Bukhara: Ask Al Ain locals where to go for a good, cheap Indian meal and chances are they’ll point you in the direction of Bukhara. Inside, a clean downstairs cafeteria gives way to a more pristine restaurant upstairs. Silken covers line each chair, giving the place a formal feel only emphasised by the click and hum of the dumbwaiter which signals the arrival of each meal in time-worn fashion. A recently revamped menu is filled with unique dishes such as the peanut and cashew curry, sat alongside plenty of tried-and-true standards and a few chef’s specials.
Starters such as the paneer are perfect. Grilled circles of mild Indian-style cottage cheese arrive smeared with a tasty filling; a safe bet even for curry-phobes. But it is the traditional Indian dishes that push Bukhara ahead of the competition. Its rich, nutty curry arrives sporting a deep golden hue with a pair of roasted green peppers for company. The food is cheap and the service spot on in the way that only a family-run restaurant can be.
Al Ain Central Square (03 766 1515). Open daily noon-11pm. All major credit cards accepted.
Luce: In Al Ain, where stylish bars are somewhat thin on the ground, the bar-restaurant hybrid is king. But Luce’s interior speaks of a decent Italian eatery pulled up by its boot straps. It’s bright, fun and has a bit of style, but the waiters boast an appalling collection of gaudy silk shirts and, as a nightspot, it looks more like a restaurant. However, for a decent meal out in the garden city, it’s a sure thing. The quality of the food is good to average, the beverage selection vast and reasonable, and the atmosphere lively.
Waiters brandishing huge pepper grinders circle the room like helpful wolves and the menu is suitably crowd pleasing. Dishes such as the lobster salad show they do simple well, and the choice of pasta is selective enough to suggest that the chef has actually given it some thought. The pizzas may be a little on the sterile side, but it doesn’t stop the crowds from flocking in. Ladies’ nights and live music try to give it an injection of nightlife cool, but it’s a pizza and pasta joint at heart, and a good one at that.
InterContinental Al Ain (03 768 6686). Open daily 7.30pm-1am. All major credit cards accepted.
Zaitoun: A quiet haven from the screaming children that buzz about the resort like hyperactive bees, Zaitoun has calming, pale cream walls and a distinctly Moroccan feel, despite its Italian leanings. What is also odd is that most of the seating is on sofas, and while always comfortable for a post-dinner snooze, they, and most of the tables, are far too low for comfortable dining. However, these are minor quibbles, the food is exceptional, particularly the risotto and the mezzaluna, a sumptuous collection of three large ravioli stuffed with flavoursome lamb.
Its prime dessert is the now ubiquitous chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream, and it is well worth the 20-minute wait. Unsurprisingly, Zaitoun is not cheap, a reality not entirely astonishing given that the ingredients have to be shipped across the desert. The standard is high, though, and if you happen to find yourself at a loose end near Jebel Dhanna around dinner time, it really is the best game in town. There are few other customers in this peaceful restaurant, and the service is both quiet and discreet – if only it wasn’t a two-hour drive from Abu Dhabi.
Danat Resort, Jebel Dhanna (02 801 2222). Open Mon-Sat 6.30pm-10.30pm. All major credit cards accepted.
Suhail: If you’re looking for an interesting little snackery a short drive from the city, look elsewhere. Suhail is for Thesiger-like adventurers, coming as a reward for the intrepid desert rats that prop up its highbrow bar. Nestled on the roof of Qasr Al Sarab, the views of the Empty Quarter are dramatic and remorseless. As such, a seat on the veranda is a precious commodity – you may be 150km into the middle of nowhere, but you’ll still have to book ahead. The food is undoubtedly the best in the region, which – considering the location – sounds like the tail end of a joke, but there’s nothing remotely funny about it.
‘Miraculous’ is perhaps a better word. Quite how they’ve managed to find such a fine chef, such fresh ingredients and such merry waiters down among the dunes is something to ponder as you await the food. The Empty Quarter isn’t known for its abundant sea life, but you ought to try the langoustine or the black cod, both of which are simply out of this world.
Qasr Al Sarab (02 886 2088). Open daily, 7pm-11pm. All major credit cards accepted.
Min Zaman: The a la carte is a little on the barren side at Min Zaman – there isn’t even a shish taouk on offer, but they don’t mind rustling one up if you’re not big on red meats. Alternatively, opt for the set menu and after the full mezze experience you’ll be fighting them away with a stick as tray after tray of grilled meats, kibbeh, salad, chicken wings and sambusak arrives. The quality is excellent across the board. The houmous is rich and garlicky, the lamb and beef thick and juicy, even the fries are good.
You might find it a little lonely before 10.30pm though, after which the lights go out and only the wafts of shisha smoke mingling with the spotlights can distract transfixed punters from the bellydancer shimmying her wares on stage. The owners are clearly banking on this because the interior is not much to look at – the room is largely bare in order to give everyone equal goggling room. Even the staff advise you to come back when it’s more atmospheric. However, for good value and top Lebanese food, there aren’t any better – or more fun – restaurants in Al Ain.
Al Ain Rotana (03 754 5111). Open daily 6pm-1am. All major credit cards accepted.
Paco’s Bar: Whoever Paco was, he had a theme in mind. Inside, the bar has a distinct Malaga feel. Grey-haired, pony-tailed keyboardists provide musical accompaniment, the decor is firmly Mediterranean and a sigh of resignation hangs in the air. Paco’s is a pretty standard expat bar serving equally standard bar food. The service is a little slow, but when you have as few rivals as Paco’s does, you don’t have to hurry. When it does arrive, the eating is artery-hardening at best. Batter as thick as your arm hiding anonymous cheesy insides and glutinous chicken wings make up the bulk of the starters.
There are salads for the health conscious, but Paco has little respect for your waistline. When a dish says it is accompanied by fries, it is more the other way round; what seems like half a kilo of chips arrives with the vast majority of meals. The spicy burger is a dud, but the quesadilla is like molten lava. Probably best order the fish and chips and play it safe. In fairness, the atmosphere is alright and, when full, Paco’s looks like it could get pretty lively. For an old-fashioned expat night out in Al Ain, it does an acceptable job.
Hilton Al Ain (03 768 6666). Open Sun-Thu noon-1am; Fri-Sat noon-2am. All major credit cards accepted.
Tanjore: If you were to judge the quality of restaurants in Al Ain based solely on Tanjore, you would be in for a shock. This is an exceptional Indian restaurant in many ways. Its dark wooden alcoves, low-lit interiors and colourful lanterns lend it a satisfyingly atmospheric feel. The cold stone floor and blistering A/C might make things a little chilly, but the welcome is more than warm enough to make up for the discrepancy. The overall impression is of a cosy, well-managed restaurant. The service is quick and friendly, without the bowing and scraping you tend to find in the Emirate’s classier establishments, and the food is authentic enough to resurrect memories of Murghal courts and Bombay nights.
The menu takes its inspiration largely from tandoor and Northern Indian cuisine. The lentil and bean dhal has a subtle, creamy spice, mopped up with a side of not-too-greasy, sumptuous paratha. The heat levels are well maintained and unlikely to blow your face off (unless you ask them to) and the menu is large enough to give definite pause for thought. If you’re looking for a good-quality Indian meal in Al Ain, you won’t go far wrong with this.
InterContinental Al Ain (03 768 6686). Open Tue-Sun 12.30pm-3pm, 7.30pm-11pm. All major credit cards accepted.
