Category Archive: Restaurants

Kulcha King: Authentic Amritsari Cuisine right here in the UAE

What is a Kulcha? A kulcha is a popular flat-bread made of wheat flour. It is baked in a traditional tandoor (an Indian clay oven), basted with butter and often served with chole (a chickpea curry) and a generous dollop of salted butter as garnish.

Amritsar, a city in the Northern state of Punjab (India) is well-known for their kulchas. An endless variety of kulchas have emerged from this region ranging by various stuffings. At Kulcha King restaurant itself, you have a choice between 9 different kulcha stuffings including vegetarian and non-veg options.

Kulcha King entered the UAE market just over 2 years ago, and has seen an impressive growth. The restaurant currently has 10 restaurants across Dubai (and one in Sharjah), and their latest branch is located on the ground floor of Flora Hotel (Barsha, Dubai right next to Mall of the Emirates).

We were invited to dinner at Kulcha King’s Flora Hotel branch last Thursday, and let me tell you their menu expands well beyond kulchas alone!

kulcha king barsha

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Flavours on Two (Towers Rotana, Dubai): Asian Twist Night

If you are on the lookout for a value-for-money buffet deal, ‘Flavours on Two’ in Towers Rotana (Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai) is the perfect bet.

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For AED 199 per person, the restaurant offers a three-course buffet inclusive of alcohol. To top it off, ‘Flavours on Two’ does theme nights with the menu taking an international makeover on a daily basis (check out the themes on this link). 

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#omnomnom at Nom Nom Asia

Located in the isolation of Barsha 1 (Dubai), Nom Nom is the little Asian ‘hidden gem’ that has been in the spotlight on social media in the past few months.

Perhaps its the quirky Instagram-friendly name, or the hashtagged chopstick logo. Perhaps its the influx of diners raving about the food and posting drool-worthy tributes. As a foodie with a genuine passion for South-East Asian cuisines, I headed to Nom Nom Asia last Wednesday night with the family to investigate on what all the fuss was about.

Nom Nom Asia Dubai review Al Barsha Indo Chinese Thai restaurant (2)

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Fume, Pier 7: The Neighborhood Eatery with a Quirky Edge

Pier 7, the signature circular designed building adjacent to Marina Mall, Dubai has made its mark on the culinary map. It houses 7 different dining concepts, each offering stunning views of the Dubai Marina skyline and the Arabian Gulf.

I was under the impression that Pier 7 was all about special occasions, fine-dining, and dressing up, but last weekend’s dinner at Fume (on the 1st floor of Pier 7) changed my views significantly.

With its bright red doors and blaring music, Fume is Pier 7’s casual, quirky nest. Saturday night, and the place was packed! At Fume, the vibe is welcomingly casual, and you see diners in shorts and jandals, and even suited executives who want to let their hair down.

Fume Pier 7 Dubai Marina review (1)

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Margherita Pizzeria: Now Open on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai

I had the pleasure of being a part of the launch of Margherita Pizzeria’s very first branch in the UAE. The newly opened branch is located on 123 Sheikh Zayed Road, right next to the Financial Metro Station (Dubai) and offers a tantalizing range of Neapolitan specialty dishes.

Margherita Pizzeria now open in dubai sheikh zayed road media review launch italian (8)

As a media invitee, we were treated to a smorgasbord of the restaurant’s signature dishes and ofcourse this included their Margherita Pizza!

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Biryani Muqabala: Mumtaz Mahal (Arabian Courtyard)

Biryani, the much-loved aromatic rice pilaf hailing from the Indian subcontinent, has since evolved into countless variations and every household has its special secret recipe, some handed down generations!

Mumtaz Mahal Biryani Muqabala 2015 Arabian Courtyard Dubai (1)

Mumtaz Mahal, the popular North Indian themed restaurant at Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa, honors the popular pilaf with an annual ‘Biryani Muqabala’ (‘Biryani Contest‘ in Hindi), and every UAE resident from all walks of life are encouraged to take part. 9 years since its inception, the ‘Biryani Muqabala’ contest received over 500 entries this year. After careful consideration, this was narrowed down to 7.

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Dinner Date at Cafe Bateel (The Walk, JBR)

The Bateel brand is one of the Middle East’s greatest marketing success stories. Pioneering in revamping the humble date into a gourmet treat, Bateel extended into cafe culture with Cafe Bateel. It’s newest outlet on The Walk, JBR goes beyond the cafe experience, and offers a full fledged three-course menu.

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The restaurant looks like a giant Arabesque-styled gift box, and the bright lighting and spacious interiors is very invitingly stylish. The newest branch at The Walk, JBR is the first of its kind to have all three Bateel concepts under one roof: the Bateel gourmet dates counter, the Bateel Bakery stocking freshly baked breads, decadent sweet treats and coffees, and the newly revamped Cafe Bateel section that offers a full fledged dining menu (and no, not everything on the menu has dates in it!).

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A Crabby Date at Chimes

My husband and I love Far Eastern cuisines, and were quite excited about getting an invite to the Crab Fest at Chimes restaurant. Chimes is one of those little street-side places you could easily blink and miss. The outer signage is old, fading and uninspiring and the gloom factor is exaggerated by the fact that the restaurant resides right at the bottom of Seven Sands, a towering hotel that has been shut down and is now dark and deserted.

chimes barsha dubai uae review october crab fest 2015

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3 New Foodie Discoveries: Jam Bar, Le Pain Quotidien & Jamaica Blue

As a true blue foodie, I relish the adventure of discovering new places to eat, and my walkathon across The Dubai Mall last weekend was no exception.

The Dubai Mall, for those of you not familiar with the UAE, has been listed under the Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest number of retailers under one roof. You can therefore imagine the size of the place… its humongous! And its a great place to window-shop and burn them calories while you’re at it! 

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Cafe Barbera: Now Open in Uptown Mirdiff Mall, Dubai

I was invited to the grand opening of Cafe Barbera at Uptown Mirdiff Mall (Dubai) last Saturday. Originating from Trentola Ducenta in South Italy, Cafe Barbera started its humble beginnings in 1870 where the Barbera family sold coffee out of a car.

Today, Cafe Barbera has over 53 outlets across the globe, and has a devoted fan following from coffee addicts who want the real Italian deal.

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The ribbon cutting ceremony was carried out by Mr. & Mrs. Mughrabi (Franchise Owners) , Giovanni Favilli (Italian Consul General in Dubai) and Enrico Barbera (CEO and Co-Founder of Café Barbera) on 26th September, 2015.
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