Review of Mint Leaf of London, Dubai

This review of Mint Leaf of London, Dubai covers everything from its cuisine, food, ambience, our experience and 3 reasons why this is on our list of top Indian restaurants in Dubai and should be on your must try list of Indian restaurants in Dubai. 

The Indian dishes we know of have been given a healthy and at the same time a fusion-ish twist. Imagine Gilauti kebabs of yam served with strawberry chutney and trust me when I say they taste heavenly.

1. Cuisine
   North Indian with healthy and a fresh twist. The ingredients used are known to be sourced locally and fresh.
   We had a very interesting amuse-bouche. Served on a bed of dry ice smoke, wasabi paani puris with sweet tamarind chutney and tangy pomegranate seeds gave us an olfactory kick and prepared our palate for the magic to come.
   If you didn’t know, an amuse-bouche is a complimentary dish served (which is not on the menu), to prepare the guests for the meal and to offer a glimpse into the chef’s approach to the art of cuisine.
   We went there for dinner during Ramadan and it was very close to Iftaar time so all the tables had crostinis topped with mashed dates and pine nuts sprinkled with chaat masala. The melange of flavours (sweet and spicy) was very refreshing.
   The restaurant also had a set Ramadan Menu which would have been an excellent option as well, with a lot of interesting combinations and seemingly flavourful twists on the household Indian food.
2. Location, Parking and Opening Hours
   Being one of the top Indian Restaurants in Dubai is a summation of all experiences including location, parking, food, ambience and of course service. In terms of location, it is located on the 15th floor of South Tower of Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC and open from 12noon to wee hours in the night. There is also a bar along with the restaurant and hence there is no constraint on timings.
   There is valet parking for 4 hours and as with most of the places in Dubai, the parking card has to be stamped by the restaurant you are visiting.
   An usher takes you right up to the restaurant.
   Advisable to make a reservation and you can opt for a table with a view of Sheikh Zayad Road, DIFC and Burj Khalifa like ours.

    

Our Order
Yam Gilauti with Berry chutney: Since it was just the two of us, one starter was sufficient. Their portion sizes were decent, averaging to 1 serving for 2 people.
The gilauti was soft with absolutely original flavours, and you couldn’t tell it was made from yam. The base was a light papdi and it was served with a tangy yet sweet strawberry chutney (almost a compote). The other options we were considering included quinoa and black pepper seekh kebab and a dish with romano peppers. Healthy alternatives seems to be Chef Pradeep Khullar’s focus.

For mains we ordered Paneer and Artichoke kofta in apricot curry: Soft and tender paneer with a very subtle flavour of artichoke. Apricot curry had almost soft pieces of apricot and a very clear flavour of apricot that almost stays on your palate. We always held ITC Parel’s Kebabs and Curries as the gold standard for Dal Makhani and Mint Leaf’s Dal Makahni was just as good… Served with home made butter, the taste was extraordinary. While we did opt for dal, I wouldn’t recommend it to you as Mint Leaf has so many more interesting options on the menu like Sago hazelnut kofta in Spinach kadhi and many more.

For breads we opted for mini assorted breads platter which had Naan, Tandoori Roti and Lachha paratha. I love the lachha paratha too much to recommend you anything else. Although Naan and Roti were very soft too, despite the fact that we had ordered everything without butter/ghee. We had a different plan for dessert (read Cinnabon) and so we skipped the dessert. However, like many restaurants we have been to, they offered us their very own Paan and Saunf (fennel) chocolate. Like with other dishes, just right tones of paan and saunf flavour without being too overpowering.

Service:
This review of Mint Leaf of London, Dubai cannot be complete without talking about the restaurant’s impeccable service. This truly makes them one of the top Indian restaurants in Dubai. They did an excellent job of explaining to us each dish, and recommending some really great ones too. The staff moved us to one of the tables with a view on our request and ensured limited checking in to leave room for amazing food at just the right pace giving space for conversations and soaking in the ambience

Ambience
Not too bright and not too lounge. Just the right amount of light and view peeping from the windows. A fine dine with just enough focus on both fine and dine. I loved that somehow in the ambience there was a space for heart to heart conversations with mellowed background hum.
I have always liked Farzi Cafe for its twist on the desi food. Now when i compare Mint Leaf to Farzi, Mint Leaf is also a fusion and twist but with hushed tones while Farzi is loud and unabashed. This is something visible in their decor, their servers, menu, colour tones and needless to say their food.
To understand what I mean, please take a look at my review of Farzi Cafe here.

Cost for 2
Considering we did not go full out, it being dinner time, we paid close to AED 350 for our order. On an average I can imagine it to be AED 500 for 2, if drinks and desserts were to be included as well.

Rating on Food Listing apps and Travel sites

A rating of 4.9 on zomato says it all. As i said in the beginning of my review of Mint Leaf of London, Dubai.. here are my 3 reasons of it being a recommended restaurant:

1. Very delicately handled flavours almost with subtlety and compassion
2. Sourced from the best to retain the authentic flavour with the twist and fusion
3. Great ambience and service to complete the experience

If you’re looking for more options in Dubai Food scene, take a look at my post on 5 recommended restaurants in Dubai.