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Casual dining

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NOT QUITE FINE DINING BUT FINE FOOD IN DUBAI ANYWAY

UPDATED JANUARY 2014

Emirates Mall, like it or not, we all end up in Malls from time to time and there are a couple of places I would recommend. Best place for lunch in Emirates Mall is definitely the Armani Café on the first floor hidden among the designer alcove, stoneground pizza, burrata salad and coffees, great to share. Much less noisy than the ground floor.

Best spot for Food Court Dining in Emirates Mall : Ban Khan Mae Thai Kitchen, great food, shame about plastic cutlery, plates etc and the noise, but it is a food court.

Best casual Indian eatery in Dubai – Vegetarian: is definitely Kamat’s in Bur Dubai, it’s actually on Kuwait Street off Mankool Road, the long road between Satwa roundabout (Rydges Plaza hotel is at this roundabout)  and the road just past Burjuman, look for the Sharaf DG building halfway down Mankhool Road, turn here, avoid Saturday lunch, you’ll have to queue for ages! The best dosas, idlis and chaat, clean, tasty and very reasonable, treat your friends, around Dhs 30 per head for a 3 course meal. Check timings on Fridays www.kamat.com  Décor is not on the menu ! And if you have time, check out Fab India 5 mins away by car on Mankhool road, homespun cottons, silks, furnishings and clothes from an established Indian Emporium.

Best casual Indian eatery Non Vegetarian : Al Kauser on Khalid Bin Walid Road (Bank Street) Bur Dubai, great lamb seekh kebabs and fresh nans, this is not the best choice for vegetarians although the paneer kebabs are ok. Although this is an informal place, it is more of a restaurant than a café.

Best casual but authentic Japanese : Fujiya (not to be confused with Fujiyama) in Karama very near Lamcy Plaza not cheap but then it is proper Japanese  food, clean and spacious eaterie, don’t forget to stock up miso paste and spicy wasabi peas at the Fujiya supermarket across the road. Tel 04 337 4770 NOW CLOSED BUT THE SUPERMARKET IS STILL THERE. Reopened in January 2014, DoinDubai has yet to visit. 

Just next door to Fujiya is Puranmals,  an equally good Indian Vegetarian café that has fixed bench booth seating for 4 /5 people only per booth. Paranthas (stuffed Indian breads) only available in the mornings till 11am. Get there early and go to Lamcy cinema to catch the latest Bollywood Blockbuster, Delhi Belly seems to be eagerly awaited, I’ll do a post when it comes out !

ALSO TRY CREAM CENTRE (INDIAN VEGETARIAN) COUPLE OF MINUTES WALK FROM HERE

Happy Eating in the meantime!

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COOK OR CATER IN DUBAI

Dubai’s delicious temperatures right now (bar the last couple of days)  make for perfect soirées with friends in the garden, so far, so good – but what if you end up with a sizable gang,  do you Cook or Cater ?

Last Thursday a friend celebrated her birthday with a mixed crowd of friends, neighbours and family of all ages and nationalities, all of whom shared a liking for Indian food !

The chosen caterers were an old, well established, not wildly upmarket North Indian restaurant chain (2 branches that I know of, Bur Dubai and Karama) called Sind Punjab. We ate very well, and although I’ve never been to the restaurant itself, I would say it’s a seriously good option if you want to cater Indian style.

My favourite starter out of a large range was the Amritsari Fish (small hammour bites marinated with spices and lovage seeds and then lightly fried in a chick pea batter, followed by the vegetarian kebabs) But the piece de resistance was the

live dosa station. (very odd if you’re South Indian I know as typically dosa’s are eaten at breakfast, but who cares !) These lentil and rice batter pancakes with a variety of spicy potato fillings accompanied by fresh coconut chutney were expertly prepared live on the spot by a chef who has  worked in Dubai for 10 years but is originally from Chettinad in Tamil Nadu, South India.

There was a full on buffet with a mix of vegetarian and non vegetarian main courses after these mammoth and filling appetizers as well. So my advice is to perhaps skip the heavy main courses if it’s your first time catering and go for something a bit different from your usual Shwarma guy, try a range of hot starters and masala dosas instead !

The restaurant supplies all the food, staff and equipment required, so at roughly Dhs 40 or less  per head, my advice is to enjoy the weather, enjoy your guests, enjoy your food, enjoy yourself,

CATER, don’t COOK !

A friend has recently set up a great catering business serving authentic, reasonably priced authentic Indian food, she is also a great Indian cookery teacher, here is a link to a recent Ramadan menu, give Spices and Aroma a try and do mention you heard about her through DoinDubai, thanks Monica.

If you would like to add your service to this post – contact me 

 

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