A quick visit to Lucknow

Tas T. Budds goes on a journey fuelled by kebabs and biryani

Khater Restaurant, Dubai

Lucknow. The city of Nawabs, the city of culture, the city of gardens, imperial palaces and an amazing maze. A city where a long rich past lives happily with a busy modern present, attracting tourists from across the world.

Tourists who go home dreaming of magnificent buildings, awed by a majestic history. Tourists who go home with the lingering taste of kebabs and biryanis in their mouths and hearts.

The cuisine from Awadh (the ancient name) or Lucknow has its special flavour. Originating in the giant kitchens of the food-loving nawabs, Lucknowi food uses finely ground spices and is usually cooked slowly. The food has travelled across the world and is now stopping for a special promotion in a Dubai restaurant.

And that's where we were: in Khater, a no-nonsense Indian restaurant in Dubai specialising in Lucknowi cuisine.

Khater has had a change of management. The restaurant has been spruced up, the menu is being tweaked and the said promotion - in association with London Dairy - has been launched.

The restaurant is running a series of "days" until October 14. On Saturday, women get 50 per cent off for lunch and dinner (until 9pm). One diner eats for free on a Sunday, if he/she dines as a couple.

On Monday, a diner orders a kebab and biryani and gets a dish free. If he spends over Dh100 on Tuesday he gets a meal for two free. On Wednesday he gets a dessert free. A family dining on Thursday gets a discount. On Friday, children can get giveaways from London Dairy.

The promotion will undoubtedly get new guests and bring back old clients. But we were there frankly, because of the food.

Khater has always served a good Indian meal, traditional and tasty. I'm glad to report the food remains good. It has also toned down on spices and oils.

Food remains spicy, but not tongue-burningly so. To be fair, most pure Indian food - as opposed to fusion - IS this spicy.

We said we'd taste the kebabs, since the kebab is a staple - and a yardstick - of Lucknowi food.

They came in pretty wooden platters, garnished with cucumbers, carrots and onions. First, the mutton kebabs. A tasty Shami, the minced mutton blended with spices and herbs and shallow fried, giving it a nice crunchy coating. Galawati, the mutton again minced, but this time grilled. Lucknow Seekh, the minced mutton blended with herbs and spices, barbecued on a slow coal fire. And the king of them all - Barrah Kebab. Marinated mutton chops grilled in a charcoal oven, the little axes of meat very juicy and just rightly spicy.

We took a break to drink some sweet fresh lime and soda and a fizzy jal jeera (a cumin drink). Then we began on the chicken kebabs. A leg of Tandoori chicken, an interesting brown (unlike the usual red), but quite nice. A pleasant Reshmi, smooth and tasty. And a plump Kalmi, grilled drumsticks with a heart of cheesy minced chicken.

We washed the kebabs down with more lemonade and then nibbled on speciality breads. The Lucknow Kulcha and the reddish Shirmal, both made with flour, milk, butter and more.

We ate bits of the bread with a creamy Dal Makhni and potato and cubed cottage cheese curry. And finally, we had the Dum Biryani.

Long-grained flavoursome rice with boned mutton, the rice delicious, the mutton soft. We enjoyed this hugely.

The food eaten, our hand washed in hot water bowls, we sat for a while, letting the food settle down.

And then we shared a scoop of caramel crunch ice cream. Not exactly Indian, but a fitting end to a meal on a summer's evening.

Khater offers a good middle-of-the-road food experience. Portions are generous and the price is very good.

Kebabs, for example, are between Dh10 and Dh20. Service was friendly and efficient. We enjoyed ourselves in the restaurant we've known for many, many years.