Handi - Taj Palace Hotel - Rigga Deira, Dubai

[caption id="attachment_2023" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Food inspectors[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2031" align="aligncenter" width="678"] At the gates of Handi - Me with Mr. Marcel (restaurant Manager)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2030" align="aligncenter" width="678"] Restaurant Awards earned by Handi[/caption]

The first time I noticed this restaurant was when I visited the LIFE pharmacy which was as an attachment to Taj Palace Hotel. My son would enter this pharmacy from the front and vanish through the backdoor of the pharmacy. I would find him sitting on a horse(non-living, kept outside the restaurant). That was the first time I noticed this indian restaurant called Handi. I hear an old classic Indian song coming out of the restaurant. Interestingly I also notice a stage inside this restaurant with musicians on top. A pillar right in the front covered by their restaurant awards achieved in different years. That's when I decided I must definitely visit this restaurant one day.

[caption id="attachment_2028" align="aligncenter" width="678"] Private dining area at Handi[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2027" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Handi seatings for a group[/caption]

So here I am finally inside this restaurant. You can either dine in their private dining space or you could sit in the open inside their restaurant. The chairs, tables, lighting, artwork on top is all depicting traditional India. By the way, I love their chairs. They were pretty, wide and comfortable. I was here for lunch and unfortunately the musicians play on stage only between 8:00pm - 11:00pm in the night. So now I'll have to come for dinner if I need to see them in action :(

[caption id="attachment_2010" align="aligncenter" width="705"] On the house - Pappads and pickles[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2011" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Drinks - Dhs 28 - From left: Mango Lassi - Mango Yoghurt Drink , Fruit Cocktail, Chass-diluted yoghurt[/caption]

As Always it started with the drinks. Let me tell you before we ordered I was hesitant with trying Chass-diluted yoghurt but since it was a recommendation from the restaurant manager I thought I'll try it. I am glad I did cause it was the best among the three. Very refreshing and builds the appetite. I think this drink should be given to everyone before they start their meal at Handi. A great refresher. Unfortunately their mango lassi didn't reach up to my expectation or maybe the mango was dominating and the core of the lassi could not be felt in the taste. It was more of a mango juice to me than lassi.

[caption id="attachment_2012" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Murg ka shorba soup - Dhs 45[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2016" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Paneer chutney tikka - Dhs 65[/caption]

Murg Ka Shorba soup was fantastic. Really nice and you would just continue sipping till the end once you start. Rarely I get a soup in such a wide plate. The paneer chutney tikka is a cottage cheese with black pepper cooked in tandoor. It was really nice. Very soft and had the right taste. Paneer lovers would love it for sure.

[caption id="attachment_2017" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Millie Julie Kebab - Dhs 160 - An assortment of meat, chicken and fish kebabs[/caption]

From the kebab plate all of them was awesome specially the Kasoori Murg tikka(Boneless chicken tikka flavoured with fenugreek leaves). Some of the items that came along in the kebab tray were:

• Boneless chicken tikka flavoured with fenugreek leaves


• Tender fillets of royal hammour flavoured with fenugreek leaves.


• Traditional boneless chicken tikka


• Indian mutton minced and marinated with fenugreek and traditional spices

It was all lovely specially when you dip that sizzling meat in that green chutney provided on the table ;)

[caption id="attachment_2021" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Prawns Biriyani - Dhs 125[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2022" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Prawns Biriyani - Dhs 125[/caption]

The giant prawn that came along with prawns biriyani was special. It was a midly spiced king prawn. I can tell you it did a good job cause the moment I took a bite I totally forgot about my camera until i finished all of it :( Sorry guyz, wish i had some pictures of those lovely king prawns for you to see :p

[caption id="attachment_2014" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Naan in the making[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2013" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Chief Chef with a freshly made Naan[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2019" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Plate of Naans, parathas and rotis[/caption]

All their paratha, naan and roti were worth a try. They make it well. My favourite were their multi layered parathas. I ate most of that one :D You see that chef in the photo with the Naan, he's the one responsible for the taste engine at Handi ;)

We ordered one of each so this is what you see on the plate and I am sure most of you could make out which is which here.

Lachedar paratha - Dhs 18 - Multi layered paratha
Pudina Paratha - Dhs 22 - Multi layered paratha with mint
Naan - Dhs 18 - Butter, plain or garlic
Amritsari Kulcha - Dhs 27 - Aloo, onion and paneer
Tandoor Roti - Dhs 18
Khasta or Rumali roti - Dhs 22

[caption id="attachment_2018" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Khushk Raan - baby lamb - Dhs 125[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2020" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Curries -Dal Handi Dhs 65 (left) and Ghost Korma Avadi Dhs 90(right)[/caption]

Their raan was deadly. Tender little lamb. Well cooked and would just melt in your mouth. The bone of this raan came with a fancy foil work :)

We had their award winning curry which was Gosht korma awadhi - A combination of boneless mutton, cashew nuts and almonds in onion gravy. Dal Handi curry which is supposed to be their blank lentil specialty was good as expected.

[caption id="attachment_2026" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Kulfi Falooda - Dhs 45[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2025" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Rasmalai - Dhs 38[/caption]

Desserts

Rasmalai - cottage cheesedumplings in milk reduction, favoured with saffron and pistachio
Shahi Tukra - A special mughali bread delicacy topped with rabdi and nuts flavoured with saffron.
Kulfi Falooda - Indian ice cream served in a matka garnished with flavoured vermicelli.

[caption id="attachment_2024" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Shahi Tukra - Dhs 43[/caption]

Shahi Tukra rocked here. One of the best tasting Shahi tukra I've had. It came little but tasted great. Rasmalai was pretty neat. Kulfi falooda was a little different here. I mean it's the first time I actually got the falooda seperated from the kulfi. Normally everything is dumped into one space. Its seems there are people who like to have them separately so they are served in separate compartments.

[caption id="attachment_2029" align="aligncenter" width="678"] Masala Chai(tea) - Dhs 28[/caption]

There masala tea came with the right taste. It was a typical northern india masala chai. Even my wife enjoyed her green tea. It came with mint leaves in it and tasted natural. Overall it was a good experience at Handi including the ambiance but the only downside is that their pricing is on the higher side. After all the restaurant is located in Taj Palace, what do you expect! Along with a 5 star comes a 5 star price!

Click here to see Handi on website

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Sophie's Cafe - Palm Jumeirah Island - Dubai

[caption id="attachment_1976" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Inspired by nature at Sophie's Cafe[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1990" align="aligncenter" width="678"] WHAT'S ON AWARD earned by Sophie's cafe in 2012[/caption]

Eat Well. Live Well and Be Well is the motto of this Cafe and let me tell you with no doubt that they stay up to their vision. What's unique about this cafe and what I really like about them is that they focus on treating you not just with organic or fresh ingredients but also keeps your health in mind and ensures whatever they make for the day is healthy enough for us to eat. So any fatty or greasy ingredients that will not help our body is removed and replaced by something else that can compensate for the missing flavor for the dish.

[caption id="attachment_1978" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Smoothie - Dhs 27 - Berrylicious(left) and Morning Glory(right)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1981" align="aligncenter" width="678"] Fresh Juice - Dhs 22 - Beetroot, Carrot, redapple and ginger[/caption]

Once you enter Sophie's cafe you realize they are inspired by Nature. Table and chairs are made from solid wood. Their walls filled by nature inspired theme. The staff was overwhelming with their service and smile.

Berrylicious - strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, banana and apple/
Morning Glory - banana, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, gluten free oats and almond milk.
Fresh Juice - Beetroot, Carrot, redapple and ginger.

At our table we ordered fresh juices and smoothies. Out of the three my favourite was the Morning Glory, it was indeed all glory for me. I could real feel the oats and other contents in it and felt good drinking this smoothie. Berrylicious was very much enjoyed by my wife too. About that fresh juice, if you see the ingredients you really have to be in that health mode to like the taste but otherwise you know that was the best for your body among the lot.

[caption id="attachment_1977" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Five Salads - Dhs 60[/caption]

We first head to the counter to see what they had to offer for us as a main course. There were around 10 items. The staff would explain you each item and how are they healthy for you and what they have added or removed to make it healthier. Whichever main course your ordered you get to choose any 2 salads along with your maincourse. But if you are salad hungry then you can go for their five salad plate like you see above. There were around 8 different types of salad you could choose from. So I picked 5 out of the 8 and that's what you see above.

[caption id="attachment_1979" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Chicken Cacciatore - Dhs 60[/caption]

Chicken Cacciatore - Tomato based boneless chicken thigh with a dash of fresh olives

Chicken has always been my favourite specially the thigh part. Here they had a dish that day which had only chicken thighs in it. What a treat it was :). I noticed that their portions size is smaller comparatively in the case of Salad or main course and since they tasted great that made it even worse for me :(

[caption id="attachment_1982" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Mousakka - Dhs 60[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1983" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Moussaka - Dhs 60[/caption]

Moussaka - Pure beef mince layered with egg plant and parmesan cheese on top with olive oil dressing.

Mousakka dish was new to me but was pretty good. I thought it would be flooded with cheese but luckily the parmesan cheese was only on top and in between each layer of beef were the egg plants.

Grilled Salmon - Norwegian Salmon grilled with olive oil, garlic and thyme.

The Grilled salmon below I am sure you guys are all very familiar. The salmon was very well done and very much satisfying. Then again too good for the mouth but too little(portion size) for the stomach.

[caption id="attachment_1980" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Grilled Salmon - Dhs 72[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1985" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Pear Tart - Dhs 26[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1984" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Double Chocolate Cake - Dhs 28[/caption]

Then came their legendary dessert. The first one I picked was their very enticing Dark Double Chocolate Cake. One of the best cakes I've had. I must also highlight that their dessert portions are bigger than their main course :D My son enjoyed it to the core too. Pear tart came fresh in a cream and was my wife's favourite.

[caption id="attachment_1992" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Carrot cake - Dhs 28[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1993" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Melba cake - Dhs 26[/caption]

Infact their desserts were so good that I took a few take away home. I wish could afford all of them. There was this one glossy cake called boiled orange cake which was tempting me from it's glass window but then I wasn't sure how much would I enjoy orange in a cake so i skipped it for now but next time that's a definite try. The carrot cake which was supposed to be their second killer after their double chocolate cake was a true winner. It surely was packed with carrots, walnuts and enjoyed every bite. Melba cake came plain with no filling in it but something about that moist in it gave that special taste. All in all the dessert experience has been wonderful as much as their maincourse.

[caption id="attachment_1991" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Sophie's take away[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1987" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Bombay Chai - 14 Dhs[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1988" align="aligncenter" width="678"] Bombay chai with milk - Dhs 14[/caption]

I saw this name Bombay chai on their blackboard from their tea section which made me curious to order and try. When he said it comes with milk tea I thought milk will be boiled along with tea but that was not the case actually. Here the milk and tea came separately. The tea definitely had the taste of mumbai masala tea but when you pour milk separately in it, it was a disaster. Nevertheless it was a warm refresher after food. The coffee below you see is made using fresh locally made coffee beans.

[caption id="attachment_1986" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Caffee Latte - 18 Dhs [/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1989" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Sophie's cafe team[/caption]

It's been a wonderful start and finish at Sophie's cafe. Wish they were located in a place where it was more visible to people living in the city. You can know more about Sophie's cafe on their website: http://www.sophiesme.com/

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Eugenie Cafe - Souq Al Bahar - Downtown Dubai

[caption id="attachment_1958" align="aligncenter" width="705"] My delights at Eugenie[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1956" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Macaron - Dhs 12/13 - (front right - lemon, 65 - front left, back left - Red fruit, back right - raspberry passion)[/caption]

Once upon a time there lived an Empress by the name Eugenie. She would invite her guests to stay at her palace and treat them with special culinary delights. The same way Empress Eugenie would invite her guest to her palace to treat them I was also invited here at Eugenie Cafe :). Located on the first floor of Souk Al Bahar. Eugenie cafe is pure white on the inside of it. You can dine in with seatings inside or even outside facing Burj Khalifa and the dancing water. When I say outside I mean you sit outside the cafe but you watch the burj Khalifa and the dancing fountain through the glass window. No contact with fresh air though.

[caption id="attachment_1970" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Inner filling of a macaron[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1955" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Macaron - Dhs 12/13 - (front right - Tahaa, front left - pistachio, back left - soft caramel)[/caption]

Macarons at Eugenie is a decorated macaroon biscuit filled with delicious garnish. The last Macaron I ate was from La Maison Du Chocolat – Paris – Dubai Mall which was filled with ganache.

Once you are at the counter you see a stretch of macarons and choux. With each of them having it's name and pricing clearly mentioned. The garnish inside each macaron is the creation of their chef rendez-vous and each of them having their own taste and color. The color of the macaron will give you a hint of the flavor inside it. I just couldn't settle with one or two and so I tried all of it! The white one Tahaa was my favourite macaron for the day :)

[caption id="attachment_1954" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Macaron - Kids special - Dhs 12[/caption]

My son enjoyed it too but he was specifically going after the one you see on top here. I am not sure of the name but I thought it was a perfect macaron for a kid specially with those soft candies resting on top ;)

[caption id="attachment_1959" align="aligncenter" width="678"] Iced espresso with fresh milk and cream - Dhs 24[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1957" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Cafe Latte - Dhs 18[/caption]

They do have hot and cold drinks. We tried both hot and cold and I really enjoyed their cold coffee. Of course the hot cafe latte was pretty as you can see in the photo but the taste was ordinary. The cold coffee had that extra ordinary taste which I felt was unique to Eugenie.

[caption id="attachment_1953" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Choux - pistachio, vanilla, kalingo, coffee, lemon, caramel - Dhs 9 per piece[/caption]

I was suprised that the Choux costed less than their macaron. Honestly I enjoyed eating their Choux more than their macaron. Some of their choux available are as follows:

Choux lemon - Menton lemon light cream
Choux caramel - Light cream with sea salted caramel
Choux vanilla - Traditional french pastry cream with tahaa island vanilla
choux chocolate - Kalingo chocolate light cream
Choux pistaachio - Light pistachio cream
Choux coffee - Strong coffee cream with grue coffee

[caption id="attachment_1961" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Choux exposed - lemon and caramel - Dhs 9 per piece[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1960" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Biarritz - Dhs 48 - vanilla macaron topped with vanilla icecream along with raspberries[/caption]

The last that came was from the Winterhalter's Iced creations. This is a customized dessert at Eugenie where a scoop of ice cream sits on top of a macaron along with a side such as caramel, caramelized hazelnuts, turron, white chocolate, raspberries etc. What can I say I spoilt myself tonight for sure :D

[caption id="attachment_1962" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Me at Eugenie counter with staff[/caption]

Their website would be: http://www.eugenie1856.com/
Click on photo to enjoy them in full screen view.

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