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/

Competition: The Guest

I have 5 pairs of tickets to give away for the premiere screening of "The Guest". To win the tickets, answer the following question in the comments section. Alternatively leave the answer in the comments (please leave your comments on the competition post only) on the iThink Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/ithinkdubai

Dan Stevens is famous for a character played in a well known TV series. Name the TV series.

Winners have been selected through a randomizer and the names of the winners are as below:
1. Faisal Khatib
2. Prachi Mehta
3. Tenzing Bhutia
4. Shekhar Mangnani
5. Kristofer Mariano
Winners can collect their passes directly at the cinema. Please carry a valid ID.

Please note that the U.A.E. rating for the movie is 18.

Movie Synopsis:

From the director of “YOU’RE NEXT” and featuring a standout, brilliant performance from Dan Stevens (“Downton Abbey”), comes “THE GUEST”: a tense, action-packed and unpredictable film like everything and nothing you’ve ever seen before. Empire Magazine called it “a demented action-horror hybrid of sci-fi conspiracy thriller and gore-fest,” and Vanity Fair said, “THE GUEST is big, it’s bold, it’s badass, full of flavor Hollywood wishes it could pour over its vanilla blockbusters.” 

Screening details are as follows:

Date - 8th October, 2014

Time - 9 p.m.

Place - Cinemacity, Arabian Center, Al Mizhar

The Guest is set to release in U.A.E. and the Middle East on 9th October, 2014.

Movie Details:

UAE Rating: 18

Running time: 99 min.

Genre: Thriller/Action

Director: Adam Wingard

Writer: Simon Barrett 

Stars: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe

Trailer link: The Guest Trailer on YouTube

Food Review: Lounge Café Italiano

Bringing Italy to Dubai would be nearly impossible but bringing Italian food to Dubai is something that can be done and Lounge Café Italiano has done just that. Located at Dubai Media City, Lounge Café Italiano is home to the much loved Italian cuisine.

During my visit to Lounge Café Italiano, I got the chance to try a number of mouthwatering dishes along with some delicious desserts. The menu of Italiano offers plenty of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Along with the food options, one has the luxury of enjoying football games or maybe catch a tennis match on the projector screen located at the corner of the café. There are other screens around the lounge café too.

The projector screen

Ranging from regular tables and chairs to extremely comfortable sofas, there are plenty of seating options available at the lounge café. The lounge café is huge in size and is perfect for a meal for two or a big group of friends alike. Looking for a relaxed dinner, I preferred dining in while seated on the comfortable sofa.

My dining seat

Plenty of seating

Starting with drinks, I opted for Gustoso. Gustoso is a drink with ingredients such as Almond milk and Avocado mixed with Peanut butter and white Chocolate sauce. The drink is refreshing and a bit on the thicker side. It tastes pretty good and is highly recommended.

Gustoso

Moving on to the starters, this consisted of two dishes. One being Baby Spinach, Avocado and Roast Pepper Salad with Pine nuts and Balsamic Dressing and the other was Sesame and Honey Coated Tuna Loin with Orange Salad. 

The Baby Spinach and Avocado salad was amazing. The freshness of the Avocado along with Pine nuts not only makes up a brilliant salad but it is healthy at the same time. The Balsamic Dressing has vinegar as the main ingredient it adds flavour to the salad. 

The Tuna Loin coated in Sesame is as good as its name. The salad tastes good and is another healthy option with the inclusion of Sesame and Orange. I liked the use of different tasting ingredients together. The different tastes come together to form a good salad.

Baby Spinach, Avocado and Roast Pepper Salad with Pine nuts and Balsamic Dressing (left) and Sesame and Honey Coated Tuna Loin with Orange Salad (right)

After dealing with the starters, it was time to move on to the main course. The main course consisted of three dishes; Saffron Risotto with Gold leaf, Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Sage butter sauce and Tuna with Eggplant and Cherry Tomato.

Risotto is a rice based dish cooked in broth to a creamy consistency. The broth can be either vegetarian (made out of vegetables) or non-vegetarian (made out of fish or meat). It is a common way of cooking rice in Italy. The Saffron Risotto was well cooked and tasted good.

The second main course item Ravioli is another traditional Italian dish which consists of two layers of thin egg pasta dough. The two layers have a filling similar to a dumpling. The Spinach and Ricotta along with Sage butter sauce maintained a good balance and the dish was pretty impressive.

Tuna was served with Eggplant and Cherry Tomato. While the Tuna was decent, the Eggplant was brilliantly done and the Cherry Tomatoes were fresh. I am not a big fan of Eggplant but the way it was cooked ensured that I did not leave any traces of it on my plate. 

From left to right: Saffron Risotto with Gold leaf, Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Sage butter sauce, Tuna with Eggplant and Cherry Tomato

My tummy was nearly full after all those dishes but I had some space left for dessert. My order for dessert was Chocolate melting cake with stewed Strawberries and Vanilla Ice cream. The Chocolate melting cake was brilliant. The cake was filled with melted Chocolate that oozes out once you take a bite of it. The Vanilla ice cream was yummy and the stewed Strawberries tasted good as well.

This dessert is something you don't want to miss. Do try it out and you can thank me later.

Chocolate melting cake with stewed Strawberries and Vanilla Ice cream

My overall experience at Lounge Café Italiano was good. The ambience, the food, the service, everything was upto the mark. If you are looking for Italian food or want to catch a game of football while having some good food, Lounge Café Italiano is the place to be.

Disclosure: I was invited to Lounge Cafe Italiano, therefore I have not provided any ratings for the restaurant. All opinions expressed are solely on my experience and are not influenced by the restaurant in any way.

Details:

Restaurant: Lounge Café Italiano

Location: Arenco Tower, Ground Floor, Dubai Media City, Next to AUD.

Contact No.: +971 4 4533318 / 800 ITALIANO

Website: www.loungecafeitaliano.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoungeCafeItaliano

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CafeItalianoUAE

Instagram: http://instagram.com/cafeitalianouae

Food Review: Rainbow Steak House

When I received an invite to Rainbow Steak House, I immediately accepted it and started researching about the restaurant on the internet. I was pleased to know that the restaurant was a part of Rainbow Hospitality that managed a number of restaurants across the country and were also a well-known name in catering services. After visiting their website - http://www.rainbowhospitalityuae.com/ I was looking forward to what the restaurant had to offer.

As I entered the restaurant, a welcome sign under a lovely setting of blue light was visible. The restaurant staff welcomed me and I made my way to my table. The restaurant has two types of sitting arrangements; one being the open area with the regular dining tables while the second one being cabins which seats approximately 4-6 individuals. Each cabin has a separate door which can be closed if privacy is what you want.

Welcome to the restaurant

As I settled down at the table, I ordered for a drink. I was in the mood to try something different and ended up ordering for a cocktail juice. Served in a stylish glass, the fresh cocktail juice looked amazing. The taste of the juice was good too.

Fresh Cocktail Juice

I had a choice between the A La carte menu and the buffet; I opted for the buffet so that I could try more dishes and give my verdict on the same. Before I walk you through my experience, let me allow informing you that the buffet includes Chinese, Arabic, Indian and Continental dishes, ensuring that it caters to the needs of everyone.

Starting with salads, I was amazed by the variety of salads in the buffet. A few of the salads in the buffet were Prawns Salad, Tabouleh, Russian Salad, Greek Salad, Apple Salad, Crab with corn, Coleslaw, Fattoush, Corn with Cabbage. I counted atleast 25 plus varieties of salads. 

A large variety of salads to choose from

I filled my plate with a little bit of salads from every cuisine type but at the same time ensured that I did not take too much since I still had the main course and desserts (my favourite part of any buffet) to go through.

I liked all the salads I tried. Each and every salad was fresh and tasted good. I enjoyed the variety of salads and did not take long to gulp down the entire plate.

My plate full of salads

Once done with the salads, it was time to head to the live cooking station. The live cooking station offers one the option to choose grilled fish, shrimps in different varieties. One can choose from regular grilled to Arabic to Spicy.

Live cooking station

In the need to try something spicy I opted for the spicy option of fish and shrimps. I was glad that I did go for the spicy option since the spices used provided a good flavour to the fish and shrimps. I loved the shrimps while the fish was decent enough. 

Spicy Grilled Fish and Shrimps

Fish and Shrimps were not the only items I tried in grill. I also got the opportunity to try grilled chicken, kebabs and some beef too. Served in a chafing dish and covered with a Romaali Roti, the grilled chicken and beef were cooked to perfection. The meat was tender, juicy and tasted good.

Grilled Chicken and Beef

After having all these wonderful dishes, it was time to head back to the buffet in order to try some items from the main course. The main course included varieties of Chicken, Turkey, Lamb, Rice, Noodles and Fish etc.

Since I had eaten quite a lot, I went for little servings of rice and yellow dal (lentil), Egg noodles, fried rice and some turkey. Just like the other dishes I had tried earlier, all dishes in the main course tasted good. I did however feel that the Turkey could have been better, no complaints though.

Main Course

I love desserts and I really mean it. Even after being somewhat full from all the dishes I had tried, I had enough space in my tummy for the desserts. With atleast 15-20 desserts staring at me willing to be eaten, I went for 6 of them.

I totally loved the desserts, they were amazing. My pick of the lot was Gajar Ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa - Indian Dessert). I felt the Eclair was excellent too. After eating all the desserts, I started craving for more but I stopped myself to go for any more servings. After thanking the manager for the invite, I headed back home happy and satisfied.

Yummy Desserts

My visit at Rainbow Steak House was a very good one. I liked the variety of dishes the restaurant had to offer as a part of the buffet. Be it salads, main course or desserts, everything tasted good and it did look like the cook had put in a lot of effort in each and every dish.

Based in Hamriya (Dubai), I would say Rainbow Steak House is one of the better restaurants if you want to drop in for a big buffet meal.

Disclosure:
I was invited to try the food at Rainbow Steak House, 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: Rainbow Steak House

Location: Al Khaleej Road, Hamriya, Dubai

Contact No.: +971 4 2398301

Website: http://www.rainbowhospitalityuae.com/Rainbow-Steak-House-Dubai.html

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RainbowSteakH

Instagram: http://instagram.com/rainbowsteakhouse

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: Which Wich

Now that everyone is fascinated by American Franchises opening in U.A.E., it was about time that Which Wich showed up. While Which Wich is pretty similar in concept to the likes of Pot Belly, Charley's Grilled Subs and Subway, it has a lot more to offer. Another added benefit of Which Wich is that it is more organized than its competitors.

Located at the side of City Tower 1 (Near Crowne Plaza Hotel) on Sheikh Zayed Road, Which Wich has to offer a range of sandwiches or as some would say Subs, along with some smooth Milk Shakes and freshly baked cookies.

As you enter Which Wich, you can see an area on the left hand side with a huge list of sandwich options and numbers from 1 to 10 on it. Each number indicates a category of sandwich. For example: 1 is for Turkey, 4 is for Chicken while 6 is for Vegetarian. Under each category, a number of sandwich options are listed. There are 5 sandwich options under each category, which gives you a choice of about 50 sandwiches. This means that one cannot complain about the number of sandwiches Which Wich has to offer.

The first step is to pick a brown bag from the number you choose and start ticking off the options one by one. You have to start by choosing from 1 of the 5 sandwich options. After selecting the Chicken Category, I chose Buffalo Chicken from the list which also included Chicken Tikka Salad, Chicken Pesto, Teriyaki Chicken and Chicken.

A few interesting drawings

Once done with this, one has the option to also choose whether they want double cheese or double meat. I didn't choose either. The next step is an important one and it is totally dependent on your choice and appetite at the same time. There are 3 different sizes of wiches to choose from - A small wich is 7 inches in size, a medium wich is 10.5 inches in size and a large wich is 14 inches in size. If you are not interested in having a sandwich, there is also a choice of Bowlwich or Lettucewich (A lettuce wrap).

Since I wasn't too hungry, I opted for a small wich. The next thing I had to make up my mind was on deciding whether to go for a coldwich or a hotwich (a toasted sandwich). I love toasted sandwiches and went for the hotwich.

Choose what you like

After completing these easy steps, it is then time for a difficult step. Why I consider this particular step difficult is because of the number of choices one has. There are more than 10 varieties of cheeses, 10 varieties of spreads and sauces, 3 types of mustards, 3 types of mayos, 6 different dressings, 3 types of onions, more than 10 types of veggies and about 7 Oils and spices to choose from. Which wich offers so much that one would be spoilt for choice.

After ticking off the options, me and my friend handed over the brown packet at the cash counter and paid for my sandwich. Since I wanted something sweet as well, I ordered a brownie. We were asked to take a seat and the staff would bring it to us.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Our order arrived in about 5-7 minutes. The sandwich was warm and tasted delicious. I loved the chicken and the fresh veggies used in the sandwich. However the best part about the sandwich was the Marinara sauce. The Crisps in the sandwiches added that extra awesomeness to the sandwich.

The staff was generous enough to give us a complementary Double Chocolate Cookie and a Cranberry & White Chocolate Cookie. I loved the freshly baked Double Chocolate Cookie, while the Cranberry & White Chocolate Cookie was good too. The Brownie however was just brilliant. Overall, justice was done to my sweet tooth.

Brownie, Double Chocolate Cookie and Cranberry & White Chocolate Cookie

I must add that I have also tried the Milkshakes at Which Wich on different visits. I loved the Oreo Milkshake and my friend speaks highly of the Vanilla Milkshake. The Milkshakes are thick and filling since it is only available in large size. During other visits and home delivery, I have tried Teriyaki Chicken, Chicken Tikka Salad, Chicken Italiano, Chipotle Chicken and Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwiches. I must say that I was impressed by each of these sandwiches.

On the whole, Which Wich is the perfect place for sandwich and sub lovers. It has a variety to offer like no other and with the Brownie, Cookies and Milkshakes it has to offer, Which Wich deserves a lot more loyal customers than it presently has. Dine in at Which Wich and you will understand why I speak so highly of this place.

Location: City Tower 1, Near Crowne Plaza Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai.
Contact No.: 00971 4 4409300 ext. 440
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whichwichuae
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WhichWichUAE
For further details and menu visit: http://www.zomato.com/dubai/which-wich-world-trade-center-area

Food Review: Shayan Restaurant

Trying a new cuisine for the first time can be pretty interesting and tricky at the same time. The reason for this being that one is not sure what to expect but there is a sense of excitement as well. I was going through the same emotions when I tried food at Shayan Restaurant at Al Ghurair Rayhaan and Arjaan by Rotana. I had heard a lot of Persian cuisine and was excited to try it.

Interiors of the Restaurant

As I walked into the restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by the ambience and the interiors. The furniture, the lighting and the setup was excellent. It was class with a hint of elegance. There is plenty of seating available and it won't be difficult finding a seating that suits your taste and preference.

Private seating area

I was shortly joined by other foodies before we started tasting the dishes. As we settled down at a table for four, we were welcomed with a traditional Persian drink called Doogh. Doogh is a yoghurt based salted drink which is a regular with Persian food. The drink provided a perfect start to the dinner that was to follow. 

Salad Shirazi

Within a few minutes, Salad Shirazi was placed at our table along with Kashk E Bademjan. Salad Shirazi is a traditional salad mixed with cucumbers, red onions, virgin olive oil and lime juice. The salad was simple and there is isn't much to say about it. Kashk E Bademjan is a special aged cheese curd mixed with grilled eggplant and seasoned with traditional spices.

Esfenaj Nargesi

After dealing with the salad, it was time to try a few dishes. First on was Esfenaj Nargesi (Seasoned spinach topped with sauteed onions and fried egg). I have never tried spinach and egg together and was not sure how the dish would taste however I must say that I was impressed. The spinach and egg went perfectly with each other and the dish tasted amazing. If you are one of those who don't eat meat but are okay with eggs should try this dish.

Gheymeh Bademjan

The other dish served along with Esfenaj Nargesi was Gheymeh Bademjan (lamb stew prepared with lentils, tomatoes and fried eggplant). The good part about the dish was the balance in flavours. I did like the dish but if I were to pick between the 2 dishes served, I would choose the Spinach dish over Lamb.

The main course

We had stuffed ourselves with the delicious dishes served to us as the huge main course tray arrived. It was quite a task to get through so much food but the entire main course was so good that we did not have to worry about any leftovers. The main course consisted of Joojeh Kabab Ba Ostokhan (Skewers of marinated chicken on the bone), Kubideh Ye Joojeh (Skewers of minced chicken breast, onion and saffron), Tikke Masti (Cuts of beef tenderloin marinated with yoghurt, saffron and Persian spices) and Kabab Shishlik (lamb chops, marinated in onion, black pepper, saffron and olive oil).

My plate with a mix of everything

The main course was served with 2 types of rice: plain saffron rice and yellow coloured rice with herbs. Every item on the main course was excellent. It was difficult to choose which item was better than the other. Aside from the rice, garlic and condiments were served with the main course. The garlic has a unique flavour to it and I loved it.

Makhloot

Finally dessert arrived at the table. Makhloot is similar to Faloudeh. The taste of Faloudeh is similar to Falooda. Makhloot (Persian iced noodles and Bastani Ice cream) is the perfect ending to any dinner. Due to the addition of Bastani Ice cream, the dessert is a delight for ones with a sweet tooth. However if you are not too fond of desserts that are a bit high on the sweetness scale, you can try something else.

Sharabet Albaloo

Something that impressed me as much as the food itself was Sharabet Albaloo. Sharabet Albaloo is a sour cherry cordial drink. The cold cheery flavoured drink was refreshing and knocked out any signs of tiredness of me.

Overall my experience was a good one. The decision to try Persian food ended up not to be a good but a great one. I would surely be visiting Shayan soon to try a few more dishes, what about you?

Details
Cuisine: Persian
Location: Al Ghurair Rayhaan and Arjaan by Rotana, Deira, Dubai
For further details visit: http://www.zomato.com/dubai/shayan-al-ghurair-arjaan-and-rayhaan-rotana-al-rigga

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