It was a soup for the soul.
The restaurant, Rang Mahal by Atul Kochhar, knew a thing or two about making a crackling first impression.
Our iftar at the swanky fine-dining Indian restaurant began with a divine ghost aur anaj kee yakhani, a lamb broth that’s poured over broken wheat, a mound of perfectly cooked shredded lamb, carrots and infused with cardamom and fennel. You can tell if a broth is of good quality if it isn’t cloudy and has nuanced aromatic flavours. Here, it stood out on these two counts. Attention to detail was another highlight. The tiny pieces of carrots still had the crunch and went down smoothly with the warm liquid.
With such a strong opening, you wouldn’t be branded a culinary cynic if you wondered if the rest of the meal would match up to this exacting standard. We worried unnecessarily. Chef Amrish Sood knows how to fork out the flavours.
The kebab platter filled with zafrani jhingha, shrimps in saffron marinade, Kashmiri murgh tikka, the ever-reliable Indian staple with chicken smothered in Kashmiri spices, and raan-e-skiandari, slow braised leg of lamb seasoned with tandoori marinade, was a perfect union of taste, texture and grilled goodness.
The shrimps were nicely grilled in the oven and our knives sliced through the tender chunks of flesh with impressive alacrity, while the murgh tikka hit all the spice notes with its piquant flavours.
Here’s a piece of advice from an iftar connoisseur (OK, I exaggerate), the trick is to pace the meal out. Take a walk around the hotel block or go to the rest room to fix your lipstick, but make sure to take a break.
What follows is a main course of bowls of steaming curries made with chicken, okra, lentils and slow cooked lambed, paired with piping hot Lahori kulcha (flattened breads).
The murg rizala, a dish with a creamy white gravy that originated from Bengal and laced with a heavy Mughal influence, is a must try. Now don’t write off its white gravy as a bland, colourless nut-based paste — this was an example of confluence of flavours in a bowl.
The okra with a generous helping of sauteed onions and Indian spices was an ode to comfort food.
There’s also murgh dum biryani, chicken and rice cooked in Awadhi style, to be shared.
These are sharing platters and the quantity is lavish. The portions are hearty and its sharing style makes it a family style affair, albeit in a fine-dining space.
Here the best isn’t saved for just the last. Every course of the meal was consistently top notch. It isn’t overwhelmingly spicy and the warm staff always asks for your individual preferences — smoking hot or mild — before they prepare your order.
Our sumptuous meal was rounded off with shahi Umm Ali, a Hyderabadi style bread pudding blended with the Arabic dessert Umm Ali.
If you are a fan of Indian food and have just been paid, be sure to try this iftar.
The details
What: Rang Mahal by Atul Kochhar, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel
Credit card: Yes
Price: Dh325 per person
Iftar timings: sunset until 8pm.
Contact: 04-5128454
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FIVE OTHER IFTARS TO TRY
Where: Dubai Opera
What: This one’s original. Break your fast in this unique setting as the Dubai Opera auditorium transforms into a banquet hall for iftar, with live music, of course. But this is only on from June 14 to 25.
Price: Dh250 per person. Children between 6 and 11 Dh125 and children under 6 dine for free.
Timings: Sunset until 9.30pm.
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Where: DIFC Ramadan Majlis
What: A partnership between the DIFC and the Ritz-Carlton DIFC, the tent returns promoting the best cuisines from across the region. Think live cooking stations, authentic dishes and traditional flavours specially made for this time of the year.
Price: Dh215 for adults. Dh107 for children between 6 to 12, and children under 6 dine for free.
Timings: Sunset until 8.30pm.
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Where: Kahraman Ramadan Tent, Ajman
What: Located in the emirate’s beautiful Al Zorah area, luxury and spirituality is the focus of this tent, promosing the best Arabic cuisine and entertainment. Separate enclosures for VIPs available.
Price: Dh135 per person.
Timings: Sunset until 10pm.
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Where: Azur, Raffles Dubai
What: Family is the focus of this iftar, with a massive tradiitonal buffet at the heart of it. Iftar dishes include hot and cold mezzeh, fresh salads, lamb ouzi and Arabic mixed grills, as well as dedicated shawarma, manakish, soup and carving stations.
Price: Dh185 per person. Dh90 for children between 6 to 12.
Timings: Sunset until 9pm.
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Where: Pai Thai, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai
What: Want something a little different? The three-course special iftar menu at this Thai restaurant offers unlimited small dishes designed to be shared. All your favourite curries included.
Price: Dh250 per person.
Timings: 6.30PM TO 8pm.
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