Flamin’ hot goodness at Galito’s

Do you know how hot can you go?! Galito’s is all about chicken, and a lot more. Offering the most juicy, fresh chicken cooked with South African recipes and flavored with Peri Peri sauces, this restaurant goes beyond expectations in terms of flavors, spices and quality of ingredients.

While I was there on my menu tasting, I learned something very unique that separates Galito’s from competition. Their locally sourced chicken, which trust me is so juicy and tender in every bite, is actually non-tenderized. This means its not injected with artificial brine to keep its moisture content up for long. This also means that the chicken would get dry if it is frozen overnight and not fresh. And this definitely means that every piece of chicken or the whole of it that you order at Galito’s is absolutely fresh and healthier.

All their meats are basted in a special marinade that is prepared in-house with locally sourced ingredients in their central kitchen. Plus all their Peri Peri sauces (which are also available for sale), come all the way from South Africa – so authentic right!

In this blog post, let’s see how Galito’s has extended its menu to go beyond the flame grilled chicken items and offer a lot more variety including seafood and meat as well.

Mocktails

Before we could eat all that heat, we decided to cool off with two of their signature mocktails.
This is my new found favorite – the Coco Melancia. A refreshing twist to the classic pina colada, this creamy, quirky drink features a blend of coconut and watermelon. The best part was scraping off that sweet coconut powder off the rim. And just so you know, I had two of these!

This one is the unique Mojito. Unique because it combines the traditional Mojito with a fusion of kiwi flavors. This Kiwi Mojito was utterly refreshing. A must try!

You can also opt for the melon and berry based Melon Reader, peachy and lychee African Blues or the citrusy strawberry Laranja. I would say, with a price of AED 20 each, it’s worth giving them all a try.

Perrimus & Salad

There’s really no better food than hummus. Like really, whoever indebted this dish is a genius. For one, it’s healthy. Then it’s delicious. Plus, you just need to pair it with some bread and you have a complete meal on your plate.

The Perrimus and Pita at Galito’s takes your regular hummus a step further. It is infused with their signature Peri sauce which means you get a part Lebanese, part South African version of this classic. It’s so creamy, plus it has a slight spice to it. Moreover, if you want to take the heat up a notch, simply add your preferred Peri Peri sauce to the hummus and you’re good to go!

The salad on the side is one of Galito’s signatures. A side serve portion of the Chili bean salad, this chilled appetizer comes with the different types of beans tossed with green peppers and onions in a slightly hot slightly sweet Peri Peri dressing. This one’s really wholesome and makes a great addition to your meal.

Sosaties

Ever heard of Sosaties? Well, one look will make you think they are the South African version of shish tawouk. But go a little further and take one bite of that juicy flame grilled chicken and when all those mixed flavors burst in your mouth, you will realize that Sosaties are unique.

Boneless chicken thigh pieces, cubed and marinated in barbeque sauce are layered with dry apricots and onions on skewers and flame grilled to perfection.
While the apricot and bbq sauce come together to give the chicken a slightly sweet flavor, the interesting part is the creamy barbeque dip at the bottom of the bowl these skewers are served with. Though the flavor is very familiar, yet there is something that stands out. Whether it’s the creamy consistency – unlike the sticky bbq one, or the pinkish color – as opposed to the deep brown you have come to expect; the sauce just adds a whole new texture and is perfect for dipping, not just the Sosaties, but your fingers too!
These should definitely be on your list when you visit Galito’s!

Combotada

Give in to your ‘farm and surf’ cravings at Galito’s with this Combotada. Taking their signature Espetada to the next level, this dish features a combination of chicken Espetada and prawn Espetada with one skewer of each protein, layered with grilled bell peppers and onions. Flavored heavily with bay leaves, this legendary dish can be spiced to the heat level of your choice. We chose the hot peri peri for chicken and lemon herb for prawns.

Moreover this dish comes with 2 sides and we went all out with the Peri fries and O’Porto rice. Lightly flavored with a mixture of Peri Peri spices and herbs, the Peri fries were made fresh and hot. The Spanish styled O’Porto rice was perfectly spiced too and being the garlic lover that I am, I added loads of Garlic Peri sauce to give it a flavorful kick.

The Combotada is good to share between two or three people, but if you are dining solo, go for the single Espetada which also comes with 2 sides making it a hearty choice!

Supremo Chicken

If you feel a little less experimental with dishes, you can still rest assured Galito’s would be the ideal choice. Try one of their classic chicken, beef or halloumi burgers or wraps and you can eat all that heat in a more familiar format. We opted for the Supremo chicken burger with hot peri peri which going by its name, came in a supreme size.

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Packed with double chicken fillets and double cheese, it was layered with grilled pineapple, mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato between two soft buns.
Served with a side of fries, these burger and wrap options perfectly satiate burger cravings, while being so much more healthier and totally unlike their fast food counterparts.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Like always, we ended things on a sweet note. Despite being stuffed, the manager very kindly recommended we try their signature Sticky Toffee Pudding. Made by Bloomsbury’s Boutique Cake and Artisan Bakery, this dessert lived up to our expectations. Even though it looks like lots of rich chocolate in there, it is actually a very light and fluffy date pudding that’s drizzled with some sweet caramel sauce. The fluffiness of the pudding lets the caramel sauce seep through adding a lovely, sticky toffee flavor to the pudding. The chilled vanilla ice cream on the side perfectly balanced the warmth of the dates. Highly recommended!

Galito’s

Location: Skywalk Food Court, Dubai Festival City Mall, Festival City, Dubai
Contact: 04 5509123