Every year during Ramadan in the UAE, the iftar business ends up splitting into two broad categories: On one side are the massive tents that go all out with food and decor, mostly sponsored by the big hotels. On the other side are the stand-alone restaurants that often just re-package their existing menu, stamp a price on it and call it ‘iftar special’.
Then there are restaurants like Jodhpur Royal Dining that spend weeks crafting an original menu, blending their expertise with regional and cultural influences, and the specialities of this time of the year. That’s why this restaurant’s fusion of Arabic ingredients with its proficiency of Indian cuisine takes the iftar experience to a whole new place.
We started off with stuffed dates, rolled up like lollipops on a stick and presented in a bowl with plastic leaves. It looked more like a beautiful decorative table piece but tasted as great — a nice little twist to bowls of dates placed in front you. And a great introduction to what was coming next: Macaron chaat.
Yes, you read that right. Chef Pradeep Khullar has blended the classic meringue-based confectionary with tangy spicy things resulting in a sweet, sour and savoury burst of flavours in the mouth with a crunch.
The rest of the menu is equally fun, as if the chef was treating it almost like a cultural education by way of food. There was a ‘hummus sphere’ coated with orange juice jelly but made to look like an actual orange. There was a take on prawns tempura, served with beetroot and wasabi. And then there was the lamb haleem, topped with onions, coriander roots, browned onions and potato fries, before we were served some sorbet to clean our palate and prepare for the main course. Even India’s diverse cuisines are blended and mixed. The Ghee Roast Mutton Boti, for instance, is lamb cooked in onion and tomatoes masala served with crisp dosa cones. The Faux Dal Makhni is, as the name suggests, not the dal makhni as you know it. Moong dal (green gram) is replaced with black urad (black beans) here but cooked exactly the same way the classic dal makhni is made. Still as good.
But the piece de resistance for me was the Shredded Chicken Meatball in Makhani Sauce. It’s basically chicken butter masala, but with the most flavourful sauce I’ve ever tasted. And I’m not exaggerating.
Like the rest of the food, the desserts were as playful and beautifully presented. Don’t miss the Sticky Barfi, caramelised banana served with sticky pudding and cinnamon ice cream.
The effort that Jodhpur has put into its iftar menu is reason enough to give it a taste. That it’s such a good treat, and a very affordable one, is just a wonderful bonus.
The details
What: Jodhpur Royal Dining iftar menu
Where: Roda Al Murooj, Dubai
Price: Dh199 per person
Timings: 6pm to 2am.
