Mellow spices
A stroll around the lakes in Jumeirah Lake Towers after was what led us to The Yellow Chilli (045517007) restaurant. The casual dining experience promised by chef Sanjeev Kapoor held good. This restaurant caters to mid-range dining and I can say that my pocket was pleased by the end of the meal. And we found the parking gods to be kind (they allow free parking for a couple of hours) on our second visit there.
The food was quite enjoyable on both occasions. The wellbrowned mutton dish Bhuna Gosht hit the spot and was the best-received of the mutton (lamb) dishes on the menu. The Kashmiri-Style Mutton came a close second. Many of the chicken preparations went down well, so no complaints on that score. One standout was the raw papaya salad (Papaya Peanut Kachumber) that has a subtle Indian twist, and the serving size is decent too. Chicken in the avatar of Murgh Survedaar came with a gravy and subtle spices. The kebabs were tender, with fragrant spices.
For people who are not familiar with Indian cuisine, do try it out, especially since this restaurant ensures you are not out of pocket. A couple of useful tips would be: ask the serving staff to take the heat down a notch if they haven’t already checked your preference. Order assorted breads (paratha, naan, roti, etc.), so you can experiment with the cuisine. I usually order only two at a time, so that they arrive piping hot at the table. I have to confess that we were too full to order dessert — have to make up for that. We did order Masala Cutting Chai – a typical streetside strong tea that is served in small glasses. If nothing else, it will make for a quirky photographic memento of your evening.