1. Al Ustad Special Kabab (authentic Arabic cuisine)
This is one of the longest-running restaurants in Dubai, having been in business since 1978 and has been known for its delicious kebabs. Popular with Dubai locals, chicken, lamb, beef, and fish are made into large skewers that are grilled on a grill and smell of barbecue. For tourists, it's easy and simple, order a few skewers and eat them like the locals with white rice, onions, tomatoes and cucumbers. The barbecues here are juicy and thick, and locals like to eat them with fries. No meat, no joy, very exciting.
The restaurant is decorated in a quirky décor with old-world charm. The walls of the restaurant are covered with photos of thousands of diners, and at first glance it is a popular restaurant, and even the chief and the second prince frequented this small restaurant. The point is, per capita consumption is not expensive. In addition, under the transparent glass of the dining table, there are currencies from all over the world, and most of them are put by tourists, so you can not only enjoy the currencies of various countries around the world, but also place the currencies of your own countries!
Address: Al Mankhool Road (near Al Fahidi Metro Station)
Business hours: Saturday to Thursday 12:00 - 16:00, 18:30 - 01:00, Friday 18:30 - 01:00
Per capita consumption: AED 35
2. Diwan L'Auberge Restaurant at Emirates Palace Hotel (Lebanese cuisine)
The Palace Hotel claims to be 8-star luxury, and the hotel is so large that employees have to drive golf carts to get around. In addition to the normal rooms, there are six other top-of-the-line rooms at the Emirates Palace Hotel, which are reserved only for the royal palace nobles of the Persian Gulf countries. Located on the ground floor of Emirates Palace Hotel, Diwan L'Auberge offers Lebanese specialties. Lebanese cuisine is based on "purity" and all ingredients and seasonings are made fresh, so Lebanese cuisine is a very healthy diet. The main food is kebab, but the taste is lighter, there is almost no salt, and the portions are more "delicate". Suitable for dieters and health-conscious people.
The Lebanese restaurant at the Royal Palace Hotel takes the service and environment to the extreme. You can see that there are only 1 or 2 tables in the empty restaurant, don't think that the restaurant is not doing well, but to ensure the comfort of the guests, they only accept a very small number of customers per meal. So, if you want to eat here, make sure to make a reservation in advance.
Address: Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Opening Hours: Lunch Monday to Sunday 12:30 - 18:00, Dinner Monday to Sunday 18:00 - 01:00
Phone: +971-2-6907999
Average consumption per person: AED 170
3. Samad AL Iraqi Restaurant (Iraqi Grilled Fish)
The restaurant was once considered the best Iraqi grilled fish restaurant in Dubai, and there are also Iraqis who consider Samad to be the most authentic Iraqi cuisine in Dubai. Iraqi grilled fish is one of the most expensive dishes in Iraq, and its status is close to that of roast duck in Iraq and Beijing. The grilled fish at this restaurant is huge, and people who meet it for the first time are usually scared when they serve it. Very rich in fish fat, which is unmatched by most marine fish. The fish is large and fat, with an appetizing burnt aroma, and the outer skin is roasted crispy and flavorful; The inner layer of fish is slightly dry and light, and you need to add some seasoning to neutralize it; There is a large amount of fish fat at the edge, which is delicious and fragrant, and can be described as the essence of the whole fish. Eat the fish with this fish oil in the pancake for an even better taste. In addition, the grilled fish at Samad, marinated in advance, has a rich flavor and almost no additional seasonings are added. The fish is delicious enough, and there's a special kids' burger set!
Samad's first store in Dubai, Muraqqabat, looks like a detached bungalow, with a distinctly Arabian glamour that is unusually eye-catching. The interior is also ornate and very Arabic, giving it a high-class feel. Samad has been featured in local interior design magazines several times, which shows the ingenuity of its restaurant design. Now Samad has two stores in Dubai, but also overseas stores in Malaysia, the United Kingdom and other places, which shows its popularity.
Address 1: Al Muraqqabat Road, Deira Dubai
Phone: +97142293660 | +97142293661
Address 2: Jumeirah Beach, Road Dubai, Opposite Jumeirah Beach Park Centre
Phone: +97143427887 | +97143427922
Opening hours: Monday – Friday 10:00 – 1:00, weekends 22:00 – 1:00
Per capita consumption: AED 100
Tips：
Since cooking Iraqi grilled fish is time-consuming, usually around 45 minutes, it is recommended to make a reservation in advance.
4. Tribes (steakhouse)
Located in the Dubai Mall, this restaurant's terrace occupies almost the best vantage point in the entire center, with enough height and unobstructed views to enjoy the world's largest musical fountain show from which many tourists come to see! Tribes' main beef is South Africa's 100 days grain-fed beef, which is not inferior to Australian cattle and New Zealand cattle in the formation. Paired with the restaurant's secret African sauce, it has a refreshing taste with herbs and sour taste. Not only that, but there is also the high-class type of "Wagyu beef", and the medium-rare cut surface has an attractive color that you can't fault from any angle.
The restaurant uses dark wood design elements, bamboo lighting, and African indigenous photos on the walls of the restaurant to show a modern temperament that combines fashion and originality. And a medal on the wall from the 2017 Goodfood Best African Restaurant is a low-key display of strength. In addition, as a comprehensive African restaurant, unlike many steakhouses where you can only eat steak, it also offers a lot of African delicacies, and there are a wide range of options outside of steak, such as paella, oxtail stew, Moroccan meal buns and so on.
Address: 2nd Floor, The Dubai Mall
Opening hours: Sunday to Wednesday 10:00 – 23:00, Thursday to Saturday 10:00 – 00:00
Consumption per person: AED 150-200
5. Nando's (chain roast chicken restaurant)
Nando's is from the UK, but it is a Portuguese grilled chicken restaurant in South Africa that was founded by a Portuguese in South Africa and is now full of stores around the world, and has the potential to catch up with KFC (which is not yet available in China). In the UK, which is full of fish and chips, only this chicken shop can compete with it, with four outlets in Dubai and two in Abu Dhabi. In addition to the price, the taste itself is also a reason for recommending. As a restaurant that focuses on chicken (especially grilled chicken), according to Nando's, their chickens are made from the best A-grade chicken, and they are developed with a secret sauce to taste the chicken bones. In fact, when you eat it, it is recommended to grill chicken wings, unlike chicken breasts, which are more dry, and are tender and juicy when you bite into them, so they are suitable for both adults and children.
Nando's Chilli Sauce is made from a wild chilli in South Africa, blended with special herbs, spices and lemon to create the unique taste of Nando's Chilli Sauce. Nando's spicy from lowest to highest are: lemon & herb / mild peri-peri / hot peri-peri / extra hot peri-peri. As a Chengdu native, I can tell you that even extra hot is not too spicy......
Average consumption per person: AED 25-55
The opening hours vary from store to store, but please refer to Nando's official website for specific addresses and hours
Epilogue
If you don't know what to eat when you come to Dubai, you can refer to this guide, I wish you a different kind of food in Dubai!