An open kitchen allows guests to watch chefs at work prepare various kinds of Indian bread. This is at the entrance of Ananta at The Oberoi, Dubai. The menu is a list of traditional and post-modern Indian cuisine, all of which is presented in a creative fashion.
We started with a wild mushroom soup infused with black truffle and truffle foam. Served like a cappuccino, we were encouraged to sip on it as we would a hot cup of coffee. The flavoursome broth was followed by an asparagus and edamame kebab — unusual ingredients for a typical Indian kebab. It was a fun play on the senses with Indian spices and a soft texture melting in the mouth. To clear our palate, nimbu paani or Indian lemonade was presented as a sorbet. For the mains I chose roasted chicken marinated in Indian spices. The succulent drumstick was mild on pungency and came with a slightly sweetened yogurt. The finale for us was the dessert, prepared with much elan. Rabadi, ice-cream and nuts were put together at our table like chaat, a tangy Indian snack often enjoyed at street stalls — only, this was a sweet version. The crunch only added to the delightful ending.
VERDICT The food isn’t heavy on the stomach and the plating may very well be conversation starters.
HOURS Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11:30pm
PRICE A seafood combination platter for two-four people is around AED 648/₹12,092.
CONTACT Level 2, The Oberoi Dubai, The Oberoi Centre, Al A’amal Street, P.O. Box 71847, Business Bay Dubai; +971 4 444 1 407; oberoihotels.com
Ravi Lalwani
