Top 5 places to Eat in Dubai

Dubai has emerged as a global city and a business hub of the Middle East. It is also a melting pot of cultures and nationalities from around the world. It is because of this cosmopolitan nature that Dubai stands out as a great culinary destination for food lovers. Dubai serves some of the most amazing, culturally rich and international cuisines palatable to different taste buds. I found restaurants that could guzzle away your dirhams in one single meal while eateries that serve absolutely delicious food and are value for money too. So, let me list down some of Dubai’s most popular & budget-friendly restaurants that I visited and strongly recommend you to visit in Dubai!

Chowking

Looking to satisfy your Chinese craving? If yes, then try Chowking UAE. My experience with Chowking has been fantastic. Found at almost every nook and corner across Dubai, Chowking is one of the best Chinese restaurants in Dubai. Originally from Philippines, it is most popular for its seafood and authentic Chinese food. The food is delicious and fresh. Try the fried Calamari for appetizers while the vegetarians can dig in to vegetarian spring rolls. The prawn hakka and the noodle soup are a must-try. Check for the availability of Chicken-of-the-grill, I highly recommend it.  It offers great options for vegetarians as well. Prompt and on-time service, light on the pocket and easily accessible with tons of great food options makes it my favorite Chineserestaurant in Dubai. You will not have to squabble for placing your order or waste time to pay the final bill; the service is immaculate and friendly.

Ravi Restaurant

Ravi is one of the most popular restaurants for South Asian food like Indian and Pakistani curries. Not so fancy and posh, Ravi offers good and reasonably priced food amidst the chaos of the local street of Satwa Dubai. I highly recommend chicken tikka, aloo paratha, chicken achari and chicken ginger. For the vegetarians any dal or vegetable is suggested. Sitting amidst the crowded Satwa street and hearing the conundrum gets you closer to the local culture. It is a highly recommended for lovers of traditional Pakistani food.

Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding

Looking for authentic Arab fare? The cultural center is a good mix of ethos, tradition and experience with its old-style Arab breakfast. Found in the quaint little setting of the culturally rich Bastakia, this center hosts a wonderful breakfast that I indulged in. Breakfast is offered in the traditional Arab way, seated down on low chairs. Chickpeas, balaleet, spice bread, Igmeit, cream cheese, with camel milk and date syrup for beverages give you a complete experience of typical Arabic breakfast. Tea & Arabic coffee goes perfect with this sort of a meal. Nothing better to soak in the local culture!

Pars Iranian Restaurant

Iranian cuisine has a strong influence on the food culture of Dubai. Pars was a perfect eatery to try some great Iranian dishes. Located in Satwa, Pars is mainly known for its delicious juicy meat kebabs, salads and spreads. A must try are the titillating lemony prawns and grilled hammour. This eatery is not recommended for vegetarians as the food basket is twisted towards the meaty skewer where non-vegetarian gastronomy mingles with Iranian flavors to entice your taste buds.

Pachanga

American and Latin-American cuisine is not really difficult to find in Dubai. I went to Pachanga with an American friend. The eatery is divided into sections for different cuisines like Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Cuba. Well-kept and great food like aged meats and an abundant range of drinks and fabulous music keeps you upbeat. Though located in Hilton Dubai, it is not very expensive and the fabulous food justifies every penny spent.

These are just some of the many diners I loved and highly recommend. Food gets even better when competition is rife, Dubai is a proof!

Where to Find the Best Chinese Food in Dubai

I fondly remember Dubai as the land of spices, gold and all things really nice. My memories of Dubai reminisce of modernity of the posh Dubai Marina and the traditional Deira area of saffron, Arab herbs and the gold souk. While I saw the tall Khalifa surrounded by clouds at the top, it also screamed of opulence of a thousand luxury brands in the beautiful Dubai mall located at its base. I noticed that Dubai has accommodated one and all, the penniless traveller and the luxury lover, a global pot pourri! You will find great deals on rented apartments for your stay and a whole lot of world cuisines in your budget around you in Dubai, be it old Dubai or new. There is no dearth of great food, dine-ins to eat-outs. In fact, I think Dubai holds every possible food chain and restaurant of every cuisine known to the world. But I love Chinese food and I want to eat Chinese once every week no matter where I go. So out I was on the roads of Dubai skimming through some fanciful options for the best Chinese food in Dubai.

Searching, scanning and panting our group was tired of walking on beach next to JBR and were craving for a Chinese meal. We spotted Chowking Orient Restaurant on JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residence) walk and immediately walked in. I was delighted at the prompt service. The food was awesome too. I tried the main specialities Chowking UAE is known for, like the noodle soup, bangus, dim sums and my favorite Nasi Goreng. I loved lemon chicken too.

We were a large group of people so we could order a lot of dishes. Some of my friends were vegetarians and had been unsuccessful at finding good vegetarian Chinese. They heaved a sigh of relief seeing some fantastic vegetarian options on the Chowking menu. We ordered spring rolls and tofu as appetizers that were bursting with flavors. Main course had some good options in noodles, rice and vegetables in sweet and sour sauce.

After having a hearty meal amidst a fun, casual ambience I realized we hardly looked at the cost of the dishes before ordering them. But to my surprise Chowking did not disappoint at all. After checking online, I have figured out that I need not go as far as JBR; they have many branches around Dubai. Chowking was high on taste and service while being light on the pocket, I would say fairly light on the pocket, a must visit for great Chinese food in Dubai.