Kebab Bistro is known for serving authentic Parsi cuisine and some delectable kebabs. Step into this quaint restaurant in Karama and you’ll find the walls adorned with black & white photographs of many famous Parsi personalities, some of which will leave you amazed.
Parsi cuisine has always created a lot of intrigue and curiosity in me. First of all, I love the names of many of the dishes – Sali Boti, Dhansak, Farcha to name a few. To create more exuberance, Kebab Bistro has come up a few fusion dishes, where the authentic Parsi food has undergone an Italian makeover, Dhansak Arancini and Prawn Arancini are two of them. Arancini is of Italian origin and is cheese stuffed balls, coated with bread crumbs and then deep fried. In the Parsi version, the balls are stuffed with a popular Parsi dish called Dhansak, which is prepared by cooking meat with lentils and vegetables, and served a little bit of thick gravy on top. The Prawn Arancini was served with a piece of prawn on top of the thick gravy. The prawns tasted delicious.
We were also served two more starters – Russian Pattice and Patra ni Machi. Russian Pattice is similar to chicken cutlets but two-times the size, if not more. These were really hot and spicy but tender. Patra ni Machi translates to ‘fish on a plate’. The plate here is a banana leaf and this is one of the healthiest amongst the Parsi dishes as the marinated fish is wrapped in banana leaf and then steamed. This dish holds great importance in the Parsi community as it’s served as a starter during weddings. There was a generous piece of the fish, but it had bones in it and I really don’t enjoy fish with bones when I’m dining out. I also felt that the marinade was too sweet for my liking.
Next, we were served an array of kebabs – Fish Seekh Kebab, Chicken Malai Boti and Mutton Seekh Kebab. The mutton kebabs were flavourful and delish; the chicken kebabs were slightly dry and hard, and the fish kebabs made me doubt if there was any fish in them.
Also served was Mutton Dhansak with caramelised basmati rice and salad. The curry was decent, but the dish as a whole was leaning more towards the sweeter side. This is my first time trying Dhansak, so I’m not sure if it’s meant to be this way.
Lastly, for dessert, I had Lagan nu Custard, a typical Parsi favourite and served at Parsi weddings. It’s kinda similar to the custard pudding that my mom makes but this lacked the punch.
Overall, it’s a nice place to try many Parsi delicacies and they also have lunch buffets on weekends for AED 49/- only. Breakfast is available on Fridays from 9am to 12 noon.
Order online through Kebab Bistro, Zomato or Talabat; or if you prefer dining in, don’t forget to use Zomato Gold. Use my code (LIZBET) to purchase discounted Zomato Gold if you don’t already have it.
Lizbethology 