Dubai has a new dinner slot – one I didn’t know I needed until I tried Jamavar Dubai’s Golden Hour menu.
Rather than simply riding the wave of the early-dining culinary trend, Jamavar is leading the way with an “artful” one-page menu of small plates paired with drinks, served from 4pm to 7pm. Considering the depth and breadth of the Michelin-starred restaurant’s a la carte offerings, whittling it down to just seven is a bold undertaking.
A laid-back approach to this time of day is key to understanding the concept of Golden Hour, which aims to not only entice a post-work crowd, but also tap into the Gen Z-led fad for dining while the sun is still up.
First impressions
The dining room is impressive, palatial yet intimate and not overwhelming given the restaurant's stellar status. The vibe is thanks in no small part to the friendly and knowledgeable staff, with whom my husband and I ended up having some seriously enjoyable and informative conversations about food over the course of a couple of hours.
There is an outdoor terrace, where you can sit and watch the world (and rush-hour traffic) go by, but we chose to sit inside and soak up the ambience.
The food
The Golden Hour menu comprises seven dishes. Between us, my husband and I polished off one of each, going seconds on an additional two dishes, making for nine small plates in total. The presentation of each was a visual delight, with an array of increasingly vibrant dishes brought to the table. We also left it up to the kitchen to decide in which order to bring out the food.
Our meal began with the chef’s selection of chakna, comprising mirchi pakore, masala kaju, mathri and papad with chutney (Dh58), for which we were advised to ladle the accompanying sauces over the appetisers and get stuck in. Naturally, we did not need asking twice.
The kathal bhel followed, jackfruit cutlets on puffed rice with sun-dried tomato and tamarind-date chutney (Dh40). Jackfruit is a divisive ingredient for me, having sampled more than my fair share of mediocre dishes over the years, but this version of the popular Indian street food with its layered textures and delicate flavours was unlike any I have had.
The sauteed Malabar prawns with white turmeric, onions and curry leaves (Dh45) epitomised the lightness executive chef Surender Mohan says he is striving for, as did the ajwaini paneer tikka with homemade cottage cheese, raw papaya salad and mint chutney (Dh45).
The chicken 65 fillets in chillies, pepper, curd rice and caramelised shallots (Dh48) was a dish we ordered a second helping of. As a flexitarian, my experiences with ordering chicken are few and far between, but if ever a dish could turn me, this unbelievably delicious Chennai take on crispy fried chicken is it.
The lamb seekh kebab in Kashmiri chilli, mint chutney and mixed sprouts salad (Dh68) comprised two kebabs, both of which were polished off by my husband, for whom the eating of lamb borders on an obsession. His verdict? An enthusiastic thumbs up; he would have said more, but his mouth was full.
Standout dish
In a menu of contenders, the samosa papdi chaat with spiced white peas, and a chutney of honey, yoghurt, tamarind and mint (Dh40) was my personal favourite.
It arrived at the table like a work of art, the sizeable samosa draped in stripes of yoghurt, tamarind and mint, with pomegranate jewels as garnish. Samosas have suffered much abuse over the years; they can be deep-fried harbingers of greasy disappointment. So, I wasn’t expecting the spiced white pea filling to be quite so moreish and moist, nor the samosa so sizeable and beautifully presented.
This dish also became the designated sauce plate into which we dipped almost every other morsel.
Save or splurge
Ordering one of each dish – which is plenty of food for two – would set you back Dh344 (or Dh172 per person if you're sharing), which is a steal for a Michelin-starred meal. Head to Jamavar after work and wait out the traffic for a relaxed solo meal, or take a client you want to impress without breaking the bank.
A chat with the chef
A laid-back approach to dining is the philosophy behind the curated menu and the new dinnertime slot it serves to fill.
“When shaping Golden Hour, the starting point was how the food would be experienced in a relaxed, early-evening setting,” says chef Mohan, who also serves as culinary director for the LSL Capital collection of restaurants and is the executive chef at Jamavar London.
“Each dish needed to work naturally as a small plate, be easy to share and complement a drink rather than dominate the table. This meant thinking carefully about balance, portion size and how flavours unfold when enjoyed over time, rather than as part of a formal meal.”
The selected dishes showcase familiar Indian flavours in a lighter, more expressive way, he adds. “Plates such as Malabar prawns and ajwaini paneer tikka bring depth and warmth, while lighter preparations such as kathal bhel and samosa papdi chaat offer freshness, crunch, and contrast. These are flavours people recognise, but presented in a format that feels easy, playful, and suited to sharing.
“Indian food is often associated with abundance and generosity, which is something I value, but small plates allow you to tell a story with greater precision,” adds Mohan. “Each dish becomes a moment, rather than part of a larger sequence.”
Contact information
Jamavar is at Address Residences, Opera District, Downtown Dubai. Its Golden Hour menu is available from daily from 4pm to 7pm. Reservations can be made by contacting 04 553 7852.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
