With every one trying to outdo each other with their Iftar offerings this season, you sometimes just want to settle down to some hearty, fuss-free food at the end of the day. Petals, on the first floor of the Rose Rayhaan by Rotana on Shaikh Zayed Road is where you’ll find just that. It doesn’t make a big show about it, but it’s got everything covered.
The spread is international here with a focus on Arabic favourites. And there were a few standouts for me. Like the lamb brain salad, a Ramadan favourite. I’ve read far too many reviews where so-called food experts conveniently pass over this “exotic” dish. I’m no expert and I’m always up for trying everything once, culinarily-speaking. And I really liked it.
The consistency is like cheese, but it’s very rich in the mouth. Have it with a sprinkling of parsley and you’d be going for seconds, I assure you.
There are the usual suspects: hummus, fattoush, baba gannoush and kebbeh and vegetable samosas. But another standout among the hot food was the shrimp biryani. Not your typical Iftar fare, but a nice and very tasty addition. The Iranian mix grill was almost faultless, with the meat beautifully marinated and flavourful.
Since I came to the UAE almost a decade ago, I’ve tried really hard to like the harees — the ground wheat dish mixed with meat with a porridge-like consistency — but I have to admit, it’s just not my style. I’ll try it, but it’s not something I’ll order off a menu any time soon. I know it’s another Ramadan staple, especially here in the Gulf, so it’s included in the menu.
A dish i’ve come to love, though, is chicken mulukhiyah, another very Middle Eastern dish. The mulukhiyah reminds me of okra, which I love. And the way it’s always prepared here, watery and soupy with minimal spices, always reminds me of dishes back home in Northeast India. That it’s usually eaten with rice, is an added bonus.
Oh and after all these years here, I know now exactly how I like my Umm Ali, the bread pudding, a classic. My preference is slightly dry, thick but milky, and not too generous use of nuts and raisins. The one at Petals has just the one.
Details
Where: Petals, Rose Rayhaan by Rotana
Price: Dh149 per person. Children under 6 dine for free. Those aged between 6 to 12 get a 50 per cent discount.
Call: 04-3230111
