In a country where mall dining has been elevated to something of an art form, it's refreshing to know you can still be surprised by the quality of the food on offer in our shopping behemoths. Whereas when it comes to a lot of mall food it's necessary to hit the shops before you dine - lest those calorie-laden treats distend your belly into ‘temporarily up a dress size' territory - you'll leave Zafran feeling as light as when you entered and unencumbered by the need to hit up the stores on an elasticated waistband mission.
The best way to describe things is that Zafran is kinda the Indian-cuisine version of Wagamama: the service is swift without being fast-foody; the dining room is buzzy and relaxed and the dishes are competitively priced and all about quality. It's no surprise then to learn that the restaurant is the brain child of Atul Kochhar - the first Michelin-starred Indian chef. It shows.
The varied menu allows you to pick and choose your way along your own culinary journey, with 38 dishes divided into Appetisers, Soups, Basmati, Tandoor, Zafran Specials and Curries - and that's before you factor in the extensive accompaniments, breads and desserts. And, oh, the breads! Carb-dodgers beware!
We dove straight in with the Karara Kekda - crispy fried soft-shell crab with apple and chilli chutney and lemongrass mayonnaise, and Bhalla Papdi Chaat (white lentil dumplings), which came in a pomegranate, yoghurt and tamarind chutney, just perfect for dipping the Garlic naan and Mint paratha we'd ordered into.
The Tandoor dishes are marked ‘suitable for sharing' and with King prawns marinated with lime leaves, Mustard and dill-marinated hammour and Cottage cheese stuffed with dates all jostling for our attention, we opted for the Malai Tikka - chicken breast with cumin ginger masala and cream cheese - and what arrived was four delish strips of subtly flavoured meat.
Naturally, the Zafran fish and chips are a must-order, and we loved their spin on the British classic, which adds mustard, saffron and chilli to the fish, and curry leaves to the potatoes - genius. A Tamilian fish curry (the curries are incredible) and some Raita to cool things off (plus a second round of bread), and all we had left to fit in was a Rose-infused baked yoghurt cheesecake and a Molten chocolate cake. Well, there's always room for dessert, eh?
Tasty trio: At Dubai Marina Mall
Café Blanc
Awash in white and turquoise and with crockery and artworks from Levantine artisans, this is one of the most relaxing and chic Lebanese restaurants in town. Named after the refreshing hot drink traditionally imbibed after a Lebanese meal, the food is both true to its heritage yet inventive, and we could pick our way through their pillowy bread and juicy grills for hours on end.
Location Next to New Look, ground floor
Timing Daily 10am-11pm (weekends until midnight)
Tel 04 434 2731
Carluccio’s
The mushroom pasta at this chic Italian chain is one of our ultimate comfort foods: the warm, buttery pappardelle and the four types of sage-flavoured mushrooms (patron chef Antonio Carluccio is famous for his love of funghi) make for a mouthwatering experience. Other faves – and the list is extensive! – are the wood-fired pizzas and the gooey, runny, rich chocolate fondant. We’ve just made ourselves very hungry thinking
about it all. The restaurant sources fresh ingredients – many straight from Italy – and sells an array of products in their deli. Next time you need truffle butter, this is your place.
Location On the Marina opposite Waitrose
Timing Daily 9am-midnight
Tel 04 399 7844
Noodle Factory
This pan-Asian spot serves up the greatest hits from the continent and the tick-box-style menu means we tend to over-order in a big way! We like the Fried rice, or Nasi goreng, the Udon noodles with lemongrass and chicken and the naughty but nice Duck spring rolls.
Location On the Marina opposite Waitrose
Timing Daily 11.30am-11.30pm
Tel 04 434 2701
