Indus Restaurant: Stealing the desi stride

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Indus Restaurant: Stealing the desi stride

Located at Dubai World Trade Centre, the restaurant offers original nostalgia from India - and manages to tower above the clutter in a cluttered market

by

Sushmita Bose

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Published: Thu 7 Mar 2019, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Fri 8 Mar 2019, 1:00 AM

In Dubai, whenever I am doing the desi round with a bunch of 'nostalgia-philes, there's invariably Dal Makhani thrown into the mix. If you've lived in north India, you'll know what I mean: Dal Makhani, the black lentils cooked overnight (allegedly), then tempered with cream, which never ceases to put in a starring appearance on the high table. Sadly, it's always a letdown. Always. Too overdone. Or the spices get too overwhelming, imparting a strange taste - nothing like what it would taste in a dhaba on Highway No so-and-so, a little distance away from Delhi.

The Dal Makhani at Indus almost sealed it for me. I've never had such good stuff anywhere in Dubai. It's a low threshold I know: how can one judge a restaurant on the basis of a certain version of lentils, I hear you ask. But I just did.

It immediately set the bar. If the Dal Makhani is the best in show, then this is a place that takes the desi cause very seriously.
Our meal ended with gulab jamuns - and, surprise, surprise, these were the best I've had so far in Dubai (the sweetness was just right, very subtle, so I actually got to savour the nuances packed in the little red balls)! In between, we gorged on delectably cooked meats, right-on-the-money kebabs, crisp rotis and vegetables whose flavours you can suss out.

Housed in one of the quarters of the World Trade Centre, Indus gives a contemporary twist to traditional desi food: the cooking style is modern - the food is not heavy on the stomach - while retaining the originality of age-old tastes and ingredients.

TASTE
The food is excellent - without being overly seasoned and spicy (two major sore points with Indian cuisine). Every dish (at least the ones we had) was distinctive and perfectly cooked. Special shoutout for the signature lamb chops, the prawns with black pepper and, of course, the dal and gulab jamun.

AMBIENCE
Indus is a genteel enough place, with different formats of seating, including a comfy lounge-like area (where we sat). There are pops of colours and overlying (Indian) ethnic motifs. It's bustling, with nooks of privacy. The comfort factor ensures you visit - again and again.

SERVICE
There's not much explaining to do - because the menu is self-explanatory, but the service stands out thanks to the sheer principles of hospitality the staff espouses. Right from the front office up to the personal servers, the unhurried, customised care doesn't stop.

PRESENTATION
The presentation is honest-to-God delicious - with thoughtful tableware (pretty little metal bowls for the dal, for instance). There's care taken so the garnishing stands out as a colour palette, and throws the wholesomeness into (the relief of) stark haute-ness.

VALUE FOR MONEY
Given the quality of food, this place is great value for money. Everyone in my group was of the opinion this is the place to head to the moment desi cravings set in - aided greatly by the fact that the prices are so competitive (veg kebab platter: Dh110/non-veg: Dh160).
sushmita@khaleejtimes.com


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