Showing 1-15 of 15 results
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Antique Bazaar
As the name suggests, this deservedly popular Indian eatery resembles a wildly coloured antique bazaar, with dynamic Indian cooking to match. The preparations are classics, and they're deftly prepared. What really makes this place special is the combination of the food, raucous house band and Indian dancer. Note: bring earplugs if you're sensitive to noise.
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Buddha Bar
At last a restaurant that knows the power of good lighting. So what if it's too dark and the bmm-bmm music requires you to shout over the table? You're in the shadow of a giant Buddha, rubbing shoulders with Dubai's beautiful crowd, and you look fabulous in that new outfit. Oh, the food? It (nearly) measures up to the room - a mishmash of Thai and Japanese with a dash of Chinese - but really, who cares? Like I said, you look a-m-a-z-i-n-g.
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Chopstix
The surprise package of this unassuming four-star hotel, chef Richard and his attentive staff serve up classic Chinese dishes alongside more creative dishes inspired by his mother's cooking. Try the salty flavour sensation of his crackling spinach, devour some salt and pepper squid, and don't miss his crispy chilli potatoes.
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Creekside
Despite its name, there are no Creek views at this austere Japanese restaurant with overly bright lighting. But sushi cuts are thick and meaty, the chef's signature rolls inventive, and the tepanyaki table great fun for watching chefs throw knives as they cook. We like the expansive bento box at lunchtime, but at dinner the service needs help.
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Curry Leaf
Hoppers - crispy rice-flour pancakes with fried egg - best accompany the smoky-hot, spice-rich curries at this food-court Sri Lankan place in an electronics mall. A few Dutch colonial dishes round out the menu; try the lumpries (spiced rice with meat, egg and aubergine). There's zero atmosphere, but kids love to play in the adjacent fountain.
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Indego
Michelin-starred Vineet Bhatia is the consulting chef at this gracious Indian restaurant with a spacious and open dining room, lorded over by big brass Natraj sculptures. Though the recipes are traditional, the ingredients and style veer toward Europe. You might find a house-smoked tandoori salmon; pan-grilled sea bass with tomato and coconut; or samosas with chocolate and nuts. Note: unlike most Indian cooking, here plates are delicately composed and not designed for sharing.
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Iz
The modernist-feeling wood-and-stone dining room glows by candlelight at this tapas-style contemporary Indian eatery. The tandoori-oven specialties are perfectly executed - order the always-succulent skewered roasted prawns - as are classics like murgha tikka, aka butter chicken in a creamy tomato sauce perfect for sopping up with the fresh-from-the-oven bread. Sit at the open kitchen's counter and watch the chef's theatrics. One drawback: all those little plates add up fast.
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Karachi Darbar
A favourite of guest workers and expats with an eye for a biryani bargain, Karachi Darbar keeps 'em well fed with a huge menu of Pakistani, Indian and Chinese specialities - but stick to the Pakistani. Point to what others are eating and order - it's the only way to know what you're going to get. Fear not: it'll be good. Don't do Chinese or Indian here. No credit cards.
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Kiku
It's a good sign when the patrons in a Japanese restaurant are Japanese. Sushi is Kiku's primary focus, with fugu the signature, and here they're done right, with thick slices of off-the-boat-fresh fish. The classic shoji-screen decor is crisp and clean, but reserve a tatami room for more elbow room and maximum romance. For drama - and hot food - book a teppanyaki table.
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Kwality
The food is dependable and the service swift at this long-standing Indian restaurant (though the walls need a good scrubbing; sit upstairs). It's hard to go wrong with hearty portions of favourites like chicken makhani (butter chicken) or rogan josh (lamb curry). Good vegetarian options and tandoori too.
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Miyako
The coolly minimalist, compact dining room of Dubai's best Japanese eatery narrowly escapes being bland, but feels very Tokyo, with sleek surfaces of stainless steel and glass-enclosed shoji screens.
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Noodle House
Sheikh Mohammed sometimes lunches at this reliably good, always-packed pan-Asian noodle joint at the base of Emirates Towers.
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Options
Beaded glass curtains, tufted red-vinyl walls, and glittering crystal chandeliers set a Subcontinent-fancy mood at Indian celeb-chef Sanjeer Kapoors' Options. Though noteworthy for consistency, the kitchen's real excellence lies in the chef's exquisite spicing. Standouts include tandoori citrus-marinated prawns with green cardamom, cream and cashew paste; chicken tikka with saffron gravy and rose petals; and vegetarian slow-cooked black lentils with pomegranate, finished with housemade butter.
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Pinoy Grill
A friendly and welcoming intro the weird, wonderful world of Filipino cuisine, which borrows from Spanish, Indonesian and French, mixing pungent ingredients, like garlic and chillies, in sweet and savoury combinations not always tastebud-friendly to foreigners. But the menu is in English, and the super-fun staff will guide you.
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Ravi
Five-star chefs reference this legendary Pakistani cafeteria as their favourite day-off eatery. It ain't fancy - au contraire: expect to share your table with burly men. The kebabs are good, as are the simple curries, biryaniand (especially) fresh-baked bread, best washed down with yoghurt drink. Alas, the meat is tough (think mutton, not lamb): order chicken. No credit cards.
Showing 1-15 of 15 results
