Follow the light

Siraj brings a distinctive Emirati and Syrian touch to Souk al Bahar

Souk al Bahar has some of our favourite restaurants in Dubai, not just because of the food, but because many of them manage to deliver the whole experience. For me, that means ticking the three main things on my list — vibe ( because I believe it’s not just the ambiance/ décor), food and service. The trouble with most places in Dubai, and this is no mystic revelation here, is that restaurateurs tend to focus so much on the first, that the last two sort of live in the eternal shadow of the fancy tungsten lamps of post- modern designs that are all the rage now. Which brings us to Siraj — which means lantern — new to the Souk al Bahar block and no slouch in the ambiance tick box.

The moment you enter Siraj, you can tell that a lot of thought has gone into its theme. My dinner date and I are informed that the place is a mashup of Emirati and Syrian influences and it’s everywhere you look. The floors have beautiful old blue tiles typical of Syrian homes. The bricks used in traditional Syrian homes have actually been shipped over from Syria for the columns that hold the arches up, of which there are seven, representing the seven emirates of the UAE. Horses line one of the far walls — another Emirati influence. The walls have calligraphic inscriptions, which are actually verses of poetry written by HH Shaikh Mohammed himself. There’s quite a buzz too, and the restaurant definitely has character, which probably explains why it’s busy even on a weeknight. There’s an area for shisha outside as well.

Now, on to that second tick box, starting with the menu. It’s not expansive, but not small either, featuring some traditional Emirati and Syrian dishes, with a few oddballs like Canadian lobster, Wagyu beef, foie gras and caviar thrown in, because, we are in Dubai after all. I’m not too sure about the moral implications of eating Canadian lobster in a Syrian- themed restaurant in Dubai while Syria is ravaged by war... but globalisation. Apparently. We steered clear and decided to go for three different kinds of salads instead, two of which came rec-

ommended by the manager.

The Siraj Signature Halawa Salad, Warm Dates and Kale Salad and Shanklish Salad soon made their way to the table, accompanied by a Labneh with Smoked Salmon that we wanted to try, and an Eggplant Moutabel. If you like sweet salads, you’ll probably love the Halawa Salad. Sweet strawberries and nutty halawa made from sesame accompany tart pomegranate arils and caramelised nuts along with plenty of fresh crunchy lettuce. A big bowl of this could be a meal by itself ! But we liked the Dates and Kale Salad even more. The dates are tossed in ghee. Enough said. The Shanklish was overdressed and had way too much lemon. We also got a small sampler of Vegetable Samosas, Lobster Kebbeh and the obligatory cheese rolls. Our advice? Skip the kebbeh; it tastes more like cheap fish than lobster. But, the combination of sweetness and tartness in the mango chutney that it comes with is perfect for the cheese rolls and samosas.

For our entrées, we tried the Shrimp Majboos and the Chicken Biryani, both of which are visual treats. We tried the biryani first, and immediately felt it had way too much saffron, so much so that it overpowered all the other spices. We also found that the spices on the chicken were excessive and bitter. It was also rather salty. Honestly, it looked a lot better than it tasted. The majboos fared better and we would pick that over the biryani. The shrimps were a bit overcooked, or maybe left under the warmer a bit too long ( the rice had noticeable warmer wrinkling), but the tomato gravy had a flavour very similar to some coastal Indian prawn curries, just minus the coconut, mustard and curry leaves.

The desserts are fantastic. The Sticky Date Pudding is stellar. The texture is crumbly, almost like a semolina pudding, and it’s heady sweet. A must- try. The Rice Pudding is equally delicious — creamy milk, perfectly cooked rice and enough sweetness from the raisins and pistachios. Then there’s the 23K Gold Saffron Mouhalabia, a reimagining of a middle eastern flan like pudding, with cotton candy and gold honey ( that’s the Dubai touch, in case you’re wondering).

I can count on my fingers the number of places that satisfactorily tick the last box of service for me. Siraj does its best, with quick service, but it isn’t the most courteous or bright — one of the servers tried to clear my plate as I was attempting to eat my salad, fork in hand.

Being an Emirati restaurant, Siraj has a responsibility because there aren’t very many places in Dubai that showcase Emirati food. If done right, this could be one of the city’s gems. Here’s hoping they see the light.