Foods to try!

Nocturnal Doesn't this belong elsewhere? This is for suggestions are they relate to Dubai Forum.

abyssdesire Hey,
My following post is direct towards expats who are still lost in Mcd's and KFC world. I was like that for the first few months, but then I started trying foods I never had before and fell in love with them.
Lets begin...
Mandi : My number one choice if I am seriously hungry. It is a generous serving of rice with your choice of either meat or chicken. Fantastic stuff. Unfortunately, many restaurants are not doing them right. Best place to start is in Sharjah. They have some decent ones.
(20 AED+)
Hummous+Mutabbal : This combo is best with some bread. It is like a meal itself. These are mainly used for dipping or addons. Hummous is made of chickpeas, while mutabbal is made of eggplants. Some of you may know Mutabbal as Baba Ganoush. Can be easily found in cafeterias. When not in mood of a big meal, these two serve just right.
(12 AED)
Butter Chicken+biryani : I'm not much into Indian food, but this combo is the bomb. Best butter chicken is made by a restuarant called Ritzi Palm in Al Qusais area close to the hospital. I suggest trying it out.
(25 AED)
Kebbe : I fell heads over heals for this appetizer. Unfortunately, many places don't have the ones I like. The quest to find the best in Dubai continues.
(3-4 AED each)
Kashari : I'm sure I didn't spell and say it right. Its actually a dish you can find it in Iraqi restaurants. Its a mixture of rice, pasta, lentil, and bunch of other things. Very delicious. Best places are in Deira.
(10 AED plate)
Mansaf : This Jordanian dish is a delight. Though similar concept as Mandi, but it is far from it. It's rice with a piece of lamb. Comes with a sauce which is to die for. Find it in any Jordanian joint. The meat is so tender, it falls apart on first contact.
(20 AED+)
Falafel : There is this one small restaurant in Sharjah that sells the best falafel sandwiches. I can't remember the name of it, but if anyone knows anything about it please post. I live in Marina and I would drive there gladly to have some anytime.
(5 AED)
Fowl : It has a taste you need some time to get used to if your new here. It eventually grows on you though. Its a chickpea mesh. Best place to try is a place called Commodore (Corniche, Sharjah) open 24 hours
(5 AED)
Shorba Adas : Best type of soup. Available in pretty much all middle eastern joints. Request as appetizer. Its lentil.
(5 AED)
Persian Food : They are all about minced meat kabab and rice. I don't know their names. But man they are good. Head down to one and check it out.
(25 AED starting)
Chapli Kabab : Staying on Kababs, this is a specialty of Afghani restaurants, and only few selected ones. Ask for them if you do find yourself in one of those. You wont be disappointed. Utterly delicious.
(15 AED)
Tea (chai) : The best tea in UAE is served by one cafeteria on Itehad road (highway 11) going towards Dubai right before Al Mamzar. If you want to check it out, take Shaikh Zayed all the way down to Sharjah, cross Al Mullah plaza and then take one of the bridges and head back towards Dubai. There is a small "TEA" sign right before the Al Mamzar exit. Pull in and enjoy the best tea 75 fills can buy. I'm sure a lot of people know what place I am talking about.
(0.75 AED)
There are bunch more worth listing, but I have already passed my typing quota. Will fill in some more.
Happy eating :) desertdudeshj

abyssdesire wrote:
Hey,
Mandi : My number one choice if I am seriously hungry. It is a generous serving of rice with your choice of either meat or chicken. Fantastic stuff. Unfortunately, many restaurants are not doing them right. Best place to start is in Sharjah. They have some decent ones.
(20 AED+)

Also in Dubai Bait al Mandi on rigga or is it muraqqabat ?! 35dhs. But the best I've ever had is when a buddy got me some from Al Ain both chicken and lamb. Best mandi and sauce I've had in ages. 3 for 35 !

Butter Chicken+biryani : I'm not much into Indian food, but this combo is the bomb. Best butter chicken is made by a restuarant called Ritzi Palm in Al Qusais area close to the hospital. I suggest trying it out.
(25 AED)

Shamiana in most food courts also have really good butter chicken

Falafel: There is this one small restaurant in Sharjah that sells the best falafel sandwiches. I can't remember the name of it, but if anyone knows anything about it please post. I live in Marina and I would drive there gladly to have some anytime.
(5 AED)

Yes I love that place too, awesome falafels 8) Its near The fire brigade ( matafi ) r/a just next to Zulekha hospital. the hots ones just out of the frying pan are even more awesome.

Persian Food : They are all about minced meat kabab and rice.

LOL so true, so true. Name of the dish differs from where the kabab is placed on the rice. If the kebab is on top its a diffrent dish than if the kebab was placed on the side.

Chapli Kabab : Staying on Kababs, this is a specialty of Afghani restaurants, and only few selected ones. Ask for them if you do find yourself in one of those. You wont be disappointed. Utterly delicious.
(15 AED)

There is one in buteena that only makes chapli kebabs, Pathan resturant in Ghusais is so, so. Try thr new Kebab Afghani ( yes thats the name of the resturant ) in Ghusais for all thing afghani, specially there Kadai mutton or chicken cooked in a heavy tomato sauce. YUM !
As for TEA I'm still searching for some decent tea near discovery gardens, batuta mall area melika969 Mods are busy Nocturnal! you are a newbie! you don't know these things! abyssdesire Oh also, Best place for Mandi is "Bait Al Mandi" located in Sharqah and Dubai. melika969 Aby,do you know any good place for pasta? abyssdesire lol, being the food lover that I am. Yes I do. But you are in Iran. melika969 I am comig to Dubai, If u ever came to Iran I can introduce u all best restaurants here! desertdudeshj

melika969 wrote:
Aby,do you know any good place for pasta?

Sorry no resturants serve pasta with cholo kebabs and rice !
Just kidding :D melika969 Haha DD! Cholo means rice, so we don't have cholo kebab with rice! ;) ;)

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desertdudeshj Oops ! I worked for an Iranian resturant for all of two days ! And all I saw on the menu was rice and kebabs ! I thought cholo was some kind of kebab ? Didnt know cholo meant rice ! melika969 :) we have lots of other delicious foods,in fact Each area of Iran has its own cuisines. but in Irani restaurants abroad, all you can see is kebab. I, personally am not a big fan of kebabs ( we say kAbab) desertdudeshj I had a Saudi/yemeni friend who was transfred to Iran for a year. When he came back, he said if he see's a kebab again before he dies it will be too soon ! And yes we also call it Kabab, kebab is the anglican pronouciation melika969 I think your friend didn't have good guide DD. and you know some foreigners are crazy abt kababs. I knew this indian guy if you ever offer him any food but kabab, he felt insulted! maybe that's why my citizens served ur friend with kabab! ;) abyssdesire

melika969 wrote:
I am comig to Dubai, If u ever came to Iran I can introduce u all best restaurants here!

If you're a food enthusiast you are coming to the right place. Khoosh Amadeed.
(did I say it right?) :)
Irani kababs are plain awesome. Some make it so darn good they are impossible to put down. I can't get enough of them. The one in Toronto I used to go to charged 20 dollars a plate. It was still worth it. :p
Your best bet for pasta would be in restaurants in hotels. There is one on the first floor in Hyatt Regency (Al Khaleej road, Dubai). They have really good Italian food.
I am coming to Iran soon. Bandar Abbas and for business reasons. Please tell me you guys have something there besides big ships. melika969 hey weldone! it's "khosh amadeed". sweet! thanks for pasta place you are going to south of Iran, they have some nice food with fish (if you are into seafood); it's called "Ghalye maahi". If you ever come to Tehran, I will tell u best places for food, we have plenty and I'm a genius in finding them! :D abyssdesire Uhh about that, Not much of a seafood person :( Hey, you know the islands that Iran has and UAE wants, how is the life there? My mate and I were planning a visit there. He said some pretty good things. melika969 I have been in "kish" island, it's pretty much like dubai, buildings,malls,.. but if you are into nature,"Qeshm" island is quite pretty, these islands you are talking about I guess should be "abou mousa","tonb-e-bozorg" and "tonb-e-koochak".never been there and never heard if they are attractive for tourists... abyssdesire PM'ed

Bora Bora

melika969 wrote:
Aby,do you know any good place for pasta?

So, you want pasta?? Pasta is will be!! melika969

Bora Bora wrote:
- melika969 wrote:
  Aby,do you know any good place for pasta?
So, you want pasta?? Pasta is will be!!

:oops: I love you!!! abyssdesire

melika969 wrote:
- Bora Bora wrote:
  - melika969 wrote:
    Aby,do you know any good place for pasta?
  So, you want pasta?? Pasta is will be!!
:oops: I love you!!!

Lol
We got a pasta lover here Ladies N Gents! monadtweety me too a pasta lover but never find good pasta here in UAE i make it at home may b i have my own taste for pasta b/c i love that one which i cook and yes mandi is so yummy which i use to eat in bait al mandi ,dubai but i dont like the sharjah one