Kebab Grill: Bliss for office-goers

Dubai Have you been to Business Bay lately? Until last year, it had just a handful of dining options. Now the place is teeming with eateries and takeaway joints catering to just about every mood and craving.

One such outlet is a small, unpretentious Indian restaurant called Kebab Grill. Sharing a roof with a Chinese restaurant by the same restaurateur, Kebab Grill opened in August 2012 but can no longer be described as a hidden gem given its growing popularity among office-goers.

Come lunch hour and they descend on it from neighbouring skyscrapers in such big numbers that many often end up waiting outside or compulsorily sharing their tables.

So what is it about Kebab Grill that is drawing white collar workers to it like magnet? Food, price or portion-size?

As my colleague and I tucked into their epicurean delights on a recent afternoon, we realised it is a bit of all of these. The food is infinitely good, the portions ridiculously generous and the prices very affordable.

In normal circumstances, we would have gone straight to the starters. But since it was pretty hot, we decided to have a refreshing glass of mango lassi (Dh14) first. It was a good choice. The lassi tasted divine and paired well with the clay-oven cooked Chicken Tikka (Dh30) and Malai Tikka (Dh24).

But it was another starter, Afghani Chicken (Dh40 for a full plate), that simply took our breath away. Layered with mild Indian spices and cooked to perfection, the tender pieces of chicken left a lingering taste in the mouth.

When the main course arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the the size of the portions. There must be at least a pound of meat in each dish. Despite the enormous servings, both the Chicken Bhuna (boneless chicken simmered in a hot sauce, Dh34) and Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani (lamb and rice dish cooked in aromatic herbs; Dh38) disappeared in no time.

Serious consideration must be given to their vegetarian dishes too. I particularly liked the Palak Paneer (cottage cheese cooked with spinach, Dh30). You can have it with plain naan or butter naan, but we suggest you sample it namak mirch paratha (Dh5), which is essentially a layered bread flavoured with red chilli and salt.

The dessert section has traditional favourites such as gulab jamun, gajjar ka halwa and phirni, all within Dh10. But if I had any more room I would have rather downed another mango lassi.

DETAILS: Meal for two: Dh80

Location: Garden side, Executive Towers, No. H, Business Bay

Contact: 04-431 3604

Delivery and takeaway service available