Aangan - Restaurant Award Winner
My friend’s jhinga kandhari starter was nothing short of a reward for righteous living, with its absurdly giant, yet torrentially juicy, tiger prawns, seared to unworldly perfection with a crimson explosion of harmonious tandoori spices 22 Reviews
- Picture 1 of 2
Although I could see the man playing the tabla, he was clearly in another place. Sitting serenely at the edge of the five-piece ensemble, he appeared to be detached and yet perfectly at one with the other musicians. His eyes were semi-glazed, his smile knowing and his countenance supremely calm, as though he’d achieved a state of ultimate attainment. If this man’s offspring had accidentally written off his father’s brand new Mercedes, now was the perfect time to deliver the news: ‘Car? Son, where I’m heading, you don’t need cars.’ But who could blame him, because an evening in Aangan – the first of several restaurants to open at the Dhow Palace Hotel – is a truly positive stage of the path to enlightenment.
The first steps of any journey are the most difficult. This rang true as we set foot in the dimly lit, wood-finished restaurant to a flurry of fussy attention. Yet as two extended Indian families drifted in, such intrusion settled to helpful assistance as we were left to ponder the menu, enjoy the crispy poppadum and fruity chutneys, and relax. My friend’s jhinga kandhari starter was nothing short of a reward for righteous living, with its absurdly giant, yet torrentially juicy, tiger prawns, seared to unworldly perfection with a crimson explosion of harmonious tandoori spices. My mahi tikka yielded an aromatic abundance of tender fish, with each hunk blessed with entrancing flavours.
As the in-house musicians quickened the tempo – and our man on the tabla edged closer to absolute liberation – the main courses arrived, and from the first sight to the last morsel they were a revelation. The saag gosht offered gloriously tender lamb pieces, enticingly pink inside, which bathed luxuriously in a phenomenally rich sauce of pureed baby spinach, lush coriander and smoky onions. My friend’s kadai murg chicken was indefinably delicate, and impossibly subtle in spices – more dharma than drama – with just enough bite to enliven the palate and leave you craving more. Both were accompanied by soft, fluffy basmati rice and alluringly light and fresh nan bread.
By the time our desserts arrived, we were already converted. My friend’s kulfi was sparingly punctuated with pistachio, ginger and figs, and was creamy without being overly rich. My gajrella combined finely-grated carrot softened in reduced milk and invigorated by punchy cardamom, crunchy cashew nuts, ambrosial almonds and flowery dry fruit. Then, as we reached a state of fulfilment, the musicians raced to a crescendo. Smiling beatifically, the man with the tabla was seemingly euphoric, ready to transcend the material world and rise to a higher plane. But, as I was tempted to tell him, with such fantastic food, enchanting ambience and good value, he’d probably be better off staying put in Aangan.
The bill (for two)
Jhinga kandhari Dhs70
Mahi tikka Dhs55
Kadai murg Dhs45
Saag gosht Dhs50
2x sadda chawal Dhs30
2x plain nan Dhs14
Gajrella Dhs30
Kulfi Dhs35
2x mineral water Dhs30
Total (including service) Dhs359
- Previous reviews
-
- E-mail:
-
- Print:
Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.
Dhs 1-50
Dhs 50-200
Dhs 200-350
Dhs 350-500
Dhs 500+
Loads of the best Dubai news, listings and reviews for just Dhs 199. 
