Quite often they’re also served on fresh banana leaves instead of china plates. Very sustainable and saves water and laborious washing up.

TIP

Do ASK for knives and forks if you need them else eat with your hands like everyone else!

TIP

In terms of timing, if you go on a Friday for lunch (much more sensible than boozy, overpriced brunches) then get to your thali place by about 12 or 12.30 pm else you may have to queue.

TIP

Rice is typically served at the END of the meal to fill you up, again you can have as much as you like IF you have room!

TIP

We like the Gujerati thali (Western India style) from Rangoli in Karama most of all. Decent place to sit and don’t forget to get some fresh eggless ice cream from Govinda’s restaurant next door after you’ve finished your spicy thali. Try flavours like guava or custard apple!

MONEY SAVING DEALS DOINDUBAI MONICA KAPILA Thali at Rangoli Karama Cafe — Gujerati Style Thali from Rangoli in Karama

If you fancy making your own easy peasy vegan ice cream with just 3 ingredients then listen to how easy it is on our vegan ice cream podcast.

Other Thali places include Venus Restaurant (Karama) Shree Krishna Bhavan (Karama) and Saravana Bhavan branches in Al Barsha near Mall of Emirates and Karama.

If you’d like seafood then try Dhe Puttu for your thali also Karama side of town. I still suggest you call before hand and CHECK they are serving thalis when you want to go. Often the a la carte items may not be available when it’s Thali Time!

Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila Thali Meals Venus Karama — South Indian Thali from Venu restaurant Karama

Expect to pay between aed 10 and aed 25 or so for a Dubai Thali meal

You can also get and should try South Indian dosas as well if you’re at one of these restaurants. We like the dosas at Sarvana Bhavan with branches in Karama and Al Barsha not far from Mall of the Emirates. Or you could go to Bombay Chowpatty at Mall of Emirates itself if you’re shopping.

A great alternative Friday breakfast brunch idea for the family. VERY REASONABLY PRICED TOO so treat your family and friends but leave your designer gear at home, it’s casual and comfortable style here.

Dosa at Bombay Chowpatty Mall of Emirates

Want MORE? Then follow us on @DoinDubai INSTAGRAM for more up to the minute ideas and do check out our Money Saving Deals page that links to the Dubai Eye Podcast

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October 20, 2018 by monica Leave a Comment

WALNUT GROVE An upmarket South African cafè in City Walk Dubai

Walnut Grove

Walnut Grove is a high-end cafè/restaurant from Johannesburg, South Africa that serves fresh, Mediterranean meals, juices, coffees and dessert style cakes.

Location of Walnut Grove

Walnut Grove is located on the ground floor of the newer section of City Walk in Dubai. City Walk itself is a mixed development of shops, restaurants, cafes and flats by established developer Meraas. There is easy parking in the basement. Walnut Grove is in one of the ground floor malls and you’ll be sitting near shops like American Vintage and Sandro. So it’s a bit like an indoor section of Marylebone High Street in London!

The food at Walnut Grove

We visited for lunch and ordered a Mamma Mia pizza and burrata salad. Both dishes were beautifully presented, extremely tasty and made to a high standard. Portion sizes are on the generous side but prices reflect that. So our 2 dishes could have fed at least three hungry people if not four with ease!

We asked for extra chilli oil to add to our pizza, this could have had a little more heat to it but was good nonetheless. I would have preferred a little less pomegranate molasses on my pizza but the combination still worked very well. We really liked the salty, flaky flat breads that came with our buratta salad.

We somehow found room for pudding and opted to share a portion of what looked liked a very fancy lemon meringue pie. Again this could have fed 4 people easily if you were having a dessert after a meal.

The lemon cream part of the pie was a little too sweet for me. The meringue was more of a cream than a meringue top.

Desserts in general are a little extra sweet in this part of the world I feel. So this is not a classic lemon meringue pie, it’s a much richer version.

Prices at Walnut Grove

Mamma Mia Pizza AED 95

Burrata Salad AED AED 96

Lemon Meringue Pie AED 45

There are plans to open another branch in Dubai Mall later in 2018 or early 2019.

This would be a great place for breakfast if you had a walk at Al Kazzan park opposite this bit of City Walk, or if you were shopping in the mall. Service was friendly and competent. I would go to Walnut Grove again probably for breakfast.

Breakfast is served from 8am to 12pm and I recommend the Smashed Avocado on Sourdough toast for AED 69. I am sure this would feed two people! Coffee is roasted in Melbourne, Australia.

Lunch and dinner come from a different menu and that starts from 12pm lunch time till 11pm at night.

Website for Walnut Grove

April 23, 2018 by monica 2 Comments

ITS A FOODIE WORLD DUBAI

PIERRE'S BAR AND BISTRO Dubai Festival City

Fancy French food with entertainment at the week ends.

DINNER REVIEW

We're in France first checking out a new born French bistro by the water. The high end Pierre Gagnaire restaurant on the waterfront level of the Intercontinental hotel (next to Fish House from last time) has had a complete make over and rebranding.

It's now known as Pierre's Bar and Bistro and serves mainly French cuisine. So yes you can expect Frogs Legs and Oysters on the menu! We tried the oysters but not the Frogs Legs on this occasion.

We also tried the Lobster tortellini, which while not strictly French is highly recommended.

The vibe here is contemporary fun, vibrant, grown up in a pretty sort of way. Check out the flamingoes on the ceilings and I think there is entertainment with a dj at the week ends. It's only just opened, early April 2018, so it was still a little quiet inside but quite lively outside with the music show.

All our table gave a unanimous Thumbs Up to the tuna tataki so thanks for making us try that one! Stand outs also included the tortellini we spoke about and interesting vegan aubergine caviare type dish that would have great to have with a few drinks.

I also really liked my baby squid starter with mushrooms and spinach in a French sauce that with their bread "course" is a meal in itself. Forget being Gluten Free here, it won't work at all!

Do leave room for the puddings here, because the chocolate souffle is superb, but at AED 95 with the pistachio parfait with some pretty berries will be enough for 3 to share, so that's around AED 30 each for some French desserts.

Lobster Tortellini AED 85

Tuna Tataki AED 80

Aubergine AED 60 (vegan)

CARINE Emirates Golf Club

High quality, contemporary Mediterranean food sensibly priced.

Great terrace.

DINNER REVIEW

Chef Izu from Nigeria named this new restaurant after his French wife Carine. So while the way to a man's heart is via his stomach, maybe the way to every woman's heart is to have a restaurant or boat named after her? But seriously good food here, reminiscent of La Serre and La Petite Maison, not surprising as Chef Izu worked at both places.

Try the burrata and fried calamari with courgettes. These are both dishes I would order again. Perfect to have as a light meal in themselves with some bread and the olive oil and balsamic combination.

Or have as starters before a main course. We had the roasted fillet of seabass with tomato sauce and sumac rice and the excellent lamb cutlets.

We also ordered and loved the rigatoni with truffles.

All of which I would order again. Get a table on the terrace. A great bar but no happy hour, drinks with those artisanal Fever Tree mixers are a bit pricey. I envy the people that live in the Lakes, Meadows, Springs, Emirates Hills development for this restaurant on their door step! When are you coming to Arabian Ranches chef Izu?

Burrata AED 55

Calamari and courgettes AED 30

Roasted seabass fillet AED 145

G and T with standard mixers around AED 55

NB The Tarte Tatin costs AED 95 and does take at least 35 to cook from scratch, but then there is enough for 3 people at least.

VIETNAMESE FOODIES JLT Cluster D

VERY GOOD VIETNAMESE - Authentic and tasty Vietnamese food by the water in a cafe type setting. Great prices.

LATE LUNCH REVIEW

We're in JLT eating by the waterside while it's still not too hot. This time it's naturally healthy Vietnamese food, so think summer rolls wrapped in thin rice paper pastry and bowls of steaming pho (pronounced fur) with chicken or vegetables.

A reasonably priced neighbourhood cafe that's worth trekking out to even if you don't live in JLT.

A Turkish man marries a a very well spoken Vietnamese lady chef who used to teach Vietnamese cooking lessons and the eaterie was the natural progression. Welcome to Vietnamese Foodies! We recommend you try the Chef's signature prawns and those summer rolls and some honey roasted chicken buns!

Finish with a cool, sweet but not too sweet glass of iced Vietnamese coffee.

You could still sit outside, but there is some seating inside, although this place is popular, despite it just being open 2 months (Feb 2018)

We'll let you know if they are going to be open during Ramadan. And if this has got you in the mood for Vietnam, then check out these Vietnam travel posts. Hanoi is Foodie Heaven!

ARMANI HASHI Downtown Dubai

Make a wish under the Cherry Tree at the Armani Hashi for Sakura Season.

DINNER REVIEW

You don't have to fly to Japan to see a cherry tree in bloom! Go to the Burj Khalifa, walk to the back of the Armani hotel and go to the W for Waterfront level in the lift and write a wish to tie on the cherry tree at the entrance to the Armani Hashi restaurant.

Not a newcomer to the show here's what we said about the Armani Hashi last time, but very appropriate to mention as it's cherry blossom time in Japan and visitors flock there to experience the atmosphere. The Armani Hashi has created a Cherry Blossom promotional menu and they've put the best sellers of their menu into one elegant, 4 course offering.

The starter course whets the appetite with the smell of truffle and pretty morsels of seabass carpaccio, shallots, edible flowers and ume mint dressing. The second course is all about tempura and the rock shrimps I think are a favourite of our region. Then the mains, really liked our Miso chilean seabass and the chicken and leek skewers. Of course all the cameras will come out, not just to take photos of your food, but for capturing those "look what you missed out on" moments when

a. the fountains start to dance in time to the music (and you are right in front of them)

b. the Burj Khalifa lights up!

Dessert, well just take a look at what the dessert is..

The Armani Hashi Cherry Blossom promotion is running from 10th April till the 11th of May, it costs AED 450 per person, great for a memorable night out. This menu is designed for a minimum of 2 people, but I think you could ask them if 3 people could share the menu for 2, making it excellent value.

You MUST BOOK though as it was packed on the terrace when we visited. Everyone of course wants to sit there.

Try one of their signature beverages - a Kumquat Caipirinha, I highly recommend it. Or take advantage of the half price drinks offer on the terrace from 5.30 to 7.00 before you eat.

Kanichiwa Cool at the Armani Hashi.

WE ALSO HAD A BITE AT

MASTI at La Mer - it's also licensed. An Indian that's a bit different down in Jumeirah 1, try the beetroot croquettes and the mushroom and burrata pizza, but the decor is delicious too! And if that's put you in the mood for more Indian then read our Delicious Reader Offer for a Wellness Vacation in India just 2.5 hours away from Dubai.

NEW SHANGHAI - a new Chinese all the way from Australia, now in Dubai Mall

CRAZY FISH is now open in DIFC.. as is CRAB MARKET.... as it a new Mexican called LUCHADOR at the Aloft hotel, also on the Palm, all as yet to try.

F O L L O W on the DoinDubai Instagram page to FIND OUT FIRST

Talking of restaurant food, which restaurant trends do you think need to go - for good? Fabulous article from The Independant January 2018.

Previous posts with lot's of good foodie ideas are here..

DoinDubai Eating Out in Dubai

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September 30, 2016 by monica Leave a Comment

ZAFRAN INDIAN BISTRO

Zafran Indian Bistro isn’t new but it’s relaunched it’s Mirdif branch with a brand new look, feel and menu. We’ve eaten there twice recently and really enjoyed it both times. Read about what we ate so you can have a good idea of what to order for when you visit Zafran Indian Bistro. It’s a home grown brand, not an import and it’s part of Dubai’s Landmark Group. Go now while it still looks fresh and new.

What to Expect Food Wise at Zafran Indian Bistro

Gaurav, the operations manager at Zafran used to work for the Maurya group in India and is very familiar with traditional North West frontier type tandoor cooking. So quite sensibly the focus of the restaurant is on high quality, classic North Indian cuisine with a good selection of tandoori items, both non vegetarian and vegetarian.

We tried the tandoori platter which at AED 78 was more than enough for 2 to share. The seekh kebabs were particularly good, it’s great the restaurant doesn’t use any preservatives or food colouring, so no nasty artificially coloured kebabs here! I also recommend the street food items of aloo tikki (served on a bed of spicy chick peas) and the new to me dahi kebab. Both of these items are vegetarian.

Eat whatever you like the sound of for main courses if you still have room, portions are generous! I recommend the Bengali mustard prawn curry and a home style daal. I also liked the saag paneeer, again a classic North Indian combination, often seen on Delhi tables.

For a bit of showmanship you may want to order the Zafran naan, the video tells you what’s it’s all about, and at this point greed got the better of us, but we managed to try the very good biriyani, both the vegetarian and chicken varieties.

Where is Zafran Indian Bistro located

The restaurant is located on the 1st floor of Mirdif City Centre, right next to the Platinum Fitness First gym.

Get some expert opinions on the food at Zafran Indian Bistro

Don’t take my word for it, get a few more views on what’s good and why here. A group of us had a special set meal here and we all had a slightly different take on what worked well.

THE TEZZY FILES thought:

THE VEGETARIAN SOUL thought:

MEGS BLOGGED thought:

DINEOUTDUBAI thought:

OMNOMNIRVANA thought:

THE SHAZ WORLD thought:

And we also spoke about our experience on The Ticket Dubai Eye 103.8 with Mark and Stef, LISTEN to the PODCAST here:

PODCAST 20 SEPTEMBER 2016

If you’d like to organise a Blogger Managed Event for your organisation, then email me, Monica at doindubai@gmail.com

Thank you Monica.

Al Habtoor City Restaurants Dubai would you know what’s open?

DUBAI THALI MEALS authentic value for money Indian food

What are Dubai Thali Meals all about then?