Our meal starts with a teeny-tiny aloo bonda with red chutney which is your amuse bouche. It was just what I expected it to be—a comforting bite that is an indicator of how great your meal is going to be.
Then comes the part I was most excited about—chole bhature! The Atrangi spin here was that it was a mini bhatura, the size of a gol gappa but was most definitely a bhatura with deep-fried crispness on the outside and soft bubbly dough on the inside. With perfectly seasoned chole stuffed inside, pickled onions and radish on the top, this Delhi girl was more than happy to finally have a taste of home in Dubai. Accompanying this mini wonder was the bite-sized Crab & Prawn Thetcha Khakra. The cured seafood is topped with thetcha, a Maharashtrian chutney made with roasted peanuts, chilli and garlic, served on top of super thin and flaky khakra—famous Gujarati cracker. It's spicy and tangy with the addition of lemon gel on top, and offers a burst of freshness, saltiness, and welcoming textures in your mouth.
Next up, we had the corn kees and kadhi samosa. The kees or porridge is served with charred corn ribs and a slice of lemon. Our server recommended taking a bite off the corn ribs and then eating a spoonful of the kees for the perfect bite and my, oh my— it was like fireworks in my mouth. The porridge is sweet and has bits of crunch that pair well against the limey butta which gives it that break of tanginess. It surprises you, leaves you digging in more to figure out what the deal is and finally, you reach the point where you wish you didn’t finish it all up! Okay, as a curry fan, I have to say both justice and taste was served. The warm, well-spiced curry felt like a comforting hug, and one I had been yearning in the bustling city of Dubai for days. Our friend samosa here was doing the perfect job of just living and being a bed of pillowy dough while the curry softens it and does its magic. Bites of curry leaves and pomegranate seeds were more than welcoming to tie things up with this one.
After some break on our request, we were served with the Kesar Tandoori Prawns. The smokiness of the tandoori prawn matched extremely well with the sweet, creamy and rich kaju gravy it sat on. The poached pears on the side were the perfect sweet touch to break the palate. I just loved how there was an element of surprise to each dish that amazed you for a good second and grew on you as you continued devouring it. Additionally, you must know that each dish here looks impeccable, you can tell there's heart and soul put into perfecting each detail, flavour note and garnishing.
Following this, we had the Pickled Doodhi Carpaccio inspired from the pachadi in Kerala. Chef Aniket explained to us how the idea behind this offering was to pick the underdog vegetable, which is bottle guard. And if chef has convinced a non-lauki fan like my dinner partner to eat her greens, I have to say I am thoroughly impressed!
At this point, my desi tastebuds that had been in long anticipation of hearty, wholesome, not-messed-with Indian food (after sampling loads of different foods Dubai had to offer) were doing a happy dance because honey, they were home. Oh, and I have to add that the cocktails we had here were among the best I have had until now in life. The Mohabbat Ka Sharbat was a spiked watermelon and rose sharbat, fit for adults who like their drinks strong, uncomplicated and a little sweet. Another sweet one, the Rosa Marianna is a beautiful concoction of a sweet peach and Rose syrup, macerated Strawberry and cotton candy at the top which is then topped with sparkling wine at your table.
Now, it was time for the largest course and just when I had assumed I couldn't be more convinced of how amazing the food here was, I was introduced to my favourite dish of the night—Poda Mangsho– a classic Bengali mutton curry but with the unmissable Atrangi treatment. The mutton curry is served alongside a sweet pumpkin stew that cancels out the saltiness of the curry extremely well paired with the puffed banana pooris that soak in all of that yummy meaty goodness. This was served to us with a dish of Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani for both of which I will say, 'Don't fix what's not broken' since the taste was so intact sans any frills, something that can be seen across the board at Atrangi.
Jumping to the last bit of our meal, the dessert—the Filter Kaapi Caramel Custard with a hazelnut and dark chocolate ganache was the perfect end to our meal. Silky, soft and not-too-sweet for cleansing your palate but, for me personally, the Doodh Jalebi took the cake. The extremely crispy, oversized jalebi breaks down into a pool for milky rabdi. The rabdi isn’t thick or goopy but rather, silky and light—perfect for those who like their dessert to be sweet for real.
