Junoon - Shangri La Hotel - Brunch - Dhs 175

[caption id="attachment_5046" align="alignnone" width="470"] Me with Client Service Director of Junoon restaurant[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5041" align="alignnone" width="470"] Me about to have my non veg thali -[/caption]

Junoon has been making lot of buzz recently. With Michelin-stars all over it (thanks to it's first store in New York, USA) it's been easy to convince everyone to try this new restaurant.  This will be Junoon's second restaurant world wide. They have done a good job so far. Vikas Khanna who is a celeberity chef has also helped boost the visiblity of this new restaurant in Dubai and the reviews have also been very positive. The Indian cuisine served here comes with a little twist. It's a fusion concept and a welcome change to all those who love Indian cuisine.

[caption id="attachment_5037" align="alignnone" width="470"] Junoon - Interiors[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5042" align="alignnone" width="470"] Junoon Interiors[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5027" align="alignnone" width="470"] From left: rejuvenate (cucmber juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, basil, lemonade), Rose cardamom lassi - dhs 20, spooky manja(pineapple juice, vanilla syrup, berry, passion fruit) - dhs 35[/caption]

The interiors had a touch of traditional India along with a modern design. It's an open kitchen so you get to see what's cooking. Their mocktails were pretty good especially the Spooky Manja(pineapple juice, vanilla syrup, berry, passion fruit). A little over loaded with ice but it tasted great. Their rose cardamom lassi wasn't very convincing. I strongly recommend to try their mocktails instead.

[caption id="attachment_5028" align="alignnone" width="470"] TANDOORI PANEER POTLi - house made paneer, red chili, cinnamon, tamarind chutney.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5029" align="alignnone" width="470"] TIKKI CHAAT -
potato patty, date chutney, mint chutney, sev, carrot raita[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5032" align="alignnone" width="470"] SAMOSA CHAAT - beet, roasted onion, kabuli channa, coriander chutney[/caption]

As a part of Junoon brunch, you get to try items from three categories(snacks, breakfast,wraps and rolls) and their thalis(veg and non veg). Once you've enrolled for their brunch you can have as much as you want with no limits :D Being Indian food it's a bit challenging to eat all of it, as our food is easily filling. From the snacks menu I was quite impressed with their beetroot samosa chaat and tandoori paneer potli. The tikki chaat was also unique and the nice part everything had a new taste to it. It's not the typical chaats we find everywhere. After starting with snacks I really began to appreciate their fusion concept.

[caption id="attachment_5031" align="alignnone" width="470"] CHANNA BHATURA - green chili chickpea curry, fried bread[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5030" align="alignnone" width="470"] BREAD PAKODA - crispy vegetable tikki, meetha chutney[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5033" align="alignnone" width="470"] PAO BHAJI - vegetablecurry, red onion, coriander,green chili, soft roll[/caption]

Their bhatura felt just made at home. It came along with mango pickles. The bread pakoda made my son's day. He just wouldn't stop eating it. Pao Bhaji tasted typical, didn't find that taste different.

[caption id="attachment_5036" align="alignnone" width="470"] KEEMA & PARANTHA - mutton keema, boiled egg, roasted tomato chutney[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5035" align="alignnone" width="470"] MUSHROOM GALOUTI ROLL -[/caption]

The mushroom Galouti roll was my favourite. Both the mushrooms and the roti were amazing. They were telling me that the roti for mushroom galouti roll is made from saffron and milk which makes it extra smooth, soft and really something you will appreciate when you have it. It's a must try, please do not skip this one.

[caption id="attachment_5038" align="alignnone" width="470"] Thali - veg[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5039" align="alignnone" width="470"] Thali - veg[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5040" align="alignnone" width="470"] Thali - non veg[/caption]

Then came their ultimate thali. Love the presentation of the thali that came in a nice fancy plate. By the time I reached the thali I was literally full. But my curiosity never allowed me to give up. You have selection of rotis as well. Overall you will be satisfied. If you are here just eating their thali then you might feel the items a little less compared to the typical thali served else where. Guess the focus is on quality than quantity.

[caption id="attachment_5044" align="alignnone" width="470"] Falooda - Dhs 54 - (CHOCOLATE MATKA , SAFFRON , BLACKBERRY JELLY , ROSE , ALMOND MILK SORBET)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5043" align="alignnone" width="470"] Plate of mini desserts for Junoon brunch[/caption]

For desserts by default you get the dessert platter as complimentary with your brunch at Junoon. All that chocolate you see in the dessert platter is all made at Junoon. The chocolate date was my favourite from the dessert platter. The falooda for Dhs 54 is an additional order not included in the brunch menu. As you can see the falooda came uniquely presented. I had to break the chocolate matka to get the rabri flowing out. I would still say falooda is more fun in a glass than in a plate.

Click here to visit their official Dubai website and see their menu. Click pictures below to see them in full screen view:

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Zafran - Dubai Marina Mall

[caption id="attachment_4716" align="alignnone" width="660"] Zafran's Times of Delhi menu[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4731" align="alignnone" width="660"] Desserts at Zafran[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4733" align="alignnone" width="660"] Me with zafran team[/caption]

The first time I bumped into Zafran was at Mirdiff City Center and remember having their mutton biriyani(which tasted better than their chicken) since then I wanted to come back a second time to try a wider range of their menu. They seem to have launched an additional menu this time called TIMES OF DELHI which mainly composes of famous Indian snacks or lets say street food which you would normally find in metropolitan cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta.

[caption id="attachment_4732" align="alignnone" width="470"] views from Zafran restaurant balcony[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4735" align="alignnone" width="470"] Zafran Interiors[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4734" align="alignnone" width="470"] Zafran interiors[/caption]

The restaurant was mainly occupied by tourists and Arabs. You can opt to sit inside the restaurant or outside in their balcony with beautiful views of Dubai Marina. The heat is actually building up so I noticed people prefer to sit inside the restaurant during afternoons.

[caption id="attachment_4719" align="alignnone" width="470"] Drinks - dhs 22 - From left: Mango Lassi - dhs 22, watermelon and mint smash, Berrylicious(mixed berries, yoghurt, ice cream and strawberry syrup)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4718" align="alignnone" width="660"] On the house - pappads and pickles[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4717" align="alignnone" width="660"] Dal Shorba - Dhs 28 - lentil soup, lemon, coriander and toasted cumin[/caption]

We had a nice start to our lunch with a fine Dal Shorba soup and their berrylicious drink(mixed berries, yoghurt, ice cream and strawberry syrup) was a mesmerizing one. Actually the frozen berrylicious got better with time as opposed to Mango Lassi which was better tasting in the beginning than at the end. I didn't find anything special about the watermelon smash except watermelon. For the same price, their Berrylicious is a clear winner to me.

[caption id="attachment_4721" align="alignnone" width="660"] Pao Bhaji - Dhs 21 - Mashed vegetables cooked with onion, tomatoes and butter, served with Pao[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4720" align="alignnone" width="660"] Dahi bhalla katori - dhs 24 - combination of savory crisp, stuffed with a punjabi lentil dumpling[/caption]

The two items above are from their newly launched Times of Delhi menu. I've had these before from other restaurants but these were one level up in taste. Specially the Dahi Bhalla Katori which came so pretty that you would just stare at it before you dive into it. What's hidden behind the white yoghurt and green chutney is our well known vada. Both Dahi bhalla katori as well as the Pao bhaji has been very satisfying from quality and taste perspective.

[caption id="attachment_4722" align="alignnone" width="660"] Mixed Grill with seafood - Dhs 120 - Murgh malai tikka, chicken tikka, rampuri seekh kebab and tandoori prawns[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4723" align="alignnone" width="660"] Mixed Grill with seafood - Dhs 120 - Murgh malai tikka, chicken tikka, rampuri seekh kebab and tandoori prawns[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4724" align="alignnone" width="660"] Mixed Grill with seafood - Dhs 120 - Murgh malai tikka, chicken tikka, rampuri seekh kebab and tandoori prawns[/caption]

I hear this sizzling sound behind me and that's when I see Mixed grill has arrived at our table :D Some were really spicy like their seekh kebab and their prawns which were thick and juicy were my favourites. I felt their chickens found in the grills could have been better, it wasn't as supple and soft as like the ones you find at Gazebo.

[caption id="attachment_4727" align="alignnone" width="470"] Curries - Dhs 59 each - Butter chicken and Lal Maas (mutton)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4728" align="alignnone" width="660"] A mix of Roti - Garlic Naan, stuffed kulcha(paneer), Paratha[/caption]

If you are a butter chicken fan then you should definitely come here to try this curry. It's one of the best butter chicken curries I've had. Infact they have a secret to it, they add honey to their butter chicken. Didn't have anything to complain about their mutton curry as well. Actually I enjoyed their mutton pieces found in Lal Maas than the chickens found in their butter chicken. But from the curry perspective, butter chicken was better than the two. We tried a mix of their Roti and they've been fine and crisp.

[caption id="attachment_4730" align="alignnone" width="660"] Kulfi Falooda - Dhs 22[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4729" align="alignnone" width="660"] Dessert platter - Dhs 36 - strawberries, gajar halwa, rasmalai, gulab jamun, kulfi with saffron and pistachio[/caption]

The Dessert platter is the way to go. Some of the best indian desserts in one plate. I doubt if that strawberry stood any chance next to those indian desserts. Their Gulab Jamun is one of the best I've had. The milk in the rasmalai could have been thicker. For the kulfi part, I actually enjoyed the malai kufi found in the kulfi falooda than the saffron and pistachio kulfi in the dessert platter. The kulfi falooda was surely attractive, but I felt it needed a little more content to call it a Falooda. If you've tried the Kulfi Falooda at Bikanervala you know what I am talking about. You can click here to see it.

To see pictures in full screen view, click on pictures below:

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Asha's - Wafi - Dubai

[caption id="attachment_3934" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Asha Bhosle with her colleagues[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3944" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Lunch at Asha's[/caption]

Wow! I am actually dining inside the restaurant of one of the most successful singers of Bollywood. Asha Bhosle whose been singing for decades for Indian cinema is also beginning to prove that she's got some good sense of taste. Her restaurant is focused on serving north Indian cuisine which mainly comes from her part of town. Asha's at Wafi is her first restaurant which was open in 2002 and after it's success, the restaurant Asha's continues to branch into other countries.

[caption id="attachment_3931" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Asha's interior[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3935" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Asha's interior[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3936" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Asha's interior[/caption]

The interiors are beautiful, elegant and love those curtains with crystal beads. At the entrance you are greeted by star studded frames which gives you a glimpse of Asha's history and her connections to Bollywood. There was an interesting frame on the wall which was the original award presented by Guinness World Records to Asha Bhosle for the most recorded artist in the history of asian music. The ambiance was peaceful and felt to be a perfect place for that special occasion.

[caption id="attachment_3929" align="aligncenter" width="660"] complimentary starters - pappads and pickles[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3930" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Non Alcholic drinks - Dhs 36 - infront(calcutta crush - Fresh strawberries muddled with lime wedges and homemade vanilla sugar, lengthened with cranberry juice and Earl Grey tea), Behind Right(lal quila - Vanilla ice cream blended with pomegranate syrup and cranberry juice, scented with rose water), behind left(saffron and pista lassi - Natural yoghurt blended with pistachios and saffron syrup)[/caption]

The usual pappads and pickles were served to us after we made our order. The drinks here amazed me. The first drink was the calcutta crush(Fresh strawberries muddled with lime wedges and homemade vanilla sugar, lengthened with cranberry juice and Earl Grey tea) which blew me away instantly. Never expected such a fantastic mocktail from an indian restaurant. One of the best I've had. Calcutta crush was a bit less in quantity, before I could enjoy the drink, it got over :( The lal quila was good too but still wouldn't beat the calcutta crush. You could feel the pistachios in the lassi which was the best part of the saffron and pista lassi, I felt the Lassi should have been thicker.

[caption id="attachment_3937" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Murg Nizami Shorba - Dhs 45 - A rich and aromatic chicken soup flavoured with curry leaves, green apple and saffron.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3939" align="aligncenter" width="660"] chingri chaap - Dhs 95 - B readcrumb-coated prawns, marinated in ginger, garlic and spices, fried to golden perfection.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3938" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Grilled paneer salad - Dhs 40 - Paneer grilled to perfection served on a bed of salad.[/caption]

The soup Murg Nizami Shorba came thick and tasted excellent. A different taste to the regular thick chicken soups I've had before. This is a must try soup! The paneer in the grilled paneer salad was made well but the disappointing part was the bed of salad. I was expecting some other vegetables along with the paneer but it was just flat on a bed of leaves. Although the sauce used on the salad does make the leaves(rocca) delicious. Fried items are always fun as appetizers and so were their chingri chaap(prawns) but I wonder how they got it this flat. I was expecting a thick sized prawn.

[caption id="attachment_3940" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Speciality non-veg platter - Dhs 135 - A selection of murg malai, chicken tikka and gosht seekh kebabs[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3941" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Tandoori Machli - Dhs 95 - Hammour fillet marinated in yogurt, turmeric and malt vinegar, flavoured with bishop seeds, mace and cardamom powder.[/caption]

The grills were hot and spicy. The grilled chickens were a melt in the mouth, the murg malai was soft and was non-spicy which the kids could appreciate, gosh seekh kebabs(lamb) was a bit extra spicy but overall you get a nice dash of Indian spices while you have them. I personally felt the hammour could have tasted better if they marinated with either tandoor or hariyali like found in seaview restaurant.

[caption id="attachment_3942" align="aligncenter" width="660"] From Left: Butter chicken(Classic chicken tikka in a tomato and cream gravy, flavoured with dry fenugreek leaves) - dhs 95, Dal Makhani(Classic black lentils slow-cooked overnight with tomatoes, cream and butter) - Dhs 70[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3943" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Kesar Biriyani - Dhs 105 - Boneless lamb biryani with a rich saffron flavour.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3946" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Roti - Dhs 20/piece - Naan, Roti, Romali, lacha paratha[/caption]

Both curries butter chicken and dal makhani came thick and creamy. The curries were very rich and you could actually feel it when you have them, specially the Dal makhani which came thick with that butter floating over it. Biriyani came beautiful with red saffron rice along with some tomato paste on top. The boneless lamb pieces in the biriyani were upto the mark and was the best part for me in the biriyani. We tried one of each roti and none of their rotis were disappointing. Surely they've got a good collection of quality rotis that you can order with those lovely curries they make here.

[caption id="attachment_3948" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Rasmalai - Dhs 50 - A milk-based sweet dessert served cold with sweetened milk[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3947" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Pistachio Kesar Kulfi - dhs 50 - Homemade indian ice cream made with reduced milk, pistachios and saffron.[/caption]

From desserts the rasmallai was decent in taste but I wouldn't call it the best. It could have been made better. Probably they can learn some trick from Bikanerwala. I thoroughly enjoyed their Pistachio kesar kulfi with rabri. You pour that rabri on top of kesar kulfi and nothing like it after some spicy food ;) There were more forks attacking this plate :p From my overall experience at Asha's I must admit that they serve good indian food but are surely over priced. I think the fact that you are eating inside Asha Bhosle's restaurant you pay a premium for that. Moreover I am sure Asha Bhosle would herself wanted an nice indian restaurant for VIPs like herself and her colleagues where one could peacefully enjoy their food and not guests running upto them for an autograph while they are about to put a roti in their mouth :p Imagine them eating at Gazebo, they can never get their privacy.

Click pictures below to see them in full screen view:

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