Olive Root, located in Al Nahda, is a casual dining restaurant that serves Rajasthani and International cuisine. This was my first visit to this outlet, and it happened to be to try their Iftar buffet. The buffet priced at AED 15/-, is unlimited, and includes dates, fruits, Chana Chaat, Dahi Vada, Mirchi Pakoda, Aloo Pakoda, Mini Chicken Shawarma and Roohafza. The shawarma was juicy and delicious. So were the pakodas and the channa chaat. But the dahi vadas were quite dry.
I also tried some dishes from their dinner menu. First up was Chicken Burger but the chicken patties were dry and unflavourful. Then we had Chicken Pasta in Arabiata Sauce and a Veg. Pasta in Alfredo Sauce. Both were flavoursome and presented well.
Soon another well-presented dish made it to our table – Fried Chicken Breast with Mashed Potatoes. The chicken pieces were crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside, but the mashed potatoes lacked seasoning. We were also served Grilled Chicken laid on a bed of grilled vegetables. This one is a must-try as it was perfect in terms of flavour, spiciness and tenderness.
No meal is ever complete without biriyani. I tried their Chicken Biriyani while my vegetarian friends tried the Veg. Biriyani. It was flavourful and spicy, and the meat was cooked well though the rice was a little dry. I loved the fact that it was topped with fried onions to give it that extra punch.
For me, ending a meal with a yummy dessert is very important and when we were served a cake in milk cake fashion, in a red bowl with yellow-coloured liquid at the bottom, cheesecake-like white mixture, and a cherry on top, my hopes were high. But it turned out be utter disappointment. Lack of flavour and right textures made this very unappealing.
Overall, some hits and many misses are what I encountered here. The presentation is very nice and the staff are very attentive and helpful but that alone is not enough to make the diners happy.
Lizbethology 