QUALITY IFTARS UNDER Dh200 TO SAVOUR IN DUBAI THIS RAMADAN
▶ One Carlo Diaz rounds up dining deals available in the city. From Michelin-lauded Indian food to traditional Middle Eastern fare, there are plenty of budget options to break your fast
UNDER Dh100 LDC Kitchen + Coffee
All five branches of the cafe are serving all-you-can-eat dinners for iftar. Diners can choose from a selection of all-day breakfast dishes, such as smoked salmon Benedict, oven-baked aubergine with shakshuka, French toast and buttermilk pancakes with crispy praline streusel.
There is also a selection of pizzas and pasta, as well as starters including chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks and lentil soup. The meal comes with unlimited dates and water, one soft drink and a scoop of London Dairy ice cream.
▶ Dh89; until midnight; various locations; www.ldckitchen.com
Dhaba Lane
The Punjabi restaurant is serving a four-course set menu for iftar, starting with dates, fruit chaat and dahi bhalla papdi chaat. Diners can then choose two starters, a main and a dessert, with options for both vegetarians and meat eaters.
Dishes include dahi kebab or vegetarian patties made with curd; chooza makhani or roasted chicken simmered in a buttery sauce; and almond flour halwa.
▶ From Dh65; 6pm-9pm; Karama, Garhoud, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Al Nahda; www.dhaba-lane.com
Yummy Dosa
The Indian restaurant has a four-course set menu offer for iftar. It starts with dates and fruits, accompanied by Ramadan drink Rooh Afza. Diners are then served a dosa, a starter and a pasta dish. The menu includes cheese burst pizza dosa, paneer schezwan and arrabbiata.
▶ Dh49; until 8.30pm; Discovery Gardens and Karama; @yummydosa
Wagamama
Branches of the Japanese chain have a set menu that includes miso soup, a main, a side, a drink and a dessert.
Diners can choose from dishes such as chilli chicken ramen, teriyaki soba steak or chicken katsu for mains. Side dishes include chicken gyoza, ebi katsu or Korean fried chicken. End the meal with either chocolate layer cake or white ginger cheesecake.
▶ From Dh99; from sunset; various locations across Dubai; www.wagamama.ae
The Coffee Club
Traditional iftar meals are available at the coffee chain with a set menu for two people.
Dishes include sharing platters of pomegranate and date salad, chicken wings, turkey pastrami and garden vegetables served with tahini yoghurt, mayonnaise and blue cheese sauce.
▶ Dh99 for two people; from sunset; various locations across Dubai; www.thecoffeeclubme.com
UNDER Dh150
Rohini by Little Miss India
The restaurant at Jumeirah Lakes Towers will serve an Indian thali with quintessential South Asian flavours for iftar. On the menu are dishes such as hummus topped with scrambled tandoori paneer, mutton seekh kebab, butter chicken, shahi murgh pilau and kalakand-stuffed baklava. ▶ Dh149; until 8pm; Cluster A, JLT; 04 438 0064
Marriott Hotel Al Jaddaf
The hotel’s Zabeel Ballroom is putting on an Arabian
Nights-themed iftar buffet, with dishes created by executive chef Alaa Moustafa.
On offer are whole roasted lamb ouzi, chicken kabsa, fish with sumac and daoud basha. There’s also a shawarma station and dessert corner, while a qanun musician sets the mood.
▶ From Dh140; sunset-8.30pm; Oud Metha; 04 317 7777
Cuisines
Those in Dubai South can head to this restaurant at Holiday Inn Dubai Al Maktoum Airport for a traditional iftar.
On the menu are samak harra, or oven-baked fish topped with spicy sauce; kibbeh bil laban, or meatballs cooked in warm dried mint yoghurt sauce; and dal makhani, or black lentils cooked in butter and cream. The meal ends with Umm Ali.
▶ Dh125; sunset-10.30pm; Dubai South; 050 213 3831
Seva Table
For a healthy iftar experience, head to the Jumeirah Beach Road restaurant. The sharing menu includes dates and olives, soup and several dips, including roasted pepper, roasted aubergine and beetroot hummus, salad, saffron rice and kofta tahini. For dessert, there is plant-based kunafa.
▶ Dh129 per person for a group of five or more; sunset-8.30pm; Jumeirah Beach Road; 056 534 2899
Bombay Bungalow
The Michelin-lauded Indian restaurant has prepared a set menu for iftar.
The meal starts with Arabic coffee, fruit and dates, followed by lentil soup and fattoush with sweet tamarind chutney, as well as a trio of dips: kadai hummus, hummus with fresh mango and mutabal.
For starters, dishes include mushroom empanada, afghani chicken tikka and black lemon and cardamom mutton. Biryani and a curry of the day are on offer for mains, accompanied by an assortment of breads. The meal ends with a tres leches cake.
▶ Dh110; from sunset; Beach Mall, Jumeirah Beach Residence;
800 692 8779
UNDER Dh200 Raw Coffee
Try an iftar for a good cause at this charming Al Quoz warehouse-turned-cafe.
Authentic Palestinian dishes are served, while the venue is adorned with decorations made by artists from the area. Floral-infused beverages and traditional drinks are being served and there is a dedicated retail area featuring Palestinian art and merchandise, including tote bags, shirts and pantry items.
A portion of the sales will be donated to Tarahum for Gaza through Red Crescent UAE.
▶ Dh195; Friday to Sunday throughout Ramadan; 6.30pm-8pm; Al Quoz; 052 698 8428
Besh Turkish Kitchen
As the name suggests, Turkish cuisine is the star of this iftar buffet at the Sheraton Mall of the Emirates.
All things Middle East-inspired are part of the spread, from hot and cold meze to succulent grills. Diners can sit indoors, or choose the Spartan tent on the terrace. Traditional Turkish tea is on the cards, as well as live entertainment.
On weekdays, the restaurant will choose a lucky table of four to enjoy a complimentary iftar during their next visit.
▶ Dh175; until 8.30pm; Al Barsha; 04 377 2353
Yalumba
The restaurant at Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre has transformed its outdoor space into an Arabian oasis to host a lavish iftar complete with regional and international cuisines. Cooking stations are scattered across the space, while an Arabic trio serenades diners.
▶ Dh165; until 9.30pm; Airport Road, Garhoud; 04 702 2455
Habtoor Grand Resorts, Autograph Collection
Enjoy an iftar under the stars on the hotel’s expansive garden lawn. Middle Eastern cuisine is on the menu with live cooking stations spread across the al fresco spot. Diners can indulge in hot and cold mezze, fresh salads and hearty main courses, as well as desserts including kunafa and baklava.
▶ Dh190; from sunset; Dubai Marina; 04 399 5000
Brasserie on 1
The restaurant in Holiday Inn Dubai Business Bay is serving Levantine dishes for iftar, including roasted lamb ouzi. Traditional Ramadan juices are also on offer.
Larger groups can book a private poolside spot during iftar. ▶ Dh150; sunset to 9pm; Business Bay; 04 871 6000
Millennium Plaza Downtown Hotel
The Sheikh Zayed Road hotel has brought its majlis back with an iftar buffet that rotates three menus.
There are 12 live cooking stations to choose from, featuring Italian, Indian and Asian dining options.
Middle Eastern and Emirati fare will also be part of the selection, including machboos and a regional twist on sushi.
▶ Dh199; until 9pm; Sheikh Zayed Road; www.millenniumhotels.com
Three rotating set menus are on offer at this City Walk hotel, with mainly Middle Eastern-inspired dishes. Starters include meat kibbeh, spinach fatayer, sambousek and cheese manakish, while mains include mixed grill and chicken moussaka with caramelised onions and sumac on freshly baked saj.
Diners can end the meal with orange blossom panna cotta infused with mandarin extract or Umm Ali made from milk, rosewater and puff pastry.
▶ Dh195; until 11.30pm; City Walk; 04 403 3111
QD’s
The Dubai Creek Resort restaurant is going the traditional route with its iftar offering.
The venue is serving Middle Eastern dishes, with hot and cold appetisers and mixed grills galore.
To end the meal on a sweet note, diners can indulge in Umm Ali, saffron rice pudding, kunafa and more.
▶ Dh195; until 9pm; Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht club; 04 602 1587
The Artisan
An Italian feast awaits at the Waldorf Astoria DIFC restaurant. The sharing-style meal starts with a platter of dates, home-made ricotta, caramelised walnuts and molasses.
This is followed by a Castelluccio lentil soup with black truffle foam and fresh marjoram, fried Patagonian calamari with chilli lime mayo or a margherita pizza.
The dessert is the restaurant’s popular cannoncini, a home-made crispy pastry roll stuffed with house cream.
▶ Dh165; from sunset; the DIFC; www.theartisan.ae
Chutney’s Restaurant
The Bur Dubai restaurant serves North Indian dishes at iftar, including tandoor-cooked bites such as murg malai, paneer tikka and gosht seekh. Popular curries such as butter chicken and rogan josh are also on offer, as well as five types of biryani.
For those craving Middle Eastern cuisine, the restaurant also serves slow-cooked lamb ouzi. Indoor and outdoor seating is available, with the al fresco spot featuring live barbecue and luqaimat stations. ▶ Dh189; until 10.30pm; Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai;
04 336 6000
The Strand
Diners looking for a Mediterranean iftar can head to this Palm Jumeirah restaurant.
The meal begins with a choice of soup: lentil, Moroccan harira or Algerian white chicken, all served with warm Arabic bread. A sharing appetiser platter follows, featuring beef kibbeh, sambousek and cumin labneh.
For mains, the restaurant serves slow-roasted lamb, chicken kabsa, grilled sea bass and halloumi and vegetable skewers. End the meal with either saffron milk cake or date nut cheesecake.
▶ Dh150; from sunset; Palm Views West; 04 430 221
Oak
This recently opened restaurant in Umm Suqeim offers an iftar menu inspired by Asian woodfire cooking. It includes two beverages, a salad, a soup, a main course and a dessert.
Diners can choose a soup to start, followed by fattoush yuzu salad. For mains, options include miso-grilled and braised chicken breast or Thai red curry lamb shank, accompanied by coconut or kimchi rice.
Desserts include sea salt apple and banana crumble, toffee pudding with Madagascar vanilla gelato and saffron tres leches.
▶ Dh160; from 7pm; Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim; 04 266 8979
Siraj
The Emirati-Levantine restaurant at Souk Al Bahar is serving a traditional iftar. On the menu is a selection of soups and salads such as fattoush and tabbouleh, as well as hot and cold meze. For mains, diners can indulge in mulukhiyah, machboos rubyan and kousa bil laban.
▶ Dh195; from sunset; Souk Al Bahar; 052 267 3840
Salmontini Le Resto
The French restaurant, which faces the snowy slopes of Ski
Dubai inside Mall of the Emirates, is offering an iftar with salmon as the star ingredient.
Guests can expect dishes such as a platter of garden vegetables, smoked salmon and California crispy maki and tzatziki for starters. For the main course, mixed grill and lamb shank with saffron risotto are on offer.
Desserts include pistachio semifreddo, Nutella cheesecake and apple tart a la mode. ▶ Dh179; sunset-9pm; Mall of the Emirates; 04 341 0222
Trattoria by Cinque
Head to this Five Jumeirah Village Circle restaurant for a traditional iftar. The buffet includes dishes such as lamb leg ouzi, chicken shawarma and an array of hot and cold mezze and salads. Desserts are also on the menu to end the meal on a sweet note.
▶ From Dh199 per person; from sunset; Jumeirah Village Circle;
04 455 9989
RSVP
Head to the Boxpark restaurant for a Mediterranean set menu. Starters include creamy potato and leek veloute, bruschetta with tomatoes and stracciatella drizzled with concentrated basil oil as well as Mediterranean meatballs in tomato and yoghurt sauce.
For mains, diners can expect lamb shoulder and chicken skewers served with pilau rice. Kunafa with a side of pistachio ice cream is served for dessert. ▶ Dh188; sunset-2am; Al Wasl Road; 04 265 5007
Beau Rivage Bistro
The European restaurant in Business Bay is going traditional for its iftar offering, complementing it with a live oud player.
Freshly baked Arabic bread is served with hot and cold mezze such as hummus, fattoush and baba ganoush. The menu rotates weekly, but guests can expect mixed grill options from shish taouk to kofta. For dessert, there is fruit, baklava and Umm Ali. A selection of Ramadan drinks are also available such as laban and jallab.
▶ Dh180; sunset-8pm; Grand Millennium Hotel, Marasi Drive;
056 682 9268