From Pakistani kebabs to Indian biriyani to the tasty Yemeni mandi, each of these places have a story to tell of Dubai's love for world culture and cuisines. Time for tea in the old district, Al Fahidi. Ali Al Rais set up the Arabian Tea house after 20 years of travels around the world, calling it his little hideaway. The idea behind setting up the tea house was to relive the past. It opened in 1997, and remains an oasis of peace and calm where tourists and locals come time and again, to journey back to the city’s past and explore its cultural heritage.
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So while the focus is the brews, from traditional picks such as karak chai, Dubai Tea and Arabian night tea, to over 150 varieties of fruit and herbal teas, they also serve food. Along with selection of sandwiches, pastries, salads and desserts to go with your tea of choice, they also serve a Middle Eastern breakfast tray that has the hummus and the falafel, and this bridges the gap between Emirati and greater Middle Eastern cuisine.
Image Credit: Archive/Ali Al Rais with TV star Martha Stewart
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Woodlands, Karama, has been known for their Vada Sambar and Dosa. The little restaurant has a cult following in Dubai after more than 40 years. Best known for its unique 'home cooked' style food, you definitely don't want to miss this.
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Serving customers since 1968, the Joshi restaurant in Meena Bazaar completed 50 years last March and is known for mind-blowing thalis and snacks. The story started when Kaku Maharaj, (the now 60-year-old owner) and his brothers created magic in the kitchen. The food became a huge hit among the Bhatia community in Bur Dubai that they decided to start a restaurant.
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First to offer Chinese cuisine in the country, Golden Dragon Restaurant was born in 1976 and gained popularity among the residents for it's top notch Chinese menu and hospitality. Located in Oud Medha road, it serves fine Szechuan and Cantonese cuisine. From old favorites like golden-fried prawns and konjee crispy lamb to the recently introduced designer dim sums, everything is worth a try here. A fitting finale to the meal would be the crispy honey sesame noodles or one of the many exotic teas.
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UAE’s legendary Ravi. Chaudary Abdul Hameed’s quiet mannerisms, has been serving Dubai for over 42 years. Ravi has become a tourist attraction that visitors to Dubai seek out . Hameed arrived in Dubai in 1971 from Wazirabad in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Very much a part of Dubai’s culinary map, Ravi stands out as a success story that has relied on nothing but quality and simplicity.
Image Credit: Archive/The kitchen of the favorite restaurant
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You can find city’s most famous chicken tikka and mutton kebabs, butter chicken, mutton peshawari (spicy tender meat full of flavour), chicken biryani and the lassi (sweet yogurt drink) in reasonable prices and in a casual environment. Even now, the restaurant at Satwa uses basic tables and chairs, a plastic table cloth, simple white plates and polystyrene cups.
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Al Ustad Special Kebab in Bur Dubai . Formally known as Ostadi, it is a 40-year-old family-run Iranian gem. When you walk into Al Ustad, a popular kebab joint in the heritage neighborhood of Bur Dubai, the first thing that will catch your eye are the hundreds of photos that adorn its walls.
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Not just Indian Bollywood stars like Salman Khan, John Abraham and many more, thier patrons include royalty and celebrities from across West Asia, including Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai. What makes this Iranian kebab joint so popular is the ambience and the taste they dish out. Coming to the food you surely need to try the Chicken and Mutton yoghurt kebab, Zafarani chicken as well as the saffron and sumac rice. The food is affordable compared to other kebab joints. The cheapest on the menu is hummus, which will cost you seven UAE dirhams, while the most expensive dish is the Sultani dinner at 47 dirhams.
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Bu Qtair began aa a humble fish shack that began in Jumeirah in the 1980s cooking the catch of the day, to cater for the growing expat population. It existed in its previous life as a portacabin nearly 30 years, with cheap plastic tables and not even a toilet on the premises. It has now moved into its new location in Jumeira.
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This Dubai institution is a basic Keralan restaurant that specializes in just two items: fried prawns and fried fish. Chilli prawns and marinated hammour are the big attraction. The price depends on the type of fish and how much is ordered. Bu Qtair is one of the restaurants that leave a mark on you and you would want to go back again and again.
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Bait Al Mandi, Al Muraqqabat. Since its opening in 2001, it has become Dubai’s favourite for almost two decades. Traditional Mandi is a dish of baked meat and spiced rice , not a million miles away from the more widely known biryani, but a regional version, with local herbs and spices. The dish has its origin from Hadramaut in Yemen. A plate of mandi is good enough to serve two and they serve it with their special tomato sauce and fresh yogurt. If you haven’t already, gone, give it and try.
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Sind Punjab, Dubai's iconic Indian restaurant in Karama. Established in July 1977, the restaurant has through four decades stood the test of time only to grow in strength. Guruwinder Singh of Sind Punjab said the restaurant first started in Bur Dubai. The late Raj Kapoor and his wife Krishna dined here at the restaurant. Not too many celebrities leave Dubai without making a visit to the restaurant
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Sindh Punjab serves one of the best tandoori chicken, Biriyani and butter chicken in the Emirates. The spices are closely guarded family secret. They also serve popular Indian snacks and savories. It’s a great place to take your family for a dinner night.
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Savour Spicy Aromas at Calicut Paragon in Karama. The restaurant was started in 1939 in Kerala, India and they opened its first branch in Dubai in 2005. This place is famous for its coastal cuisines. So make sure your order a plate of spicy mango curry or some spicy fried maceral to be had with appams (type of pancake made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk). You can also order a plate of Beef Ularthiyathu (Kerala beef fry) and Mutton Ularthiyathu (Mutton curry) with a plate of Kerala Parotta.
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