A couple of weeks ago, I received an email inviting me to Grand Barbeque. The name rang a bell, and then I remembered driving past the place ever so often on the way to Jumeirah Beach Road.
Located on Al Mina Road (bang opposite Ramada Jumeirah), the bright and inviting colours of the restaurant facade look every bit a dining experience for the family. The interiors are well-lit, clean and spacious, and despite being a Friday night where most of the tables were brimming with diners, the staff were ever smiling and went out of their way to make us feel comfortable.
The restaurant predominantly caters to Indian cuisine, but the buffet also has a wide range of Indo Chinese, Asian, Arabic and even Italian options.
Grand Barbeque offers a massive buffet selection. They have something for everyone, even the most discerning diners like my 5 year-old are covered! The restaurant goes well beyond barbeque options alone. Take their salad section for instance; it has 15 different varieties of salads, and these keep changing on a daily basis!
Carnivores are really spoilt for choice here. Grand Barbeque has over 11 varieties of non-vegetarian options! Apart from a few signature dishes which include their very popular Chili Chicken, every dish is changed on a daily basis so there is always something new to try.
At Grand Barbeque, they have vegetarians covered as well. There is a wide variety of Indian and Chinese vegetarian dishes, from mouth-watering paneer to Hara Bhara Kebab and even Singaporean Noodles.
At Grand Barbeque, there is a special section for little children. My 5 year-old was delighted to see they had chicken nuggets and chips on the menu!
However, her favorite section at Grand Barbeque was the ice-cream counter, and the chocolate fountain.
From mouth-watering Indian delicacies like Rabdi, Gajar Ka Halwa and Gulab Jamun to layered parfaits, dainty cupcakes, Arabic puddings and cheese-cake, the dessert section of Grand Buffet is heaving with naughty treats.
With such a wide variety of choices, it is impossible to try out each and every dish on the buffet. Here is a rundown on some of my personal favorites:
We were served these Tandoori Stuffed Mushrooms on the table. The mushrooms are stuffed with a spicy sauteed onion filling, and the aromatic tandoori masala is coating every morsel. The texture of these mushrooms is beautifully soft and silky, and I love the pop of complex spices in every bite.
If you love Indo Chinese, Grand Barbeque does a marvelous job! My husband and I absolutely devoured their Chili Chicken (one of their signature dishes that stays on the menu every day). Their other must-try Indo Chinese starters are the Hot Garlic Fish and Chili Garlic Prawns, absolutely delicious!
Originating from the North Eastern part of India, Hubby and I love Momos. Sadly very few places in Dubai do a decent job at a really authentic momo. We never expected to find it at a buffet counter! Loved their Seafood Momo along with generous dips into their chili paste.
From the salad isle, you really have to try their Pineapple Salad. I’ve never had anything quite like it. This is a salad featuring chunks of fresh pineapple, tossed in a chili dressing. Its ‘tropical meets Asian’, and acts as a perfect side dish, a respite from all that rich indulgence.
Grand Barbeque has a live chaat corner. I absolutely love chaat, the tangy-sweet Indian street food that comes in so many varieties, and wish I had more room in my tummy to have more here. I really like how the Bhel Puri is served inside a poppadom, it looks so quirky cool! And the pani puri is an absolute delight here. If you are a true-blue chaat fan, you will pick up those cutesie little shot glasses of ‘paani’ and do a bottoms-up!
They also do a really spiked, refreshing Jaljeera Pani! A perfect sip for all that over-eating.
However, my favorite drink at Grand Barbeque was their Lemon Mint. Tangy-sweet, smooth, and very refreshing, this drink tastes even better than it looks!
From the curries selection, I really liked Grand Barbeque’s signature Butter Chicken. The base was subtly sweet and creamy, and goes perfectly well with the Butter Naan that is served on the table.
The other must-try curry at Grand Barbeque is their Awadhi Mutton Curry. This deep, dark brown spicy curry with melt in the mouth chunks of mutton, has all the makings of a comfort food, and reminds me of my mother’s cooking.
If you love a good, creamy pasta, head over to the live pasta counter at Grand Barbeque. I absolutely devoured their cheesy white sauce pasta!
From the dessert isle, Grand Barbeque’s warm Chocolate Brownie, drizzled with melted chocolate sauce takes the crown. A sinful indulgence, this brownie has a deep moreish texture accentuated with the crunch of walnuts, and hits all the right spots.
Even though it was a buffet, the service at this restaurant is very ‘grand’ indeed. Sajid, our waiter for the night, insisted on bringing us samplers of every dish right to the table. Our plates were cleared every so often, and even our little girl was kept happy with generous helpings of ice-cream and jelly.
By the end of our gastronomic dinner at Grand Barbeque, Hubby and I were in a food comma! They really should have a soft bed with pillows on the premises 🙂 I ended my meal with sips of green tea in hopes of washing it all down.
The restaurant lives up to the ‘Grand’ synonym of its name. I wasn’t expecting the dishes to be this good, right out of a buffet. The selection is massively ‘grand’, and there really is something for everyone here. Best of all, Grand Barbeque is very pocket-friendly:
- Weekdays: Lunch AED 55, Dinner AED 75
- Fridays: Lunch AED 59, Dinner AED 79
- Children between 5 to 10: AED 29
- Children under 5 dine for free
Grand Barbeque also has private rooms for parties. Each hall can easily cater to a table of 30+.
Grand Barbeque is a great choice for when you have a really mixed group of people to feed. The spacious layout, the friendly service, and the impressively massive selection of very delicious food (really unexpected for a buffet service!) will get the approval of even the most pickiest of guests.
The restaurant has only been in operation for 5 to 6 months, and the tables are nearly always full! If you are planning a visit, I highly recommend you call 04 3555 404 to reserve a table first. Grand Barbeque buffet restaurant also offers valet parking.
Bon apetit!
The Tezzy Files 