Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove is not just the only licensed Indian restaurant in Satwa. It’s also home to a cartoon fox on a stage, a bar where you can watch nature documentaries, a great view of the entire city, and excellent curries 10 Reviews

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Coconut Grove is not just the only licensed Indian restaurant in Satwa. It’s also home to a cartoon fox on a stage, a bar where you can watch nature documentaries, a great view of the entire city, and excellent curries. Furthermore, and rather amusingly, it’s home to some of the most assertive service in Dubai. You’ll be handed the bar list as soon as you sit down, and if you don’t order from it – based on our past experiences – the wrath of the staff will be awoken and dishes will arrive with a well-furrowed frown.

The main reason we keep returning to the Grove, in addition to the reasons listed above, is the excellent and great value food. The menu spans the southern states of India and sprawls across the water to Sri Lanka. On our most recent visit we enjoyed a tikka masala with soft and juicy chunks of fish, a kathrikai kara kozhambu (aubergines in a potently tangy sauce), and a portion of avial, a Keralite curry tinged with coconut and chock-full of vegetables, although the drumsticks (long okra-like vegetables) had irritatingly tough skin. The best curry was the balti rogan josh, with tender pieces of lamb in a rich and fragrant sauce. Faultless naan bread, pilao rice and Dhs10 bottles of Kingfisher made for excellent accompaniments.

A trip to the bar is a treat. The stools line up to face a screen showing Animal Planet (typical viewing: The Planet’s Funniest Animals) and there are pre-broken pappadoms and other bar snacks to appease the appetite. Continuing the vague animal theme, there’s that cartoon fox on the stage, which, according to a member of staff when we visited last summer, is definitely Mickey Mouse. As well as a bustling open kitchen, where about ten chefs are kept very busy, there are some fantastic views over the city (although Four Seasons next door hogs the prime viewing positions) towards the Burj, Dubai Marina, and over the Creek to the Deira skyline. It’s one of the best locations in town.

The bill (for two)
Mineral water Dhs5
Balti rogan josh Dhs25
Fish tikka masala Dhs25
Kathrikai kara kozhambu Dhs20
Avial Dhs15
Naan Dhs5
Steamed rice Dhs10
Veg pilao Dhs18
Total (including service) Dhs123

By Matthew Lee

• Previous reviews
  • 19 March,2009- reviewed by Time Out Dubai staff
  • 17 March,2009- reviewed by Time Out Dubai staff
  • 26 March,2008- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff
  • 12 March,2007- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff
  • 01 October,2002- reviewed by Kate Macwhannell

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Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.

Posted by: Memson Barnes on 06 Nov ' 09 at 12:00

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• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Have visited the coconut grove Dubai many times. The restaurant area is huge and spacious. It attracts a great crowd on the weekends and even also in other days. If you relish authentic South Indian cuisine, COCONUT GROVE is the place for you... FOOD IS REALY FANTASTIC

Posted by: suresh puannasseril on 30 Aug ' 09 at 07:45

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FoodAmbienceValue

• Best for: Brunch served
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

godd food and ambience

Posted by: t on 15 May ' 09 at 16:33

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Posted by: chris barrister on 18 Mar ' 09 at 20:31

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

its a decent restaurant , but u cant sample it time n again. Out of no choice u can go here.

Posted by: murli on 17 Mar ' 09 at 19:47

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

If its big group where u can be a bit noisy then its fine. For small group I would not recommend this restaurant

Posted by: Juliette on 17 Mar ' 09 at 11:08

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FoodAmbienceValue

• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Fabulous food ( a bit slow though). Book in advance and get a table by the window for a great view of the hussle and bustle below.

Posted by: David on 21 Oct ' 08 at 00:00

I am not sure who you are, but you are clearly delusional. Ravis is massively overhyped and constantly underdelivers. Yes, it's cheap, and edible, but so is KFC. Coconut Grove is something truly exciting. It may not look much, but close your eyes, and we are talking ambrosia as spices, rich gravy and the freshest ingredients collide in the sensory equivalent of the big bang. It's simple sensory physics. Where is your tongue, man.

Posted by: Hungry in Dubai on 20 Oct ' 08 at 00:00

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FoodAmbienceValue

• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

Food is good but I think David is rating this a little bit too much. A good Indian restaurant but you can't class it along with Gazebo, India Palace, The Bombay and Indego. Have to say it loses points for ambience. Leave this hotel and walk p the road to Ravis to really sample good southeast asian foods.

Posted by: David on 20 Oct ' 08 at 00:00

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• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

I agree. Absolutely brilliant south indian food. very casual, all about the food - which is first class nosh. I found the staff brilliant and very helpful, although they do always give you the starter menu when you arrive, rather than the full menu. A man of my appetite needs the full menu. Would recommend this thoroughly. One of my favourite places in Dubai.

Posted by: David on 20 Oct ' 08 at 00:00

OverallDecorService

Food

• Best for: Family friendly
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

This is undoubtedly the best indian restaurant in Dubai. The crab curry is superb, and worth getting fat for. Totally recommended.

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