Restaurant review: Zafran

The Indian restaurant in Dubai promises and delivers finger-licking Indian food

The Indian bistro brand, Zafran re-opened it's second outlet in the city at the Dubai Marina Mall in January. Featuring pocket-friendly prices, a great view of the Marina and finger-licking Indian food, this recently refurbished restaurant is perfect for your next family get together. 
Zafran has introduced few new additions to their menu and we went ahead on a Saturday evening to try them. An evening with 19 degree Celsius and chilly breeze called for a perfect Al fresco dining experience.
To begin with, you will be served a plate of papad and papadums with chutneys - the tangy tamarind and spicy mint. We started our evening with the drinks, Kiwi Mojito and Mango Passion. Although refreshing, the drinks were made with fruits syrup and were too sweet for our taste.  May be we made a wrong choice and could have tried their signature drink Watermelon and Mint smash.  
For appetisers, we totally recommend Dahee Kebab. These soft dumplings are made from curd hung in muslin cloth and later mixed with cheese, coriander and basic mild spices. The balls are then deep fried in oil and if you aren't told in advance, it would be difficult to guess they are made of yogurt. 
Raan Zafran is another dish from the new menu that you can try. Cooked slowly in a closed container, this braised lamb delicacy is an aromatic treat as you dig into the succulent meat.
If you love chaat, go ahead and reslish some Dahi papdi chaat from the menu. For the main course, we opted for three new dishes- Mirchi Baingan Ka Salan, home-style Bhindi Masala and their signature, Dal Zafran. Dhabbe ka murg with a spicy gravy will take you back to the taste of the traditional dhabbas in North India. And to savor these you can grab a mixed platter of Indian breads. Each dish has a fresh, distinct flavor and you can feel a riot of taste as you enjoy each bite. 
One thing distinctive about Zafran's meal is it is light on the stomach and you don't leave the restaurant feeling heavy. We would have loved some extra spice in the food but were told that spiciness meter is toned down for the European customers. You can, however, ask for extra spice.  
As winter will last in Dubai for couple of more weeks, a visit to this outlet overlooking the Marina could be a good place for the evening.  
Where: G Floor,Dubai Marina Mall,Dubai Marina - Dubai
- anita@khaleejtimes.com 

• Food and Dining