dubai delights

this blog entry is five years in the making. five years in dubai and it's high time i feature some of the city's gastronomic delights, i call comfort food.

dubai is a great place to have a taste of everything. from biryanis to pad thais. from mandis to bibimbaps. it's a collage of delicious cuisines representing the different cultures within the city. 

where to begin. 

let's start it off with breakfast. of course. my top choice is Jones the Grocer in Sheikh Zayed road. an Australian franchise food market/cafe, that serves only the freshest. their eggs benedict and chai latte is worth waking up early for, and queuing for (it's usually packed). my fiance' had their big breakfast, with the sausages, bacon and eggs. for those who have bigger appetites.

then there's PF Chang's. my ultimate comfort food in dubai. home to my daily cravings. their dynamite shrimps. spicy chicken. mongolian beef. chicken lettuce wraps. stir fried spinach in garlic. shrimp fried  rice. are what my dreams are made of. like i said, im a sucker for asian food. their mocktails are not bad either. would have been better if they were not mock though.

as for my indian dreams, it consists of chicken biryanis, butter chicken, rogan josh and garlic naan. there's India Palace at the Walk, JBR or in Festival city, a bit high-priced but locations are convenient and ambiance is cozy. another place i feel is more authentic, and my favorite for my indian cravings, Manvaar in Karama, for Rajasthani food. 

Ravi a pakistani restaurant (satwa), popular with pakistani cabbies (a proof that their menu is authentic) is a must for everyone who wants to see (taste) the real dubai. mutton chops, chicken masala, palak paneer, roti, chicken tikka, biryani, only some of the best in their menu. 

Maria Bonita in umm suqiem is my go-to place for delish mexican food. their nachos machos (home-made tortilla chips with pinto beans, home-made guacamole, jalapenos and melted cheese), is my favorite of all nachos. the taco maya (signature dish of the chef) , two thumbs up. then theres the usual suspects, quesadilla, burrito, fajita and enchiladas. also serves non-alcoholic margaritas and pinacoladas. a charming little piece of mexico in jumeirah.

for my japanese cravings, there's Kisaku in Al Khaleej Palace hotel, Deira. voted one of the best japanese restaurants in dubai. a little pricey, but if you want quality japanese food, you have to pay top dollar. have the maki, sashimi, ebi tempura, and katsu curry. sake is a given. everything was worth every penny. 

im crazy about korean barbecues. there's something about grilling my food in front of me and eating it right there and then, and the side dishes of kimchi and salads that's appealing to me. bibimbap (rice toppings) is never missing in action in my korean meals. there's Shogun in Al Ghurair Centre and Sonamu in Asiana hotel, for only the best korean barbecue experience.

if there's a place serving the most authentic nasi goreng in town, i will sniff it out. i found Warung Betawi, a humble restaurant tucked in the streets of Karama. they serve better nasi gorengs than some of those i had in Jakarta. their nasi padang and soto betawi soup are equally good, too! hmm. now i know where im having dinner tonight.

being true to my roots, there's Barrio Fiesta in Burjuman and Max's Restaurant in Karama. personally i would rather cook filipino food if im missing home. but there's a few dishes i have to leave to the professionals. Like Barrio Fiesta's bagoong rice and kare-kare. 

best grilled chicken in dubai is from Chalet Restaurant in jumeirah beach road. the flattened chicken may be under their arabic cuisines menu, but it is most definitely perfect for my filipino palate. my perfect alternative when im craving for chicken inasal. yes, it's that good. perfect with egg fried rice and can be dipped in their garlic sauce or you can make your own concoction of soy sauce and spicy vinegar. don't stuff yourself with the free hummus and baba ghanoush just yet. you might order another piece of chicken after you've had a taste.

to celebrate dubai's traditional cuisines, there's Bait al Mandi in Murraqabat road Deira, that serves Mandi,  the traditional yemeni dish that's popular in arabian countries. it's basmati rice with either chicken or lamb, or both, cooked in spices. the way it's cooked is actually really cool. they dig a hole on the ground as their oven, the meat is suspended, and roasted, to achieve that perfect mandi-taste. you sit on the floor, use your hands and and the whole group gets to dig in to this giant plate of goodness. 

as for lebanese food, my favorite is Al Hallab. there's one in Dubai mall, overlooking the dubai fountain too, great for those visiting dubai i think. their arabic bread, first of all, amazing. hummus, tabbouleh and mixed grills, more amazing.

you can smoke some sheesha there too. but if you're in search for really good sheesha, there's Reem Al Bawadi in jumeirah road. and the ambiance there is more lively and traditional, which i love.

one more thing i love about dubai is how easy it is to find that right cup of tea. im a chai latte/masala chai/milk bubble tea person. one reason i enjoyed my trip to india and nepal so much, every corner is a masala chai possibility. but there's one place im crazy about, and im sure everyone is crazy about it too, if they sell 6,000 cups a day. Filli Cafe's saffron tea is a gem. used to be a hole-in-the-wall, now branches all over the city are popping out. we still love their no-frills branch in Al Mamzar by the Corniche.

so many reasons to eat out and enjoy the desert. im on a hunt for that perfect food encounter. i have a feeling more food hunts will be inspired by this blog. i promise not to wait for another five years to write it down though. 

cheers and love from the sandpit!