Hawker Chan
Located in Dubai Mall Chinatown, Hawker Chan is renowned for offering the world’s cheapest Michelin starred meal. The menu features some familiar items such as Braised Beef Noodle and Salt and Pepper Prawns. But don’t be fooled, this little joint also offers a few a creative gems like its Mango Duck Salad and fried Tofu with apples. But what exactly is the Micheline star meal at Hawker Chan? The soya sauce chicken and with either rice or noodles! Coming in at just around 8 USD, this savory-sweet, so -tender-it-falls-off-the-bone chicken delicacy is an absolute must-try in Dubai.
Siraj
Overlooking the famous Dubai Fountain, Siraj is a contemporary restaurant offering unique flavors by fusing Emirati and Levantine cuisines. Situated in Souk Al Bahar, the restaurant features an elegantly decorated dining room as well as an airy balcony overlooking the fountain. Specialties include the Chicken Mousakhan, Lamb Ouzi and the Mixed Grill. Although we found the cheese rolls to be a little lacking in the flavor, the Mixed Grill featuring succulent lamb chops, and a variety of kebabs paired with pistachio rice was perfectly prepared!
Aura Skypool
Although a visit to Aura is usually all about its amazing pool, the attached restaurant is also a star in its own right. Serving up Asian-inspired fine dining dishes, Aura offers patrons the chance to enjoy phenomenal food along with their spectacular views. The restaurant offers A la carte options as well as a three-course fixed menu. As we really wanted to capitalize on the views, we reserved the three-course lunch. Our favorite bites at Aura were the sweet yet savory Chili Garlic Beef, the succulent Glazed Chilean Seabass, the crunchy sesame prawns and the ridiculously addicting Asian Corn Salad. Oh, and did we mention the mouthwatering Mango milk cake?
Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant
If you’re looking for truly authentic Emirati food, then Al Khayma is the place to be. Located in the Al Fahidi Historic District, this whimsical restaurant with its sandstone walls and canvas roof serves up almost every traditional Emirati specialty that you can think of. Whether it’s a breakfast of Regag Bread and Luquaimat or a dinner of Bedouin Chicken tikka, you’ll be hard pressed to find a restaurant that does it better than Al Khayma. Now, you may find yourself somewhat put off by the crowds of tourists you see there but not to worry, Al Khayma is not a tourist trap, we promise! As one of only a few places that focuses solely on Emirati cuisine, the restaurant is naturally a draw for tourists however this does not affect the quality of their food or their authenticity. In fact, Al Khayma remains the best restaurant we tried while in Dubai. Now as for what to order, we immensely enjoyed the perfectly fried prawns for our appetizer followed by the Al Khayma Lamb Madfoon. Wrapped in banana leaf and slow roasted in an underground pit, the melt-in-your-mouth Lamb Madfoon was served atop a bed of biryani and paired with sauces that enhanced its savoriness. We don’t think we’re exaggerating when we tell you that this was our favorite lamb dish in Dubai! As the Madfoon could easily serve 4 rather than 2 people, we were tempted to pass on dessert at Al Khayma but what a mistake that would’ve been! We ordered the date pudding which, it just so happened, turned out to be the best date cake we’ve ever had!
Aroos Al Bahar
Idyllically located along the Dubai Marina, Aroos al Bahar is one of many seafood restaurants with a great view along the waterfront promenade. What really sets this restaurant apart from others in the area is its flavor-packed grilled fish. With everything from seafood kebabs and Tagine to paella and whole-grilled fish, Aroos Al Bahar is a treat for seafood lovers. While we did not love the shrimp kofta, finding it to be a little on the dry side, we did enjoy the shrimp Tagine. The star of the show at this restaurant though was the indescribably delicious grilled Seabass which was seasoned and prepared to perfection. It’s hard to make a misstep when it comes to choosing seafood in Dubai but if you’re looking for that perfect bite of grilled fish then Aroos Al Bahar is where you need to be!
Bai Shu Wo Joa Susan Cai Yu
Another gem of the Dubai Mall’s Chinatown, Bai Shu is a one-of-kind joint dishing out traditional Chinese fish soups bursting with flavor and just the right amount of spice to keep you on your toes. While there’s plenty to choose from, we suggest keeping it simple and ordering the Garlic Sichuan Fish in Pickled Cabbage Soup. The briny, spicy broth paired with the delicate whitefish is simply perfect and will have you coming back for more before you leave Dubai!
Want to see what else we loved about Dubai? Check us out HERE!
