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“the lion is most handsome when looking for food” ( RUMI)
paraphrase…someone or something is most appealing or attractive when they are pursuing their raison d’etre (their reason of being)
Hey Guys, Ramadan Kareem everyone,
This year I was invited by Omar Ali from @gastronomiqueDXB for a trip like no other, a trip to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
What made this trip unique was that Omar GastronomiqueDXB curated the restaurants to synchronise with the trip thus making a trully amazing and wonderfull trip.
The trip started from Pakistan moving to Saudi Arabia , spacifically Madinah, Mecca and Jeddah for Umrah, then Abu Dhabi and Dubai and finishing in Qatar.
This review will list the most memorable dish from each curated restaurant.
So without further ado lets get started
Butt Karahi…Lahore Pakistan PKR 3000 ( £8.54) 9 out of 10
Our Trip started from Butt Karahi in the walled city of Lahore, They claim to have invented the Karahi. The restaurant started from a single cart in McLoud Road Lahore, in 1923 and has never closed for a single day since then, the funny thing is now there are seven Butt Karahis on the same road, they are all independently owned by the descendants of Boota Butt who first started Butt Karahi in 1923.
As there is no concept of intellectual property or franchising in Pakistan, any member of the Butt clan who worked in Butt Karahi would go on to start his own chapter of Butt Karahi.
We visited the Genesis Butt Karahi, as verified by the molvee of the mosque next door.
The Karahi was a revelation, the lamb is cooked only using butter and spices, and the lamb is so tender it falls off the bone.
Veg Samosa..Soond walla Samosa PKR 200 each (57p) 8 out of 10
Not all the places we ate in were fine dining, these samosas were made by a humble street cart close to our Fruit Orchards in Punjab, the samosas were fresh on the spot and believe me they hit the spot, delicately spiced potato filling in a crispy filo case…so simple yet absolutely delicious.
Spicy Chicken Mandi…Mandi World…Jeddah,Saudi Arabia SAR 85 ( £18) 8.9out of 10
My love of food started from the simple concept of chicken and rice, this combination exisits the world over, biryani in the sub continant, Singapore Chicken and rice, Italian Pollo Risotto, Gumbo in the American deep south and Mandi in southern Arabia.
The Mandi from Mandi world Jeddah was simple, fragrent and oh so delicious
Our next leg of the trip was to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, I visited Madinah and Mecca however it was the most busiest time of the year outside the Hajj so we enjoyed some Saudi street vendors
I tried the Ajwa Ice Cream in Madinah, The Ice Cream is made from Ajwa dates which were the favourite dates of the Prophet Mohammed(pbuh), and camel milk, it was served in a soft serve style, the Ajwa Ice Cream has a very subtle tasting notes of toffee, molasses, coffee and brown butter… absolutely delicious after Isha in Madinah.
Lamb Chops…Crossing Restaurant, H Hotel, Dubai AED 50 (£10) 9 out of 10
Next up we reached the Dubai leg of our Grand Tour, and we were invited by three of the most prominent food influencers in the UAE.
Hani AlMaliki aka @bedouinfoodie , Reza Namazi @ravenousxerxes and Jamal Al husseini @phinickyeater , the lunch was personally curated by the Michelin Star Chef Jitin Joshi @chefjitinjoshi.
This was truly a spectacular treat, the conversation was enlightening and eating with knowledgeable peers was truly amazing and humbling.
Furthermore, Chef Joshi’s passion speaks volumes through his food, the highlight of a truly memorable meal was the double rib lamb cutlets the marination was subtle yet complex, and the lamb was tender with a wonderful nutty fat from the loin.
I am overdoing with the Superlative adjectives but how else can one describe something so good?
BBQ Platter…Big T BBQ AED 250 (£53) 8 out of 10
Next Iftar Omar took me to an authentic Texas BBQ in the middle of Dubai…go figure, It was designed like a Texas Redneck BBQ right down to the Taxas size portions.
Actually, Big T BBQ is a labour of love for the owner Fadel Faour, he fell in love with the 1000-gallon smoker whilst studying at Longhorn University and could not wait to recreate the experience in Dubai.
The BBQ consists of seasoned smoked meats—specifically beef brisket, beef ribs, pastrami and Texas German Beef sausage.
OMG, the Texas German Beef link Sausage was a manna from heaven, the sausage was seasoned spectacularly, along with the smokey taste of the Ghaf tree gave a delicious umami earthy taste… loved it!!
kebab Hamoudi…Bait Maryam Dubai AED 85 (£16) 8 out of 10
Walking into Bait Maryam is like walking into the kitchen of your Jordanian Aunt, Sallam Dakak is a self teach two Michelin Star chef cooking her mum Maryam rustic delicacies, but don’t mistake rustic as peasant food, the food is simple yet fantastic, all the more elevated by the fresh ingredients available in Dubai.
The Kebab Hamoudi is an ode to Maryam’s grandson, the lamb kebab is sheathed in romali roti and rested on a bed of Maryams amazing spicy Tomato shorba and smoked Aubergine Babaganough. the pine nuts give a buttery nuance to cut the richness.
Mix Kebab… khoori Iranian dubai Aed 85 (£18.33) 9 out of 10
If a picture could speak 1000 words… well this speaks a while 1001 stories… Khoori is honest to goodness, salt of the earth Iranian kabab jaga…no pretensions, no faff just salt of the earth kebabs and fresh pebble bread.
It was love at first bite.
Sujook…Al Beiruti Dubai AED 59 (12.73) 8.5 out of 10Lebenon is a melting pot of amazing culinary influences, a case in point is the humble Sujook, Lebanese Sausage in Al Beiruti Dubai, the sausage is initially spoked and then tossed in burnt butter, pomegranate molasses and pine nuts, the sweet tangy sensation cuts through the spiced umami richness of the sausage.
Ceaser Salad…AED 82 (£17.70 Jones the Grocer Abu Dhabi 7 out 0r 10
Sometimes you need to give your system a wee time out…for those occasions, a Caesar Salad hits the spot…tossed with beef bacon a Caesar salad is an underrated timeless classic
Kebab Guldusta…Ashas Doha QR120 (£27) 7.5 out of 100
Ashas is a restaurant chain founded by the Bollywood playback singer, Asha Bhosle who is the sister of Lata “The Nightingale” Mangeshkar.
She is CDO (Chief Decor Officer) and CCO (Chief Cusine Officer), and she contributes to the menu.
She is a great fan of the Moghul school of cooking hence why healthy grilled and tandoori dishes are prominant.
The Kebab Guldusta is made up of malai tikka, murgh tikka and seekh kebab, all were marinated on point and grilled. simple yet delicious.
Tiramisu Biscuit…Koncrete Coffee Dubai AED 30 (£6.45) 7.5 out of 10
As a coffee aficionado, Omar also curated some of the best artisan coffee roasters in Dubai, firstly there is Koncrete Coffee, Coffee is imported from the BArn in Berlin, but it is also a social enterprise founded by progressive young emirates and art gallery.
Espresso Lab, Dubai Design District AED 35 (£7.50) 9 out of 10
The simple pleasure of great coffee and a cigar and amiable company after a great meal is exactly what we enjoyed at Espresso Lab in the Dubai Design District.
Espresso Lab is a coffee roaster founded by a visionary and passionate Emirati, Ibrahim Al Mallouhi, the extent of his passion is evident as he has trailblazed the concept
“seed to cup” where he has bought plantations in Columbia, Ethiopia and Sumatra so he can make sure the coffee supply line is unbroken from the seed to the cup.
In Conclusion
Omar did an amazing job in curating such amazing restaurants, his knowledge of the Dubai restaurant business is unparalleled.
Omar curated artisan eateries rather than falling for the Dubai bling usual suspects.
The trip was not only a revelation in a culinary sense but spiritually and emotionally too.
I met some truly inspirational individuals whose passion shone through yet there was a notable absence of the foodie arrogance.
I humbly thank everyone who made my trip memorable
Halal Rating
All the restaurants visited were alcohol-free and Halal
Alfie Foodwala visits all restaurants anonymously and pays for the bill like any other customer, Alfie Foodwala does not accept free meals in return for reviews.
Hey, Foodwala boys and girls… I hope you are all safe and well
Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook, TIK TOK, and Instagram pages, tag, and please share with six people if you like this review, message me if you have constructive feedback.
If you would like to “Eat with Alfie Foodwala” please email me at alfiefoodwala@aol.com
Furthermore, if you know of a restaurant I should review please let me know.
Fire that“s closest kept burns most of all. -William Shakespeare
The 80s was an excellent decade, I am not being nostalgic but it was the decade that is most fondly remembered by everyone, I remember the summer of 1986, the world cup was held in Mexico and won by the footballing Aristocats of Argentina and Boris Becker won Wimbledon at the age of 17.
What I remember the most was when we visited my grandparents in the deepest darkest Punjab, Our trips to Pakistan were always adventurous and magical.
It was that coming-of-age summer I also discovered my love and passion for food, and it was in a big way influenced by my grandfather.
My grandfather was a larger-than-life character, I still remember his brilliant white Dhoti and Kurta he used to wear, the cotton cloth ironically brought from Holland and Sherry mill in Peebles, even though he had the biggest Cotton plantation in Punjab.
The summer days were long and hot, but when the heat broke around 5 pm he would get his staff to build a fire pit under the Peeple tree and when the embers glowed black hot he would then direct the staff to bring out the marinated game and meats and proceed to barbeque.
My favourite was the fire pit roasted lamb and chicken, the meat glistened in its juices as it cooked on the fire, every few minutes he would but off some burnt ends and hand it over to me to try, amazingly the taste would subtly change every few minutes at the fire worked its magic.
My grandfather would explain to me why the changes in taste happened which absolutely raptured me.
11 Woodfire
My wee brother, Goblees Foodwala, reminds me of my grandfather, he has the same physique and the same love for food, so when he heard about my story of the fire pit and my grandfather he took me to the Michelin stared 11 Woodfire.
See Omar has the same joie de vivre as my grandfather, my grandfather could have bought cotton from the local bazaar but instead, he imported it from Holland and Sherry, similarly, Goblees could have taken me to the local Nandos but his style was more Michelin stared 11 Woodfire.
As we entered we were greeted by the faint aroma of Hickory, Oak and Maple wood smoke, it was such a gentle and subtle way to introduce what was coming soon.
The interior of the restaurant was Jumeirah Jane meets Blacksmith chic, It was relaxed elegant industrial chic, with none of the stuffiness associated with the usual Michelin restaurants.
Sourdough & House Dips – Harissa, Green Olive Tapenade AED 43 £10
First up we opted for the Fire baked sourdough accompanied with harissa green dip and Olive Tapenade. The green dip was an excellent accompaniment to the fresh warm bread, buttery and fresh, the Olive Tapenade was equally delicious.
Chicken Wings – Soy, Chipotle AED 45 £10 8/10
The Chicken wings were usual as it was different, the marinade was sticky and sweet yet hot and spicy, The only way to eat them was to manhandle them, so very un Michelin.
The Meat kebab was absolutely delicious in its umami deliciousness, the tailbone fat was expertly mixed with lean beef keema, which gave a buttery nutty kebab, the smokiness of a kebab for all the senses.
The lamb Chops were the pièce de résistance, expertly marinaded was not to overshadow the hero of the dish, the lamb was tender to the extent of butteriness, with just enough fat to wingman the lamb, class!!
Yes, that’s right a burger, what is this sorcery you cry, a burger in a Michelin restaurant and yes the brioche but was light and spongy with a Wagyu burger which insanely actually lets itself into a burger due to its marbling.
crème brûlée
The crème brûlée ticked the egg custardy box, smooth and creamy with the ubiquitous burnt sugar topping…addictive
“bone marrow” dessert
This was Chef Akmal Anur’s playful personality, a chocolate and banana dessert made to look like bone marrow, Omar loved it but not to my taste
In Conclusion
11 Woodfire is basically fantastic, the true craftmanship is taming the wildfire to produce such nuanced and exquisite dishes. Chef Anur is down to earth with his complexity, a true master who does not flex due to insecurity. The focus is on playful taste and flavours rather than being modern for the sake of Michelin.
The Service was friendly and to the point, not overbearing and stuffy, however, the staff could have more knowledge of the dishes and allergins.
The Star of the Meal?
The Lamb Chops and the Wagyu burger in my opinion the star of the show.
The miss of the Meal?
This is like asking which of my 3 children’s my favourite, I usually say in jest I hate them all equally (by the way I love them all equally) I would say the bone marrow dessert, i am not a fan of banana and chocolate pairing, it was just convoluted.
Honourable Mention
The 11 Woodfire is a trailblazer in the cutthroat modern wood fire restaurant scene in Dubai, I would say it is better than 3Fils, or Orfali Bros, It just did its thing in an honest and delicious manner
Halal Rating
The Chicken, Beef, Game and Lamb are confirmed 100% Halal.
Alcohol is served on the Premises
100% impartial Guarantee
Alfie Foodwala visits all restaurants anonymously and pays for the bill like any other customer, Alfie Foodwala does not accept free meals in return for reviews.
Wharf 02, Jumeirah Fishing Harbour – 1 Al Urouba St – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Hey Foodwala boys and girls… hope you are all safe and well
Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook and Instagram pages, tag, and please share with six people if you like this review, message me if you have constructive feedback.
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Furthermore, if you know of a restaurant that I should review please let me know.
I once went to see the late great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in concert in Glasgow, as you can imagine Glasgow is pretty straight laced in terms of social conservatism, so the once old Nusrat started to sing his Qualis the atmosphere in the hall became electric, it was as if the audience was mesmerised by the poetic lyrics.
Mr Khan sang about how love is a greater intoxicant than alcohol… then something strange happened, an elderly “uncle” got up from his chair and with an aid of a stick shuffled to the front of the stage.
Firstly he took out a few notes from his pocket and reverently placed them in front of the Quali master as a token of his appreciation and then he started to gyrate, yes he started to dance, not in a disco or western dance but a dance of the mesmerised, he started to whirl like a Sufi dervish…one man, without fear of judgment or failure stood in front of the stage and started dancing. Then another “uncle” started to dance on his chair, and another and another until the hall was full of men whirling like dervishes in front of the master.
It was quite a sight to behold, and equally how a single act can kickstart a movement.
The point of the story is that the food scene of Dubai is dominated by behemoth 5-star hotels with its tightly controlled international restaurant scene, or restaurants opened under the banner of celebrity chefs who lend their name so restaurant owners can overcharge their customers and finally the franchised mall restaurants who bang out homogenized food.
However, there is a movement happening in Dubai – chefs and restaurateurs are breaking free from the safety of hotels, franchises and celebrity mentorships and are creating a movement – a portfolio of independent, quality destinations that resonate with Dubai’s community.
One of the trailblazers is Chef Akmal Anuar and his 3 Fils Emirati/Far Eastern restaurant, he turned his back on the safe 5-star residentship and ventured out alone into the tumbleweed wilderness of off the beaten track independent restaurant scene.
He is the first to admit that the risk in the early days nearly did not pay off and he struggled to get 4 paying customers a day, but he persevered and turn things around.
3 Fils has 20 cosy covers and the restaurant decor is what I can describe as fishing village industrial minimalist chic, with cosy brushed concrete walls and simple wooden benches.
The menu is a single card that doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the concept, It is cartoonish and illustrated, where the actual food is sophisticated and crafted. It is the only concept disconnect that I noticed.
I kicked off the proceedings with Scottish Scallops in Tiger Juice of Mandarin Soy juice and Sumac.
Scallops in Mandarin and Sumac Jus AED 52
The Scallops are notoriously difficult seafood to get right, any lapse in focus and the scallop is overcooked and becomes a rubbery mess, however, these scallops were in the Loch near Glasgow a few hours ago.
The scallops were oh so gently seared and placed in the “Tiger Juice” of mandarins, sumac and rice wine vinegar, and basically, it was absolutely divine, the buttery scallops lent themselves perfectly to then citrusy tangy juice, I loved it.
Spiced Lamb Ribs AED 54
The Spiced Lamb Ribs…nearly made me cry…they were so delicious, the ribs were seasoned to perfection and then cooked until they were falling off the bone with the merest nudge of the fork, the fat of the ribs had a nutty buttery flavour and with the seasoning, it was definitely a symphony for the tastebuds.
Dragon Sushi AED 42
The Shrimp Dragon rolls were next up, The Shrimp Tempura was accompanied by the Umami Korean gochujang sauce and pickled shallots, it was decent however the seaweed hair like garnish was disconcerting and should be asked not to be used, kind of spoilt the effort.
Fish Burger AED 62
The Fish Sandwich was a special of the day, the buttery brioche bun was the right bun to use and the slab of perfectly fried whitefish in batter was cooked endpoint and topped with kimchi gave the right about of acidity to cut the fried fish and buttery bun.
In Conclusion
If you want my 2 fils worth on 3 Fils,
I think Chef Akmal should be very proud of what he has achieved. The space is casual with a touch of industrial fishing drama. The setting is fantastic, overlooking the fishing harbour. The staff are Filipino efficient and friendly, and the food is cool, inventive, unpretentious and accessible.
The Star of the Meal?
My star of the meal was definitely Spiced Lamb Ribs…superstar
The miss of the Meal?
I honestly cannot think of anything, but maybe the hairy seaweed garnish…
Honourable Mention
So how did 3 Fils do against its peers?
I am going to broaden my peers’ horizon on this occasion
Definitely on par with Cranshak and Catch in Glasgow
I loved it equally as Gamba
Halal Rating
The Chicken, Lamb served in the restaurant and HALAL
Alcohol is NOT served on the Premises
Pork is NOT served on the Premises
100% impartial Guarantee
Alfie Foodwala visits all restaurants anonymously and pays for the bill like any other customer, Alfie Foodwala does not accept free meals in return for meals
All reviews are the personal opinion of Alfie Foodwala based on his 30-year experience as a restauranteur.
Hey, Foodwala boys and girls…hope you are all safe and well.
Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook and Instagram pages, tag, and please share with six people if you like this review, message me if you have constructive feedback.
If you would like to “Eat with Alfie Foodwala” please email me at alfiefoodwala@aol.com
Furthermore is you know of a restaurant that I should review please let me know.
Show me the way to go home, I’m tired and I want to go to bed, Cos I had a little drink about an hour ago, And it’s gone right to my head, No matter where I roam, On land or sea or foam,
(JAWS original motion picture soundtrack 1975)
I am a great fan of movies and the iconic scene where the above song comes from is the seminal movie Jaws by Steven Spielberg when he was a young edgy rookie director as opposed to the shadow of himself now.
In the scene, the Quint, Brody, and Hooper are having a dinner of seafood and in a show of camaraderie sing this song all while they unknowingly are being dinner plans for Jaws.
I have always been fascinated by the majesty of the sea, I love to wonder about the immenseness of the Ocean and have loved the varied treasure trove that the sea provides as a way of sustaining us.
This is particularly evident when I visit the waterfront fish market in Deira Dubai, This is the Dubai the tourists don’t see.
I visit the fish market at Fajar time when the fishermen are just landing their catch, the market is an, amazing atmosphere of hustle and bustle, we have Indian fishermen offloading the dhows with the days catch, cigarettes nonchalantly hanging from their lips, and wearing cut off denim shorts or lungis, their mahogany skin wrinkled like flaking varnish,
Then we have the enterprising Iranian auctioneers who sell the fish, they prance from one basket to another and shout in some indecipherable language while the buyers use hand and finger motions to buy the fish,
All this is closely monitored by the fish market and dhow owners they are the local Gulf Arabs in their splendid ice white Kandoras, they watch the action like pit bosses watching the croupier and punters at a Casino.
After watching this theatre I proceed to the fish stalls and inspect the displayed dish, the Tiger Prawns from the Bay of Bengal, the size of fists, Angelfish, butterflyfish, and cuttlefish are among the fish of the Indian Ocean. Giant clams, gray reef sharks, manta rays, and spiny dogfish are other marine animals on display,
I then purchase my fish and prawns and take them to a wee Dhaba where the Bengali owner, splendid in his lungi and vest cooks the fish in some spices and butter and serves with some chilli sauce and fresh pitta now that is what I call breakfast of champions.
Shai Foodwala and I decided to visit Crabshakk, after many a recommendation.
Crabshakk is a compact wee restaurant in the deepest darkest Finnieston,
As we walked in we were welcomed with the smell of the sea mixed with the sweet-sharp smell of malt vinegar.
we were promptly seated on the mezzanine by the jolly owner and then he announced the specials of the day
we kicked off the proceedings by choosing the fresh Loch Fyne Oysters
Oysters £8.00
The Oysters were served on a bed of crushed Ice and accompanied with a shallot vinagrette the Oysters can only be discribed as tatsting of the the sea, absolutely delicious
Whiyebaite £7.95
Next up was the tiny whitebait which was dusted in plain flour and flash cooked in golden oil, the fish was light and fresh and prefect with some cheeky straw fries.some wou;d say posh fish and chips
Twmpura Squid £8.95
The one fish that challenges a chef is the Squid, this seperates the proverbial men from the boys, Squid if overcooked becomes rubbery and foul,
this Squid was done to perfection the temputa batter was light, flakey, and crispy the Squid was firm, not rubbery. very enjoyable.
Scallops om ancjhove butter £9.95
The amchove butter cooked scallops…what a masterpiece the natural aweet nutty tasting notes of fresh Scottish Scallops was enhanced by the anchovy infused butter, eaten with fresh rte bread
baked Halibut £22.95
Halibut is a hard fish to master, the cousin if the Tilapia the firm sweet flesh is easy to over cook and equally under season, this was dusted with flour and baked and accpmpanied with creamy herb potatoes.
Absolutely point on, the seasining and technique were excellent.
Crab Cakes £9.95
The House Crab Cakes were wee but packed with serious flavour, crabby but not stodgy,
In Conclusion
The Crabshakk was fantastic, the food was fantastic pure and simple, i can go on with superlatives but basically, Crabshakk is very very good,
The superior local ingredients did the talking rather than complicated names and egotistical dishes.
Simple and delicious and attentive staff not to mention friendly
Lets save the OCEANS its the largest eco system and the planets life support sysytem
The Star of the Meal?
I would go for the Baked Halibut and the Crab Cakes
The miss of the Meal?
I would not say miss but less good of all the famtastic dishes was the Musselsm the other ingredients overpowered the Mussels.
Honorable Mention
So how did The Crabshakk do against its peers?
Definitely on par with Gamba
Halal Rating
The Chicken, Beef, and Lamb is NOT Served in the restaurant
Alcohol is served on the Premises
Pork is NOT served on the Premises
100% impartial Guarantee
Alfie Foodwala visits all restaurants anonymously and pays for the bill like any other customer, Alfie Foodwala does not except free meals in return for meals
All reviews are the personal opinion of Alfie Foodwala based on his 30-year ex
Hey, Foodwala’s boys and girls…hope you are all safe and well.
Please remember to subscribe to the Alfie Foodwala Facebook and Instagram pages, tag and share if you like this review.
Have you ever listened to a song and have been transported back to a specific time and place?
you can remember it like yesterday?,
you can remember the sights and smells?
the feelings?
I am not one to reminisce or wallow in nostalgia but the feeling was so strong and poignant.
The song in question is the Desert Rose by Sting and particularly the bit where he sings with a background of hauntingly entrancing Arab Ululating. and the lyrics
This desert rose Each of her veils, a secret promise This desert flower No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this
And he sings the song while sitting in a Jaguar S Type, which coincidently what my brothers and I were driving at the time as well.
I was listening to Desert Rose, in my newly Delivered Mercedes and was reminiscing,
I all of a sudden felt like some of the cuisine of the Desert, so like a mirage of an Oasis,
I stumbled upon Mrs Falafal, a street food stand next to the Sainsburys petrol pump on Woodlands Road.
My curiosity was piqued so I decided to have a wee try
Mrs FalafalMrs FalafalHaloumi Bowl £3.50
I kicked off the proceedings with some Robata Grilled Haloumi on a bed of Tabouleh, Humous and Baba Ganoush.
The Haloumi was soft and buttery with a delicious char on the outside, If the Haloumi is not cooked properly it can taste rubbery and devoid of flavour, this, however, was delicious and had a lovely salty zing to it.
I was not overly thrilled by the Tabouleh, but that is a not a shortcoming of Mrs Falafal Tabouleh but my own preference, however, the houmas was smooth and zesty and topped with pine nuts(a nice touch)
and the Baba Ganoush had an earthy lemony Aubergine meatness.
Falafel Bowl £4.50
Next up was the Mrs Falafal signature Falafel bowl, the freshly made falafel was quite simply a revelation, they were pillowy soft herby centre with a delicious crispy crust, they were expertly made so they were not greasy nor were they stodgy… Top marks
The Falafel too were accompanied with some Humus, Tabouleh, Baba Ganoush and some salad, I would give the salad a miss if I as to order the bowls again.
Lamb Kofta Wrap £6.50
The Lamb Kofta wrap was equally delicious, the koftas were cooked on the Robata grill and placed in the flatbread with some house chilli sauce and Iceberg lettuce and Buffalo tomatoes, The lamb Kofta was nicely spiced and with a bbq smokiness made a great addition to the wrap…definitely my star of the meal.
The Star of the Meal?
Definitely the Lamb Kofta Wrap, and closely followed with the Falafel.
The miss of the Meal?
The Tabouleh Salad and the bland house salad.
In Conclusion.
Mrs Falafal hit the right spot with fresh delicious Falafel and freshly made Lamb Kofta, The food was cooked in a cramp food cart with limited equipment and ingredients, by Syrian refugees who did not have chef training, but it definitely gave some restaurants a run for the Dirham.
the service was cheerful and informative, with a proper Arabic welcome and cheeriness.
Top marks for effort and authenticity.
Honourable Mention
So how did Mrs Falafal compare with the best of Marouch, on Londons Edgeware Road, or Abd El Wahab, Achrafieh, Beirut or Allo Beirut Dubai?
It was definitely a good effort, for a street food stand it punched above its weight
Hey Foodwala’s hope you are all Teek Taak (Fandabeedozee)
I was in a contemplative mood the other day and I picked up some poetry by the greatest poetwalla the world has known Jellaludin Rumi…Rumi to his friends and I picked up his works and opened the book at a random page and let fate choose my poem and lesson for the day.
The poem that my gaze fell upon was the Guest House and in the poem, it says something really profound about our relationship with emotional eating and food…
This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice. meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes. because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
What this said to me in context to emotional eating was that sometimes you feel intense emotions whether they be happy, sad or destructive and we use food to counterbalance these emotions so when you feel depressed you bring out a tub of Ben and Jerrys or when you feel lonely you bring out the chocolates so on and so forth.
What Rumi is saying is why don’t you invite the emotions however positive or negative and treat them like a guest in your house and then ask them to leave at your convenience.
In a nutshell, it is saying why don’t you control your emotions on your terms rather than let the emotions control you and this way your relationship with food will be of taste, flavour, enjoyment, and nourishment.
All this talk about emotional eating made me hungry so Papa Foodwala and I decided to check out the new creation by the enfant terrible chef Aktar Islam, he is to Indian cuisine what Heston Blumenthal is to Molecular Grastonamy.
Opheem Theatre Kitchen
As we entered the beautifully minimalist restaurant we were ushered to the chef’s table in front of the glass-walled theatre kitchen.
To a passionate restauranteur and food lover, this is like sitting at the grand tier at the La Scala Opera house and we could watch the maestro conduct his kitchen brigade.
Amuse bouche
We kicked off the proceedings with the Amuse Bouche, it was a trio of a Kolorabi poori, misrili beetroot cake, and the Sperified tamarind
The Amuse Bouche was wonderful in terms of flavour and an excellent prelude to the rest of the meal.
Lamb-Parker House Roll with Lamb Pate
Next, up on our journey was these delicious Parker House Rolls topped with granulated lamb and accompanied with this wonderfully spiced lamb pate.
This was very innovative and unusual but utterly compelling and delicious.
The Roll was soft, pillowy and buttery and the lamb gave it a morish element and the accompanying pate was earthy in its taste.
THANGRI KEBAB £10.90
The marinated chicken kebab was soft and tender and lightly seasoned and accompanied with a bulger wheat salad and pickled gem lettuce.
NAASTA £9.95
The Naashta tasting plate was an Ode to Old Dehli but with a fresh innovative twist, the Paneer Tikka was hero element and it was accompanied with sweetcorn and gobi fritters and fenugreek Tikki, beetroot kebab.
The trio of chutneys lends themselves perfectly to the main elements, superb.
Hibiscus Sorbet
The Hibiscus sorbet was delicious, even although it was a palet cleanser the care and attention devoted to it was amazing, the fruity tartness of the sorbet was offset with a sliver of radish and the freeze-dried raspberries added a playful note.
HYDERABADI BIRYANI £21.00
We proceeded to Opheems take on a classic Hyderabadi Biryani, firstly we were presented with the Dum Biryani and a plate with something very unusual… a piece of spiced lamb belly, I have never had this ever before, this offcut which is usually discarded by butchers, just reinforced the chefs talents, the lamb belly was possibly cooked with the Sous Vide method and then roasted. This then has an intense lamb flavour and the buttery lamb fat gives it an added dimension.
Definitely an acquired taste, Papa Foodwala did not like it at all, however, I felt it was compelling.
HYDERABADI BIRYANI
In Conclusion, Opheem polarised the two generations of Foodwala’s, Papa Foodwala being a traditionalist felt the food was overcomplicated and an unwelcome departure from what Indian food should we, this opinion, by all means, should not be taken lightly, after all, papa Foodwala is an award-winning restaurateur with over half a century experience of running amazing restaurants and feeding numerous generations.
However, I being the younger generation of a restauranteur, loved the avant-garde Indian food, In my opinion, what Aktar Islam is doing is pushing the boundaries of established Indian food and using amazing ingredients thus elevating the art of Indian cooking to Michelin level and on par with its arrogant European counterparts.
The service was friendly and efficient yet maybe a little scripted.
However, and it’s a big, however… We arrived at the restaurant at 5.15pm and we were the only customers in the restaurant until we left at 7.15. I don’t know how long a restaurant can maintain this level of standards with such little paying customers.
Hi Foodwala’s… Welcome to another tale of Alfie Foodwala.
I have always wondered where the oft-used term
“Standing on the shoulders of giants” came from.
Funnily enough, it originates from a 12th Century thinkerwala, John of Salilbury who said…
“We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more, and things that are more distant, than they did, not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours.”
in a nutshell what it alludes to is what we achieve more and further by building on the achievements of previous great and influential people.
Why is this relevant?
let me indulge…
I was on another of Alfie Foodwala’s famous wanderings in the big smoke and I stumbled on Darjeeling Express, the story of Darjeeling Express and particularly the chef patron Asma Khan is very interesting, Ms Khan who is actually a lawyer loved food and cooking so much she started to cook for her friends at home and one thing led to another and that evolved to supper clubs and manifested itself into a restaurant as she outgrew her dining room.
Asma Khan, caught the attention of Chefs Table on Netflix and rest is as we say… history.
Asma Khan and team
As with the case with Avant Garde chefs, they look down and downplay the achievements of the great men and women who came to the UK in the 60’s and 70’s and opened restaurants on what can only be said in very hostile and challenging market conditions.
However, it was refreshing to hear Asma giving the early pioneers credit in making her journey easier and how she is indeed was “standing on the shoulder of giants” and in particular reference to Mr Ali of the Shish Mahal who first invented the Chicken Tikka Masala.
Darjeeling Express
The dining room of Darjeeling Express is compact, it feels intimate without feeling claustrophobic
Dahi Vada £6
We kicked off the proceedings with some pre appetiser, Dahi Vada.
Dahi Vada is a street food snack originated in the Indian subcontinent and is medallions of fried Urid Dall fritters topped with sweet creamy buffalo yoghurt and topped with roasted spices, Sev(fried chickpea noodles) and in my case, I prefer it Punjabi style so with some chopped green chillies.
The Dahi Vada was delicious and light with the clear tasting of the individual elements, if cooked with a less delicate hand it can be stodgy and unappetising.
Tangra Chilli Garlic Prawns £8
These King Prawns were heavenly, the Prawns were cooked without making them rubbery, even although they were out of the shell, the Prawns were sauteed in garlic and dried chilli tarka
the flavour notes were fantastic, subtle smokiness with a slight sweet afternote.
Venison Kofta £14
The venison Kofta was indeed a novel take on Kofta.
The Venison was rich and earthy with a slightly sweet nutty taste, possibly from the diet of the deer, the Shikar Masala shorba was subtle, delicate, smooth and rich and perfectly seasoned.
Kali Mirch Saag Keema £14
The second indulgence was the Lamb Keema with Spinach Leaf and ground Talichery Black Pepper…one word Yummy
The mince was moist yet not greasy it was light without being under seasoned.
In Conclusion, Ms Khan has disrupted without being a disruption, her take on her native Calcutta was heartwarming, her team of all female chefs was groundbreaking, the subtleness of the female hand was evident in the cooking.
I had an amazing afternoon having my taste buds teased and tantalised.
Hey, Foodwala’s… This week the foodwala family were in deepest darkest Belgravia, and it felt like I had been transported to downtown Dubai or Doha or Riyadh even, it was wall to wall with affluent Gulf Arabs enjoying their summer vacation in one of the greatest cities in the world.
This reminded me of the John Cleese satirical comedy sketch where a tall aristocratic looking John Cleese is standing next to a shorter Ronnie Barker who represents the middle classes and a short fat Ronnie Corbett who represented the working classes, the scetch goes when John Cleese says he looks down on the Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett characters and in turn Ronnie Barker’s character says he looks up to John Cleese character but looks down at the Ronnie Corbett character thus illustrating the British class system to an amusing effect.
This amusing sketch actually reminded me of the Arabs in London, the Affluent aristocratic petropound Gulf Arabs congregate in Knightsbridge and Belgravia, they look down on their Levantine brethren from Jordon, Egypt and Lebanon who hang out around Edgware Road in Marylebone and lastly the poor African Arabs who congregate areas like Acton.
And never the twain shall meet.
However, they have a single unifying thing….their amazing food
The Rarri and Bakree Foodwalee’s where feeling right at home with the Gulf Arabs and after enjoying some retail Therapy at Harrods and Sloane Street they proclaimed that they were hungry and would only settle for the best Lebanese restaurant in London… Ishbilia
We arrived at the restaurant and it was packed to the gunnels by elegantly dressed Gulf Arabs, the gents in their Loro Piana and Brioni streetwear and the perfectly coiffured ladies in their Chanel and Ellie Saab and all with their obligatory Hermes Birkins.
We were seated in a prime table so we could witness the air kissing and the up and down glance perfected by entitled ladies everywhere.
Fresh VegetablesFresh Mint Lemonade
We were greeted by the dashing and handsome Mohammed (who reminded us of Mokee Foodwala) who would look after us, he coincidently used to study in Glasgow and recognised our accents!
He made us feel right at home.
Fatoush and Hummous
We asked Mohammed to organise a selection of Mezze, so first up we received a deliciously crunchy Fatoush salad sprinkled with sumac and pomegranate dressing, the Hummous was perfectly creamy yet tangy…delicious.
Sojouk
The homemade Beef Sojouk sausages were next up, they were sauteed in garlic and olive oil and the deep spicy beef flavour was beautifully accentuated with the olive roasted garlic.
Kibbeh Makliah
Falafal
The Kibbehwas delicately spiced mince with pine nuts, it requires a deft hand, otherwise, it becomes stodgy and tasteless, the Ishbiliah Mezze chef possesses the kid-gloved deft hand
Cheese Sambousek
The Sambourek were delicious bite-sized Lebanese pizza, light and fluffy with a cheesy crust, again delicious
Fresh Stone baked pitta
The mezze was accompanied by piping hot stane baked pitta, these pillowy bread was simple exquisite and so addictive, simply irresistible
Fruit PlatterBaklavah platter
The excellent Mezze was finished off with some fresh fruit platter and a plate of homemade baklava.
The hospitality provided by Mohammed was amazing, his knowledge of what he was serving was second to none and the service was attentive without being intrusive, this is the essence of the art of service
Hey, Foodwala’s…Alfie Foodwala is feeling a little white around the gills, some sun was definitely needed. Goblee Foodwala invited me to his hood in Dubai and I graciously accepted.
Alfie Foodwala always turns left on the airplane so I decided to check out the Emirates dedicated Business Class Lounge at Glasgow Airport.
Emirates Lounge
As I entered the Lounge was nice and peaceful, far from the madding crowds outside. The Lunch buffet was being set up at the top of the room and the lounge hostess brought over a double espresso and some Bateel.
Mezze Selection
I felt a little peckish so I decided to enjoy some Arabian Mezze
Mezze
I decided on the Hummus with flatbread and seafood salad, the Hummus was smooth and tangy.
The Seafood Salad was some King Prawns and Smoked Salmon on a bed of rocket and asparagus accompanied with some lemon mayonnaise.
The Mezze was very agreeable.
Italian Pasta Soup
The second Course was light Italian pasta in a Sicilian Tomato Consomme, this was delicately seasoned and the pasta and the vegetables were al dente
Braised Chicken Supreme with Valoute Sauce
Next up I opted for the Chicken in a Veloute Sauce, the supremes of chicken breast were delicately cooked in butter and the Valoute sauce was light, exactly as Escoffier would have intended.
The Buttered Cod was cooked so that the firm flesh was still moist. the crispy skin was yummy.
Shepards Pie
However the pie was a disappointment, the mince filling was bland and devoid of flavour.
The mozzarella pancake was definitely imaginative and tasty.
