Hakkasan
Diabetic Diva: Hakkasan has provided me with a cool lunch experience in the past, but that was when the temperature was fine, and sitting at the gazebo on their water-surrounded terrace was a must-do.
When the Caveman asked, "Hakkasan for dinner?", I wondered. Cantonese cuisine can be quite greasy and stodgy but when he gently pointed out that our mission was to review restaurants that succeed or fail to cater to abnormal people like ourselves, I relented.
We were certainly not disappointed. We were offered a full preview of the Ramadan menu and the dishes came to us in a continuous line. The starters included a Wagyu beef and mushroom wrap, chicken and lotus root dumpling, Chilean sea bass shumai and a crispy taro rice roll.
While I picked delicately at the neat little bits of dim sum, the Caveman threw caution to the winds, peeled off the glutinous wraps and went straight for the fillings. The crispy taro rice rolls fell by the way side. They were deep-fried - a strict no no.
The Caveman had to be special. He ordered the signature starter: roasted mango duck with a lemon sauce. It looked picture perfect and appealed to our senses. Warm crispy duck, cool mango, and a hint of lemon - heaven!
The main course followed, with our Burmese steward Koko taking us through them one by one. The charcoal-grilled black cod was divine without the sauce, but the stir-fried Kung Pao chicken was too rich on the palate and was promptly set aside. The braised Wagyu beef with Sichuan pepper was tender with a spiciness that was not over the top. As for pak choi with garlic, it is always welcome in a Chinese restaurant, just like its cousin morning glory.
The highlights of my dinner were the Kowloon cooler; a fabulous anti-ageing concoction of ginger and every kind of red summer fruit in a tall glass and the natural green apple sorbet that accompanied the warm apple tart.
A great colourful platter of fruit raised the joy stakes. The Caveman had his satisfied Mona Lisa-smile on and I couldn’t help returning it.
I really liked my evening and Cantonese cuisine or not, normalcy-challenged patrons will find an exotic delicacy or two in Hakkasan’s gluten-free and shellfish-free menus.
Caveman: Even the most fiercely heritage-minded Arabs must long for a break from hummus, mutabbal and the other traditional dishes that have buffets groaning each Ramadan. Stop by Hakkasan instead for something different; their iftar is priced at Dh188.
Taking its name from Hakka, the coastal southern Chinese province that claims Deng Xiaoping and Lee Kuan Yew as its sons, the restaurant does amazing things with food.
To start, we were offered a choice of dim sum, including a delicious chicken and lotus root dumpling akin to a tiny bag of jewels and a stunning Wagyu beef and mushroom wrap (I know because I rather naughtily cut away the casing and simply ate the filling!). As a Palaeo lover, I was offered anything off the main menu, so I asked for an asparagus salad with a ginger dressing, and a starter of mango and duck. The former was fresh and pleasant, but it was the latter that was the star of the meal.
Reviewers have written of how memories of the dish haunt them months later and I now know why. Crispy, medium done slices of duck come alternated with chunks of mango and dressed in a thick lemon sauce. The result was an explosive combination of flavours and textures. Sweet, sour, savoury, crunchy, soft, moist, slightly chewy — all combined beautifully in a dish that left the taste buds singing.
After that, the mains, although good, could only struggle to match up. The chargrilled black cod was the best thing off the main menu. Despite asking for the sauce on the side, the fish worked extremely well on its own, cooked soft and flaky.
Dessert was a venture off the menu again, a platter of vibrant Asian delights: dragon fruit, mango, starfruit, passion fruit, which I washed down with High Mountain Te Guan Yin blue tea, another revelation that I will now demand from Chinese restaurateurs everywhere. Partly fermented, the mild, flavour-loaded brew provided a luxurious end to a very memorable Palaeo-friendly meal.
Delhi Darbar Restaurant
Diabetic Diva: This restaurant on Zabeel road in Karama is famously known for its biryani and its butter chicken, two dishes I have been avoiding like the plague since I cultivated the Metformin habit. However, I am on a mission to find restaurants that will cater to people like me with diabetes or like the Caveman who went Palaeo to cure his breathing problems.
Delhi Darbar did not fail my acid test. A nervous operations manager Danish Anwar confessed outright that he was not used to people with complicated food requirements, but after a few minutes he relaxed and told the restaurant manager to ensure we left happy.
The Caveman decided that the two of us should stick to lamb, chicken and vegetables, and forget the fish. I agreed strictly on condition that every dish was strictly low fat and any flatbread completely oil free.
The dishes came one by one, succulent Bihari mutton kebab, tender, correctly spiced and accompanied by mint chutney for moisture. The mutton cutlet took me down memory lane to childhood Iranian restaurants in Mumbai. The chana paneer (chickpeas and cottage cheese), the spinach and potato dish, and the falling-off-the-bones mutton in the signature biryani left me feeling satisfied but not stuffed. The only downer was the karahi chicken because it was too greasy.
I am not amazed that even at lunchtime on a weekday the place was abuzz with patrons focusing on the menu, which offers both Mughlai and Chinese cuisines. The brand does have a history of good food for the last 50 years.
Caveman: Surprisingly, it’s rather easy to do Indian food on a Palaeo eating plan. Granted, rice and roti are off the menu and you can’t control the vegetable oil, but the wide variety of grills and meaty mains mean there’s plenty to choose from.
Delhi Darbar, a Mumbai icon whose food has punters flying in from all over, is serving up such authentic classics as mutton samosas, lacy cutlets and falooda at its Dubai branch this Ramadan.
The mutton cutlets (Dh4), flat round burgers about four inches across, were exactly as I remember them: the deep-fried egg coating crisp and 'lacy', the insides tender and juicy. I follow that up with karahi chicken (Dh23), which although greasy was not overly spiced, and the piece de resistance, mutton biryani (Dh26), from which I picked out all the delicate, gently spiced meat, leaving the rice. I have a new biryani favourite now.
Since I'm off milk, we order a falooda, a tall cooler featuring rose syrup, ice cream, nuts, sweet basil seeds and vermicelli, for our hot and bothered photographer. It’s gone in minutes.
Although the staff was rather surprised initially, the restaurant catered more than adequately to our diabetes and Palaeo demands, and its signature Ramadan dish, a grilled foil chicken (Dh9) created by Swiss-trained chef Atif Mansuri, might fit both bills exactly.
Although it wasn't available the day we previewed the menu, the chicken promises to be both healthy and spicy, just the sort of thing you'd want after a long day's fast. Guess we'll just have to call the restaurant's catering service instead. Or indeed, drop by again.
Reem Al Bawadi
Diabetic Diva: Food from the Levant is a favourite. Salads, grills, fish… anyone who has enjoyed Lebanese cuisine will tell you that the words fresh and friendly (to the system that is) automatically come to mind.
The Caveman was delighted to go and check out the Ramadan menu at the newly opened Reem Al Bawadi restaurant at the Marina Walk. The place is decorated simply and is right next to the water where the boats moor.
We were disappointed that we did not get to taste the Ramadan menu but after we were promised the folk singing, dervish dancers and the saj (bread) makers, once Ramadan actually begins; we ordered a meal from the set menu and were most definitely not disappointed.
While sipping on my freshly squeezed sweet melon juice, I ordered the artichoke salad topped with freshly julienned tomatoes. The Caveman ordered the thyme salad. Fresh thyme as salad is unusual but it has a piquant taste and leaves the breath extremely fresh.
For the mains I couldn't resist the fresh whole sea bass on a bed of lightly sauteed vegetables while the caveman tucked into walnut kebabs, which were light and crunchy. No rice, bread or potatoes meant that the Caveman dived straight into the sea bass until there were just bones.
The manager of the restaurant, Monzer Al Saho, then insisted that we try the baklava (a Middle Eastern filo pastry dessert) and while we looked at each other wondering if it would be good for our systems, I tasted it. It was the lightest, flakiest Lebanese sweet I'd ever tasted and perfect for those who can actually eat the stuff.
I'm looking forward to Ramadan.
Caveman: If it’s Ramadan, it’s got to be Reem Al Bawadi. The Jumeirah road favourite of Arabian aunties and extended families is expanding across the emirates, its newest outpost brightening up the Marina Walk.
Amid all the vertical projections in New Dubai, the restaurant is a little piece of Arabia, a charming bit of authenticity in a homogeneous Globopolis. You can dine by the windows and watch the yachts come in or you can sit in the centre of the hubbub and puff away at a shisha.
Rab, as regulars refer to it, is best known for its elaborate iftar buffets (priced around the Dh120 mark), which feature both the ubiquitous and the obscure, but since we stopped by well before the holy month, we chose our meal from the standard menu, which will be rolled out for suhoor.
While the Diva imperiously demanded fresh fish, I looked past the hummus and shish taouk, lucking out with two rather unusual dishes. For my starter, I went with the zaatar salad, since I’ve only ever encountered this fascinating regional ingredient in its more common form: as a blend of dried herbs, sumac and sesame. The menu says it’s wild thyme, but since it looks and feels rather like rosemary, I was prompted to research it afterwards. Turns out fresh zaatar is a generic term that can refer to oregano, basil, thyme and savory. And what did it taste like? It was fresh, summery and exotic, what more can you ask?
On the Diva’s advice, she is a Rab regular, after all, I chose the walnut kebabs, which really were what they're described as: meat mixed in with crunchy nuts. The portions are large, I was served five skewers with a generous helping of French fries, and the usual grilled vegetable accompaniments.
To finish, our server set a tray of fruit in front of us. I dug in happily, piling my plate with cherries, apricots, strawberries and peaches, when the Diva tries to tempt me with the baklava, which she said was light, flaky and far from stodgy. Since I'm only gluten intolerant and can allow myself the occasional treat, I broke off half a piece, as it turns out, she’s right. As always.
Yalumba
Diabetic Diva: Better known in Dubai for its effervescent Friday brunches, when it comes to dinner, Yalumba serves world cuisine to satisfy every palate. The Caveman and I set out in my machine, got stuck in Sharjah-headed traffic and finally made it an hour late for a Ramadan menu degustation.
Syrian chef Maher Al Sahou served up the usual starters while our waiter Duminda brought us a selection of Ramadan drinks.Tiny sips reminded me that these are usually ultra sweet and syrupy, so I abandoned them quickly. I settled in with a red fruit fusion drink hoping I would not be bored and I am glad to report that it tickled my palate with sheer grace.
The mains were rice heavy and even so the chicken machboos (a dish traditional to the Gulf region) and the fish harra (spicy baked fish) saved the evening big time. The fish was delicate, the sauce spicy without the tears and the very finely diced capsicums gave it the crunch and mild heat. The chicken on the machboos (rice cooked in lamb or chicken stock) was crisp and tender and the Caveman ate a lot with the harra sauce. A dish of Dawood basha (beef meat balls) was also served, but kept the rice company.
Dessert arrived and we had agreed that we would pass, but, the presentation of the Umm Ali (Egyptian bread pudding) in a coffee cup prompted me to taste it and it turned out to be the highlight of the meal. Yunus Kader, the pastry chef, had created a floating islands version, loaded with pistachio and raisins with a dash of rose water in the mix. I had to stop myself from eating it all, but I strongly recommend it.
Caveman: Yalumba, at Le Meridien Dubai, is rather better known for its high-octane brunches and for its quality Australian food. But the same vibe that makes it such a friendly party venue through the year is perfectly suited to the month of Ramadan, which takes on a festive air here in the UAE.
Part of the restaurant’s success is down to its service, which we experienced in full during a preview of the Ramadan iftar menu.
But it’s the food we were there to report on, so let’s get to it. Turning down several sugar-laden drinks, I tucked into the starters straight away. The mutabbal was fresh and beautifully blended with tahina into a lovely smooth paste that worked very well with the accompanying pomegranate, and the fattoush, which I ate without bread, was strong and piquant, and took the heat off the summer day.
Of the main courses, I’d recommend two Khaleeji specials: the chicken machboos and the hammour harra. The former, as the Diva explained to me, is boiled and fried chicken served on a bed of rice cooked in the water used for boiling. I had a thigh piece first, and it was tender and mildly flavoured, with the skin nice and crisp. So good, I asked for seconds and thirds! The hammour harra was even better and was absolutely worth the journey over to Deira, especially for those punters who like their spice. Harra is a spicy sauce made from tomatoes, capsicums and chilli paste, and this particular version elevated the meal completely.
For dessert, I tucked into some fresh mango and papaya, but the Diva insisted on trying the Umm Ali, which she said was nothing like the standard offering. She then summoned the pastry chef and had a lengthy conversation about Arabian desserts before, to my surprise, congratulating him on a job well done. Divas can be so unpredictable.
Pompeii Italian Restaurant and Cafe
Diabetic Diva: Pizza and pasta are forbidden foods. The Caveman however goaded me to give Pompeii a try. We found it to be a friendly neighbourhood cafe with a wood-fired oven and guess what, a tonne of pizza and pasta on the Ramadan preview menu.
Fussy and picky, I was not amused. There was no fish on the menu. So I had a salad with mozzarella cheese and grilled salmon to start with, but my eye and palate were better appeased with an off-the-menu slice of the Parmigiana di Melanzane, (a parmesan cheese and sliced grilled aubergines dish) off the plate of the lovely Cheryl Vaughn, the director of the restaurant.
A balsamic infused salad leaf added to the exquisite taste of that morsel and helped restore the mood. Settling for the chicken cacciatore next I was disappointed again when told that I could not replace the roasted new potatoes with a side order of vegetables. I focused instead on the fresh fruit and the friendly conversation, which had gotten more animated as time went by.
Caveman: Given the amount of flak we get for eschewing refined carbohydrates, I was determined the Diva and I could find something to eat in an Italian restaurant. Would Pompeii prove friendly to diabetics and Palaeo fans? Or would we emerge smothered in the ashes of the mighty Vesuvius?
Turns out, there are some things you've just got to forego. If you're dragged along to a place that specialises in pizza and pasta, you're likely going to have to take what you can get. In my case, this was good old minestrone soup, off the main menu, and an entrée of, that's right, chicken cacciatore. The former was excellent, except for the large amount of beans. On Palaeo diets, beans are a no-no, so I ate around them, leaving a little pile on my plate.
The entrée was also quite nice. It was spicy, tomatoey and nicely balanced with a side of roast potatoes, although the chicken was a little more done than I like.
Carb lovers take heart: the restaurant’s pizzas and desserts come well recommended.
