Food Review: 25 Degrees North

I am a bit hesitant when it comes to trying food from a new Indian restaurant. The reason for this being that I evaluate Indian food more critically than any other cuisine (being an Indian, this is something which comes naturally). However, being a food blogger means that I have to overcome any hesitancy and try new places. Therefore, when I was invited to try the food at 25 Degrees North, I did not turn the invite down.

Located at Bay Square, an upcoming commercial area in Business Bay, 25 Degrees North is an Indian restaurant that offers a wide range of Vegetarian and Non-vegetarian options. I visited the restaurant for lunch with a friend. As we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed with pleasant smiles from the restaurant staff. The restaurant was not too busy at that hour but does pull in a lot of crowd during dinner time on weekends (yes, I went there with a group of friends again).

The ambience of the restaurant is more like a semi-fine dining restaurant. The place is spacious and there is ample seating inside the restaurant. I did love the decor of the restaurant, especially the lights used.

As we settled down at our table, we were served with a sweet chutney based dahi (yoghurt) bhalla chaat sprinkled with sev and pomegranate. The bhalla had that little bit of a crunch to it and the chaat item was a bit on the sweeter side. I like sweet chutney so I did like the chaat item.

As we were placing our order for the starters, something on the menu caught my eye. This dish was Palak Patta Chaat (Spinach leaf chaat). I have never in my life before tried any chaat item that is made of Spinach and it was something unique (couldn't give this a miss). The other starter we chose was a prawns based dish called Jhinga Mehrunnisa. My order for drinks was a Mango Lassi.

Even before the starters came out, we were served with Papads (or popadums) with 4 different chutneys or sauces (Mint Chutney, Mango Chutney, Tamarind Chutney and Pickle). This is pretty much a standard when it comes to most Indian semi-fine dining and fine dining restaurants. The chutneys were pretty good, especially the mango one. 

The starters arrived and I was amazed by the Palak patta chaat. It wouln't be wrong to say that it is one of the best chaat items I have ever tasted in my life. Spinach leaves are coated in gram flour (besan) and then batter fried. These are topped with Yoghurt, mint chutney and sweet chutney. This is then topped with some sev and pomegranate seeds. It is the perfect balance of flavours. Since the spinach leaves are fried, the leaves are crunchy. The Yoghurt and chutneys give it a bit of a tangy, sweet and a bit of spice at the same time. This is a must try.

The second starter Jhinga Mehrunnisa is served in shot glasses and is marinated in a special marination prepared by the chef. The Prawns are served with mint chutney. The dish is a bit on the spicy side and the Prawns (Jhinga) tasted fresh. The mango lassi was pretty good too. It was refreshing and the lassi was thick (not too much).

Once done with the starters, it was time to order the main course. We wanted to try both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes so we opted for Murgh Kohlapuri and Paneer Makhanwala.

Murgh Kohlapuri is a chicken based dish which consists of chicken cooked in a spicy Kohlapuri curry. Since I can't take too much spice, I asked for a non-spicy version of the dish. The chicken was well cooked and the curry was rich in flavours and tasted good, however I felt that I made a mistake by ordering a non-spicy version of it. The reason for this being that spice is the essence of the dish and by removing that, it was quite evident that the curry lacked that punch to make it an amazing dish. That being said, the dish still tasted good.

The second main course Paneer Makhanwala was our vegetarian dish. The butter based curry tasted good but I was not too excited by the Paneer itself. It was the only dish that failed to make an impact. I did communicate this to the staff and the chef came to see me in person. I was really impressed by this. The cook did understand the issue and promised me that he would do something about it going forward.

After having such a heavy but satisfying meal, I still had some room for dessert and ordered for Jalebi with Rabdi. Jalebi is a dessert that is pretty famous in India and is really sweet, since it is dipped into a sugar syrup after it is deep fried. It is usually eaten alone or is served with Rabdi which is a creamy milk based dessert. When served with Jalebi, Rabdi is usually not to sweet in order to balance the high amount of sweetness of the Jalebi. The dessert is one of my favourites and 25 Degrees North does justice to it. The presentation and the taste of the dessert is excellent and I couldn't have asked for a better ending to the meal.

Overall I was impressed by 25 degrees north and for me the highlight of the meal was the Palak Patta Chaat. This is a dish, I will not be able to forget for quite some time. The staff was friendly and willing to make improvements whereever possible to enhance the experience of the customers. 

The feel of the restaurant might be a semi-fine dining one but the prices of the dishes are really good and it is by no doubt total value for money. I would surely be visiting the restaurant in the coming months to try more dishes.

Disclosure:

I was invited to try the food at 25 Degrees North, therefore I have not provided any ratings for the restaurant. All opinions expressed are solely based on my experience and are not influenced by the restaurant or its management in any way.

Details:

Restaurant: 25 Degrees North

Location: BB07 Bay Square, Business Bay (The restaurant has other branches too. Search zomato for the restaurant listings)

Contact No.: +971 4 3607474 

Website: http://www.25degreesnorth.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/25degreesnorth

Instagram: https://instagram.com/25degreesnorth/

Food Review: Radhe O Radhe

My vegetarian friends keep complaining about how I miss out on reviewing "Pure Vegetarian" restaurants. It was about time that I answered their complaints; so I didn't think twice before accepting an invite from Radhe O Radhe. Located in the food capital of Dubai, i.e. Karama, Radhe O Radhe is a vegetarian restaurant that has its roots in Punjab.

The restaurant has a relaxed feel to it. The interiors are decent with enough space to fit in a few families. The music is not too loud and perfect to chat while you wait for your food.

Starting with drinks, I opted for the Mango Lassi. The Mango Lassi was thick and tasted good. The flavour of mango was eminent. I loved how the Lassi was served in a clay tumbler rather than a glass.

Mango Lassi

It is necessary to try "Chaat" (if available) at an Indian Restaurant as it includes Indian Snacks that bring together a blend of various flavours and sauces. I went for my personal favourite Pani Puri (known as Gol Guppa in Delhi). The puris used in Pani Puri are made in-house and are perfect. With the flavoured waters spicing up things, the Pani Puri can be rated in the top 5 that I have tried in Dubai so far.

Pani Puri

After having a few Pani Puris, I was ready to give the starters a shot. I left it to the restaurant staff to get me whichever starters they thought would be the best. The choice was easy for them and they got be Mushroom Kundan Taara and Soya Tikka Tandoori.

I have always tried Mushrooms and Paneer separately as starters or perhaps as main course however Mushroom Kundan Taara was a mix. Two Mushrooms stuck together with a stuffing of Paneer was hard to resist. The flavours were good and the taste pleasing enough to tingle my taste buds.

Mushroom Kundan Taara

The other starter Soya Tikka Tandoori was amazing. If there is one thing in vegetarian food that I can have on a daily basis, it is Soya. The beauty about Soya is that it can be used in multiple ways in different dishes and the taste would be different in each dish.

Soya Tikka Tandoori is juicy Soya with a balance of spice and flavours. It was probably the best dish I tried at Radhe O Radhe.

Soya Tikka Tandoori

Next on was main course and I was excited to see what would be served to me. The main course consisted of Soya Tikka Rara, Dal Makhani, Paneer Dhania Adraki, Pudina paratha and Missi Roti. Not to forget that I was also served Soya Tikka Biryani.

Both Pudina paratha and Missi Roti have a good taste but it depends on personal choice on which one is better; for me it was Missi Roti. Dal Makhani was fine and I felt that it could have been better while Paneer Dhania Adraki was decent too. The pick of the lot was Soya Tikka Rara. Cooked to perfection, Soya Tikka Rara was simply delicious.

My plate full with the Main Course

Even though I was pretty much full, I had to try the Soya Tikka Biryani as it looked amazing (picture below). Served with Raita, the biryani was pretty good. The rice was rich and the Soya Tikka just took it to another level altogether.

Soya Tikka Biryani

Going through the variety of dishes one at a time was fun. Yes, I was full within minutes but the flavours and the taste kept me going.

Of course, I did not leave before trying the dessert. My pick for dessert was Kheer. I was informed that the Kheer from Radhe O Radhe is the best-selling dessert and I wasn't surprised why. I was glad that I did leave some space in my tummy for the delicious dessert.

Kheer

My overall experience at Radhe O Radhe was amazing. I loved all the Soya dishes and would recommend them. The Kheer, Mushroom Kundan Taara and Pani Puri are worth trying too. The service is good and the staff friendly. I have already visited the restaurant again with a couple of friends and they loved the food. I shall be visiting them yet again real soon.

A few things that I learnt about Radhe O Radhe and would love to share are: The restaurant opened in July 2010 and specializes in North Indian food but does serve Gujarati and South Indian food too (Satvik Thaalis are available). The restaurant is known for its corporate lunch pack which is pre-portioned and serves 8 different items for AED 14. Radhe O Radhe has a branch in JAFZA too.

*The prices are as of the review date and are subject to change based on decisions made by the restaurant's management.

Details
Location: Opposite Day to Day supermarket near the General Post Office (GPO), Karama
Contact: 00971 4 4409300 ext. 379
Cuisine: Indian
For further details please visit: http://www.zomato.com/dubai/radhe-o-radhe-al-karama

Food Review: Goa Coastal Curries

I have always wanted to try Goan food but for some or the other reason, I would not get a chance. After pushing my family for a bit, I finally got a chance to try Goan food at Goa Coastal Curries. Based in Karama, Goa Coastal curries is owned by Satrang Foods (who also own Pind Da Dhaba).

The ambience and feel of the restaurant is Goan right from the music, to the paintings of the Goa market place and the map of Goa itself. There is ample amount of comfortable seating options available and you shouldn't have much difficulty in finding a place during weekends as well.

The Interior of the Restaurant

As me and my family settled down on our table, the menus were passed to us and I was handed over the task of ordering food. Before we placed our order for food, we were given a basket of bread sticks with olive oil to go along.

Breadsticks with Olive Oil

The breadsticks had that bit of a crunch in them (which I love) and tasted good. If the restaurant can work out a possible dip for it like a fava dip, it will just take the breadsticks to a whole new level. As I was pretty hungry, I didn't wait long and placed my order.

Salad Idalina

First on was Salad Idalina. The salad consisted of some bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes. The salad was not only fresh but is healthy too. The dressing is nothing fancy, just plain olive oil and lemon juice. As they say, sometimes simple is good, the same is the case with this salad. It may look simple but it definitely serves its purpose.

Prawn Goan Pulao

To ensure that waiting time could be kept down to the minimum, we had ordered main course at the time we ordered the salad. I simply love prawns and am a great admirer of good prawn dishes. In addition to this, I have heard that Goan sea food is better than Goan chicken dishes. This was the reason that I ordered the Prawns Goan Pulao instead of the Chicken version.

It was definitely a good choice. The rice was cooked to perfection and the prawns tasted delicious. The mix of both resulted in a tasty Goan pulao.

Pomfret Goan Curry

Goa coastal curries offers you the choice of traditional Goan Curry in 4 different flavours namely Pomfret, Surmai, Rawas and Prawns. Having already ordered a Prawn pulao, I avoided the Prawn Goan Curry. After a bit of confusion between Pomfret and Surmai, I decided to ask for recommendation from our server Tanveer. Tanveer recommended the Pomfret Goan Curry and I had no second thoughts.

I would personally like to thank Tanveer, who recommended the best dish of the evening. The traditional curry had all the flavours one would be looking for in a dish. The curry had the right amount of salt and spice. The Pomfret was perfectly cooked. The curry was brilliant and has become one of the best dishes I have ever had.

Chicken Xacutti

Chicken Xacutti was the second main course dish we ordered and the only Chicken dish. I am so glad that I did order Chicken Xacutti. This dish just like the Goan Curry had amazing balance of flavours and it was enough to tingle my taste buds.

We also ordered a steamed rice to go along with our main course. The steamed rice went well with the Pomfrey Goan Curry and the Chicken Xacutti. All main course dishes were a hit.

Kokum Sherbet

Since I had heard a lot about Kokum Sherbet, there was no way that I would give it a skip. Kokum Sherbet is the best drink to have in summers. Not only does it act as a coolant, it is also good for health and is rich in Vitamin C. The Kokum Sherbet served to us was totally amazing and refreshing.

My mom being a fan of Coconut water went for the Tender Coconut Water. The Coconut water was pretty good.

Coconut Ice cream

After having the main courses, we were pretty full but I decided to give a shot to the Coconut Ice cream. The Coconut Ice cream was the icing on the cake. After having a main course rich in Goan flavours, the ice cream served to be the perfect ending. The ice cream was rich in taste and the way coconut was used in it was commendable.

My overall experience at Goa Coastal Curries was a very good one. I loved the authenticity of the flavours used and every dish was just amazing. The ambience, the feel and the service was all good. If you have not been to Goa, this is the closest you can get to Goan food in Dubai.

Bill (for 4):
1 Salad Idalina                     AED 12
2 Kokum Sherbet                 AED 20
1 Tender Coconut Water       AED 12
1 Chicken Xacutti                AED 30
1 Goan Pulao - Prawns        AED 45
1 Steamed Rice                  AED 8
1 Goan Curry - Pomfret        AED 50
1 Coconut Ice-cream           AED 8
1 Mineral Water (Large)       AED 4
Total                                 AED 189

Details:
Restaurant    Goa Coastal Curries
Cuisine         Goan (Indian)
For location and contact details please visit: http://www.zomato.com/dubai/goa-coastal-curries-al-karama

Food Review: Mumbai Masti Juice Centre (MMJC)

How many times does it happen that you are hungry but just want to have something different, something Mumbai style. By Mumbai style I mean those sandwiches, juices and other stuff you got back home. All those people who have been to Mumbai will relate to this. If you ever had that craving and didn't know where to go, well Mumbai Masti Juice Centre (MMJC) is the answer to your cravings.

My order (during my first visit) consisted of Mozarella Sticks, Mushroom Mozarella Cheese Pizza, Veg. Paneer Cheese Grill and Pomegranate Juice. 

Mozarella Sticks

As I dug into the Mozarella Cheese Sticks, I was sure I was in for a treat. The ooziness of the Cheese and the crispiness of the Cheese sticks was an amazing combination. You would have tried such cheese sticks at a number of places but I can promise you that the dip served at MMJC, gives a totally different experience.

Mushroom Mozarella Cheese Pizza

Next on was Mushroom Mozarella Cheese Pizza. The amount of cheese used on this Pizza ensures that it does not fall under the category of a healthy option but its taste might just help you reduce your guilt. Having tried Italian style pizzas and American style pizzas, I can say that Indian style pizzas might not impress everyone but are worth a try. The Mushroom used in the Pizza, is fresh and tastes good.

Veg. Paneer Cheese Grill 

Veg. Paneer Cheese Grill was probably the best thing I ordered from MMJC. I must say that the grill sandwich is delicious. Fresh veggies used, a crisp bread and oozy cheese means that you are in for a treat.  This sandwich gets a thumbs up from my side.

Pomegranate Juice

Who doesn't enjoy a glass of fresh juice every now and then? MMJC does have some good range of fresh juices. Pomegranate, Sugar Cane (my personal favourite), Watermelon, Orange, Carrot are a few from the list of fresh juices MMJC has to offer. The Pomegranate juice I tried on this instance was good but not the best I have had. I think the season must be kept in mind when ordering a juice.

Overall MMJC is worth a try for its sandwiches and Sugar Cane juice. A place you can visit when you want to grab a bite and are looking for a place that is not sophisticated.

Bill (for 2):

1 Mozarella Sticks                                AED 12

1 Mushroom Mozarella Cheese Pizza     AED 18

1 Veg. Paneer Cheese Grill                    AED 12

2 Pomegranate Juices                           AED 30

Total                                                   AED 72  

Details:

Food Joint    Mumbai Masti Juice Centre

For location and contact details please visit: http://www.zomato.com/dubai/mumbai-masti-juice-centre-meena-bazaar
Like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MumbaiMastiJuiceCenter 

Food Review: Dosa Plaza

Can I have a dosa? This isn’t the right question to ask when you are at Dosa Plaza. As the name suggests, the place is a home to dosas. When I say home, I literally mean it as these guys have about 100 varieties of dosas. With so many offerings, you shall be spoilt for choice.

Dosa Plaza is an Indian franchise running for over 13 years and has about 40 outlets in 12 states of India, about 3 outlets in New Zealand and 2 outlets in UAE (don't miss the catch at the end of the review).

Dr. D and his amazing Dosas

It was around midnight when me and my friend entered the restaurant. We had to rush in order to ensure that we got enough time to enjoy the food, before Dosa Plaza closed for the day. The waiter was kind enough to point out some of the best dosas on the menu. This helped our cause and we were ready to place our order in less than 5 minutes.

Our order included a Mushroom Chopsuey Dosa with Cheese and a Paneer Corn Crispy Dosa. My friend pointed out that he wanted to try one of the milkshakes as well. He was pretty sure that the Butterscotch milkshake would be amazing. No arguments from my side meant a milkshake for each one of us.

Sambhar

Coconut Chutney and Tomato Chutney

Within minutes our first dosa – Mushroom Chopsuey Dosa was on the table along with the Butterscotch milkshakes. The dosa was served with sambhar and 2 types of chutneys – coconut chutney (white coloured) and the tomato chutney (red coloured).

Mushroom Chopsuey Dosa

The dosa was neatly cut into 3 pieces, making it easy to eat. The dosa was crispy, right amount of veggies, right balance of spices. The coconut chutney became an instant hit. It made the dosa more delicious. The sambhar was too good, so was the tomato chutney.

Butterscotch Milkshake

As my friend had pointed out earlier, the Butterscotch Milkshake was indeed good. It was smooth, not too thick, had just the correct amount of sweetness. Overall it was the right choice. I couldn’t resist ordering another one.

Paneer Corn Crispy Dosa

We weren’t even done with the first dosa, when the second dosa arrived. The Paneer Corn Crispy dosa was cut into 4 pieces and was much darker in colour, suggesting that it had been cooked using a bit more oil. Talking about taste, this dosa tasted good as well. It had a totally different flavour as compared to the Mushroom Chopsuey Dosa. The dosa size and stuffing ensured that we didn’t have any space left in our tummies. Please note that if you are health conscious and don’t want to add another inch to that belly, remember this dosa is tasty, yes very tasty but oily as well.

We had just finished eating and our check was already there, however none of us had ordered for the same. We knew it was about time to shut down and the waiter wanted us to move out as soon as possible without saying anything to us.

The restaurant sitting and ambience is similar to that of other restaurants like Bombay Chowpatty or Bikanerwala. This means it has a desi feel to it and the décor is nothing fancy. The dosas are tasty but not all that cheap when you compare it to other South Indian restaurants. It is one of those places where you can go with friends and/or family to have some fun and good vegetarian food.

Bill (for 2):

1 Mushroom Chopsuey Dosa with Cheese       AED 19

1 Paneer Corn Crispy Dosa                            AED 36

3 Butterscotch Milshakes                              AED 36

1 Water (Small)                                            AED 2

2 Sambhar                                                   No extra charge

2 Coconut Chutney                                       No extra charge

2 Tomato Chutney                                        No extra charge

Total                                                          AED 93

Details:

Restaurant           Dosa Plaza

Cuisine                Indian (100% Veg.)

Location              Al Reem Bldg., Amman Street, Near Carrefour Express, Qusais, Al Nahda

Contact                +971 4 2204265, +971 4 2204256

Website               www.dosaplaza.com

The Catch:

For all food lovers in Dubai who feel Al Nahda is too far, Dosa Plaza has a branch opening in Karama (near Pizza Hut) real soon.

A special mention to my Veggie friend, without whom I wouldn't have discovered this awesome Dosa place, Thanks.

Disclamer: All offers are as of the date the blog owner dined in at the restaurant. Any changes made to the offers are not the responsibility of the blog owner. Please check the offers with the restaurant before dine-in or take away.

Food Review: Bombay By The Bay

It was the extended weekend thanks to Eid and I was looking for a restaurant to dine at. Let me remind you that there is nothing better than a family dinner at a restaurant offering Indian food. I was pretty sure about going to The Walk, Jumeira Beach Residence and had heard a lot about Bombay By The Bay. So, Bombay By The Bay it was.

As I entered the restaurant, I instantly fell in love with the interiors. A lot of attention has been paid to the design and décor. The lighting and the ambience make the dining experience special. I loved the blue lights that have been fixed in the flooring apart from the other lighting.

Decoration at the Restaurant

The Blue Lighting in the Flooring

I have been to a plenty of Indian restaurants in Dubai and each one of them has a limited scope when it comes to non-veg. So when I sat down at the table with my family, the first thing was to run through the menu and check the variety the restaurant had to offer.  To my surprise, they did have non vegetarian items that other Indian restaurants do not offer. It wasn't in for much luck as my family refused to try prawns. We settled for Tandoori Fish Tikka and Tandoori Chicken (Full) as starters.

Different Style Papads

Even before the food arrived, there were two things that caught my attention. Firstly, there were no tissues on the table, a common mistake many restaurants make. We had to ask the waiter to bring us some. Secondly, the service is slow. It took around 20-25 minutes for the starters to arrive.

Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Fish Tikka

By the time the starters arrived, everyone was pretty hungry. I just managed to capture a few shots of the food before everyone started digging in (the Tandoori Fish Tikka wasn’t that lucky though). The Tandoori chicken was delicious. It had been cooked to perfection. Having the chicken with a mint chutney added to the taste. On the other hand, I felt that the Fish Tikka could have been better. Serving it with a different sauce would have helped.

My plate with Tandoori Chicken and Tandoori Fish Tikka

Since we knew that the main course would take time to arrive, we placed our order as the starters arrived. Dal Bukhara, Chicken Jalfrezi and Plain Naans made up our order for the main course. Our order also included a Green Salad.

The Green Salad was not at all ‘Green’. The only thing green in the salad was Cucumber. The other items included Carrot and Onions. I am not a big fan of Salads nor am I that health conscious but it is funny how a basic salad is named as Green Salad. The vegetables were however fresh and I did not complain any further.

Dal Bukhara

Dal Bukhara was just about fine. I have had tastier versions of it. It was a bit on the spicy side. What saved me from the spices was the Aam (Mango) Papad that was present on the dining table. To be honest, the Aam Papad was good. Maybe not the best I have tasted, but good enough.

Chicken Jalfrezi

Chicken Jalfrezi was pretty good. I liked the flavours and the mild spices. The vegetables in the dish added to the taste of it, making it yummier. It somehow gave me the feeling that the cook was excellent when it came to Chicken. 

Plain Naan

The Plain Naans were soft and just about perfect. They went well with the food.

Unfortunately I was too full to try the desserts. When I asked for the check, the waiter was kind enough to inform me that I would get a 20% discount on a RAK bank credit card.

My overall experience was good. I liked a few dishes while the others were just about fine. However the ambience and interiors were the highlight. The service might be a bit slow but the waiters are helpful and friendly. I would recommend this restaurant to those who like Non-Vegetarian Indian food.

Bill (for 5):

1 Tandoori Chicken (Whole)          AED 55

1 Tandoori Fish Tikka                   AED 40

1 Green Salad                             AED 10

1 Daal Bukhara                            AED 28

1 Chicken Jalfrezi                         AED 40
5 Plain Naan                                AED 70

Total                                          AED 305 (before discount)

Details:

Restaurant           Bombay By The Bay

Cuisine                Indian

Location              The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence

Contact                +971 4 4297979

Offers:

RAK Bank Credit Card    20% off on Total Bill

Mashreq Bank                20% off on Total Bill (Not valid on special days and valid on Dine in Only)

Disclamer: All offers are as of the date the blog owner dined in at the restaurant. Any changes made to the offers are not the responsibility of the blog owner. Please check the offers with the restaurant before dine-in or take away.