Dubai: There are possibly hundreds of fancy restaurants in town where you can get your kebab fix. But for a change we decided to sidestep these glitzy joints and focus on a lesser known place that offers almost equally splendid fare at one third the price.
One such hidden gem waiting to be discovered is Kabab Kolony.
If you were brave enough to eat from the street food carts in India or Pakistan (remember the kati rolls of Kolkata or the bun kebabs of Karachi?) you will relish this place.
The quaint little mezzanine level eatery in Karama combines the best of Indian and Pakistani cuisine and also pays homage to a key element of subcontinent culture – Bollywood. The walls are adorned with posters of classic Indian movies and vintage soap advertisements, lending the place a distinct old world charm.
The service is friendly without being intrusive and the menu is exhaustive and unconventional as it allows you to build your own roll by selecting your favourite bread, filling and sauce. No matter what combination you try, the bill won’t exceed Dh13. We sampled the chicken dhamaka roll and absolutely loved it. Next up was paneer tikka (Dh11) and mixed grill platter (Dh50) which had an assortment of kebabs including the implausibly tender seekh kebab, first perfected in the kitchens of the nawabs of Awadh, an erstwhile princely state in north India.
Served with piping hot parathas and two types of dips, they instantly reminded me of the street food back home. But why did they have to use polystyrene plates?
The dessert section featured zarda, kheer shahi tukda and gajreela, but I skipped it and instead went for a refreshing almond and pistachio flavoured milk drink called KK Special.
Besides a slew of combo meals, priced between Dh14 and Dh25, the restaurant also serves breakfast on Fridays. The non-veg option comes for Dh21 and includes chicken nihari (that’s a first for me), aloo bhaji, chholay halwa puri, kadak tea and lassi while the vegetarian option is priced at Dh17.
Details:
Meal for two: Dh60
Location: Opposite Spinneys, Al Attar Building, Karama
Contact: 04-358 3388
Home delivery areas: Bur Dubai, Karama, Mankhool, Jumeirah, Satwa, Sheikh Zayed Road
We recommend: Chicken dhamaka, mixed grill platter and KK Special
Our ratings (out of 5): Ambience 3, Food: 4, Price: 5, Overall: 4
