Taste of India catching on in New Dubai

Dubai - The growing South Asian population in New Dubai, has been spoilt for choice as several restaurants have opened up in this part of the city, offering a variety of authentic ‘desi’ food.

From the traditional Indian chaat to delectable biryanis and kebabs to pure South Indian vegetarian snacks – everything is now easily available for the residents of New Dubai.

A walk down the main street of Discovery Gardens reveals a chain of eateries on either side – Urban Tadka, Saravanaa Bhojan Shala and Aappa Kadai, to name a few.

“It is really busy on weekends,” Gulf News quoted K.P. Kumar, Managing Director of Saravanaa Bhojan Shala, a South Indian vegetarian restaurant, as saying.

“We are from Chennai and we have been longing for a typical South Indian restaurant to open up in Discovery Gardens,” Imran Sait, a dine, said.

The restaurant serves ghee dosa – a fermented crepe or pancake made from rice batter and lentils, priced Dh9 a plate – is served with chutneys and sambhar (a vegetable stew on a broth made with lentils and tamarind).

“We love to eat here as the food is as good as home and the price very reasonable,” he said.

At Aappa Kadai, Chef Saijudeen Shaikh revealed that the eatries’ aappam is a hit with Expatriates.

“Western Expatriates just love our aappam (a popular South Indian crepe) meals,” he said.

At just Dh14 – an aappam meal consists of a chicken curry, two aappams and raita, a yoghurt-based side dish. Fish curry fans get their meal for Dh15. Other special meals, served on banana leaves, are priced between Dh15 and Dh18 per head and are a hit with the residents here.

Across the street, Urban Tadka’s chaat (traditional snacks) serves authentic Indian street snack – pani puris. Prices of chaat items range from Dh7 to Dh10.

The main hot spots for those driving by Dubai are Al Barsha, Dubai Marina, Dubai Internet City and Emirates Living.

Bikanerwala and Mirch Masala recently opened in Al Barsha while Kamat and Gazebo are already a hit in Dubai Internet City.