Hidden Gems at Dubai Food Festival: Indian cuisine a favourite among city's foodies

The 10 winners of the contest will serve Dh35 meals until March 9

South Indian thali at MTR - 1924

A collaboration between Dubai Food Festival and Zomato, Hidden Gems is an annual list of Dubai’s most popular culinary spots, chosen by its foodies. The 40 shortlisted restaurants offer a meal for Dh35 during DFF, with the winners serving subsidised fare, for dine-in and delivery, until March 9.

Here are the 10 eateries that got the most votes this year - of which six serve cuisines from the Indian subcontinent –and the dishes on their Hidden Gems menu.

MTR - 1924

The South Indian Mavalli Tiffin Rooms in Al Karama offers an elaborate meal with masala dosa, veg palya, veg sagu, curd rice, puliyogere, white rice and bisibelebath with kosambari salad, rasam, sambhar, pickles, papad, puri, two Indian sweets and one juice.

Bait Al Mandi

Bait Al Mandi was voted one of the city's best hidden gems

The Arabic restaurant in Al Barsha has an option of chicken mandi, chicken madfood or chicken mazbi, plus a side salad and soft drink, for Dh35 until March 9.

Socialicious 

Katsu curry at Socialicious

The cosy Asian eatery in Jumeirah Village 2 offers two meal options: agedashi tofu in hot garlic sauce and buckwheat noodles with Asian greens and sweet potato crisps; or chicken katsu in yellow curry and sticky rice and Asian greens in yellow curry with prawn crackers. Both menus include a basil passion mojito or basil and galangal icea tea.

Cedar Tree

The Lebanese restaurant in Motor City is serving grilled fish fillet with tartar sauce, potato wedges and steamed vegeables, plus a pudding (jello, muhallabieh or custard) and a soft drink, for Dh35 until March 9.

Unforgettable Biryani

The Pakistani-Filipino fast food restaurant in JLT has a chicken zafrani biryani, channa masala, halwa and a beverage in its Hidden Gems menu.

Dil Se Desi

Another restaurant from the Indian subcontinent, this Bengali eatery in Al Mankhool allows you to choose mains such as sweet or salted Bengali pulao, ruyi kalia fish gravy or Kancha Lanka chicken; and a side dish of masala-tossed boiled egg and mashed potato coated with bread crumbs, plus a soft drink, for Dh35 until March 9.

Khana Khazana

The Mughlai restaurant at Ibis Styles Hotel in Al Hudaiba offers two elaborate menus as part of the Hidden Gems contest. The first has a vegetarian starter and paneer curry, the second has a non-veg starter and chicken or fish curry. Each is served daal, roti, rice, salad, raita, papad and pickle.

Asian5

Asian5 serves Thai, Chinese, Singaporean, Vietnamese and Indonesian cuisines

The Downtown Dubai restaurant offers a vegetarian and non-vegetarian menu, as well as a lemon iced tea. The former includes a vegan laksa or sweet potato curry; and veggie shumai, beetroot shumai or vegan skewers. The latter has pad med mamuang or chicken teriyaki noodles; and chicken shumai or vegetable rolls.

The Desi Circle 

The Indian street food joint in Al Karama offers palak paneer or butter chicken with tawa paratha; plus a chaat platter and mango lassi.

Sai Dham 

The vegetarian Indian restaurant in Oud Metha has a main dish of paneer tikka masala with two pieces of butter naan or tandoori roti; plus a boondi raita, gulab jamun and spiced buttermilk, for Dh35 until March 9.