Shangri-la
The Dubai branch of Michelin starred restaurant owner Vikas Khanna’s New York haunt ticks all the boxes, from the ambient décor and lighting, to the food and service, everything was absolutely top notch.
Held in high esteem by none other than Gordon Ramsay, Vikas was praised by the British celebrity chef as being one of the top Indian cooks in the world. Khanna famously helped Ramsay save a failing restaurant on his hit reality show Kitched Nightmares.
We were greeted by one of the chefs, who wasted no time in describing the menu, although predominantly carnivorous, we decided to sample some of their vegetarian fare, as well.
Here’s what we dined on:
Starters…
Eggplant Chaat: I’ve never had anything like this before. If you’ve had traditional Mumbai chaat, this would be very familiar to your taste buds. The eggplant was crisp, warm, and went really well with the mix of sweet, tangy and savoury chutneys. I’ve never been a big fan of eggplant, but this dish certainly is an exception.
Mushroom Galouti: I’ve had some pretty good galouti in India, and it has always been made with meat, so this was a first for me. The spices that this dish has been cooked with retain the authenticity of the original dish, letting it literally melt in your mouth. And yet, they’ve not overdone the spice, as the taste of mushroom is also pretty distinct. This one was definitely one of my favourites.
Lahori Boti: This was pretty much what a good, boneless lamb kabab should be. The meat was marinated well, and was nice and tender, just the way it should be. The crispy okra at the side was a nice touch, too.
What really struck me about this place was not only the thought that went into all the food, but also what happened in between. Right after we were done with the appetizers, we were all presented with a lychee sorbet to cleanse our palettes, and even that tasted lovely, with just the right amount of sweet and sour.
Moving on to the main course…
Macchi Hara Masala: This was more of a side dish, and was really quite tasty. The fish was fresh and marinated well, in a mix of green chili and coriander. It was a dry dish, and went pretty well with the rest of the food.
Murgh Lababdar: This was basically like a twist on the classic Butter Chicken. The gravy had the similar, creamy texture, but it was a tad spicier than the original dish.
Juno Black Lentil: According to me, this was the best main course dish we ordered. It was a classic black dal, but the way it was cooked was absolutely spectacular. Again, this went really well with the Butter Garlic Naan and Junoon Spiced Naan.
Mutton Rose Biryani: By the time we got to the mutton biryani (which I insisted on ordering as it’s a personal favourite) and it was polished of in no time. This, again, was a regular mutton biryani, just cooked really well. What was interesting, was that there were two pieces of meat and two mince meatballs. I preferred the meat, as the meatballs were a little heavy on the cardamom. All in all, a great dish.
We were all bursting at the seams, but weren’t ready to throw in the towel, just yet. There’s no way we were leaving without dessert.
Room for desert…
Kulfi Platter: This was definitely the best kulfi I’ve had in my life. My favourites were the curry leaf and pink guava. Never have I experienced such a wide variety of flavours, when it comes to ice-cream.
Mango Sago: This was another really unique dessert that had a pistachio meringue on the outside and mango puree (aamras) on the inside, and it was served with the most delicious tapioca pudding. What a great end to a lovely meal.
Junoon meaning passion certainly lives up to its name, everyone was so knowledgeable about the menu, and the ingredients that went into each dish. The staff have been really well trained, they know everything about the menu and restaurant, inside out. And what makes it better, is the fact that they all seem happy. Happy to serve, happy to suggest, and just simply happy to be there, although families and children are welcome, I’d recommend getting the babysitter in and enjoy an uninterrupted experience with your other half.
Vikas Khannas contemporary concept certainly finds a place in my top five Indian restaurants of all times. Needless to say, I’m definitely coming back.
Price: AED 450 (average Cost for 2 Adults)
Time:
Lunch:
Sunday to Thursday: 12:00pm — 3:00pm
Friday to Saturday: 12:00pm — 3:30pm
Dinner:
Saturday to Wednesday: 7:00pm — 12:00am
Thursday to Friday: 7:00pm — 12:30am
Book: Click Here
