Peppermill | Indian with a grand fusion

After a grand success at Dubai Festival City Mall, Peppermill opened its doors at that one place everyone wants to be in: The Dubai Mall. The interiors of this restaurant are decked with little memoirs from the Colonial Indian era – falling perfectly in line with the colonial cuisine it offers. Their wooden seating and green accents aptly match up to create a warm earthy vibe.

It’s interesting to note that most of their menu at this outlet is different from what you’ll find at Peppermill in Dubai Festival City. Barring a few bestsellers that have created waves on Instagram (read: Chaat Platter), all of the items at The Dubai Mall outlet offer more depth in terms of global Indian fusion, presentation and creativity.

Makhana

Peppermill’s version of amuse bouche does not comprise of the regular papad basket. It is instead a basket filled with makhana (lotus seeds). A close relative of popcorn for the beginners, these seeds pop just like corn and come with loads of health benefits too. Light and crispy, they are best eaten seasoned with salt, pepper and spices.

Lychee Anardana

Smoke scene! This refreshing medley of lychee and lime juice topped with pomegranate seeds and sparkling water is served with a dry ice twist. Very fancy indeed.

Chicken Sev Puri

As bizarre as it may sound, this famous chaat really does come with chicken pieces. The chicken sev puri is such a delight, it is something that will make you want to keep going back to Peppermill for more. Crispy papdi is topped with melt-in-your-mouth chicken tikka, and garnished with a heap of sour cream, sweet n spicy chutney trio, passion fruit yogurt and lots of sev. Literally a burst of flavors in every single bite. Tip: Eat the entire puri in one go!

Edamame & Potato Dosa

A much healthier (and portion controlled) version of the actual dosa, this mini starter is stuffed with a mix of boiled potatoes and edamame. While I loved the crispiness of the dosa, it’s the edamame that adds a different bite – sort of gives you the feeling that you’re making a healthier choice. The dosa is served with a spicy tomato chutney on the side.

Peppermill Mojito

Followed by a South Indian starter was this South inspired drink. The Peppermill Mojito is not your regular lime and mint cooler. It comes with a blend of lime juice flavored with coconut, while the mint is replaced by curry leaves. And don’t miss the coconut garnish on top. One of my favorites at the restaurant!

Time for Tangra

These grilled prawns, inspired by the Indo Chinese colonies of Calcutta, are coated in a ginger soy marinade adding a little flavor from both the neighboring countries to this dish.
While we loved the juicy prawns, we felt an additional portion of the marinade could have been served as a side dip. It would have added way more zing to the shrimps.

Kala Khatta Chuski

Simply gorgeous in every way, this drink features my favorite color – purple, and my favorite flavor – kala khatta!
The fruity slush combines flavors of jamun and lime juice topped with black salt and sparkling water. The glass rim is crusted with spices, so I recommend you ditch the straw for this one.

Chaat Platter

This one is a bestseller at both the Peppermill Outlets. In fact, I have tried it on all my visits to the restaurant, so there was no way we could leave this one out. This chaat platter offers a myriad of flavors, giving you a quick tour of the different street food favorites across India. My favorites were the Karare Palak Chaat, Pani Puri and Aloo Tikki. Other items included Aloo Gobhi Samosa, Dahi Wada and Chhole.

Sizzling Lamb Doner

This one was put together at our table – DIY style. A hot plate with melt-in-your-mouth 24 hour cooked shredded lamb leg was brought to our table, sizzling with all the juices. The DIY starts with a soft Persian bread which is topped with mint labneh, rogan josh gravy, and carrot and cucumber slices. The lamb goes in next followed by more labneh and gravy – and the end result is one juicy sandwich. Much similar to a bao, this lamb doner was truly worth it sizzle.

Valley of Flowers

Yet another dry ice marvel, Valley of Flowers is a light, fruity and floral brew that comes with a mix of forest fruits, green tea, lime and cranberry juices, and lots of berries. And of course, there is a gorgeous flower to add all the drama to this mocktail. This chilled tea drink is recommended to sip along with your main course.

Methi Malai Murg

A perfect amalgamation of tender boneless chicken cooked in an onion and fenugreek gravy, Methi Malai Murg was served with naan on the side. Quite different than what I expected this dish was not at all heavy as it looks. The foam on top isn’t heavy cream. It is in fact cashew foam that adds a unique nutty flavor to this dish while also lending to its rich creamy texture, sans the actual cream.

Prawn Rangoon Curry

Turmeric, coconut cream and chilli – what a lovely mix of flavors that makes this curry. Each element in this curry brings its own magic to the dish. And combined with the beautifully pan seared prawns, it creates a creamy, subtly spiced gravy that’s best eaten with rice based carbs.

Paniyaaram

We paired the prawn curry with paniyaaram. This South Indian rice starter can be eaten as is or paired with curries to make it a rice and gravy meal. These little rice dumplings are browned using ghee and topped with coriander coconut chutney for a little zing. I recommend trying them with a gravy based dish. There is a chance you might find them too dry otherwise.

Kerala Styled Cod Fish Biryani

Served stacked in a bamboo, quite contrary to the North Indian clay pots, this Kerala Biryani is cooked with small grain rice and features absolutely cotton like cod fish pieced. As you must be well aware, I am not a fan of fish biryani, but the restaurant manager strongly recommended we try this and assured us there will be no fish smell. And she was spot on right. Thanks to the bamboo aroma and biryani spices, there was no overpowering fishy smell or taste. And as for the biryani, it turned out just wow!

We took a break before the desserts to try out the Peppermill Kadak Chai. This refreshing hot drink was served in a typical Indian fashion with kettle and tiny glasses. The tea was served along with lotus biscuits.

Baked Gulab Jamun

A must try for Gulab Jamun lovers, this dessert features petit dumplings baked in a creamy apricot and prune rabri with saffron and pistachio garnish. Such a fusion of flavors!

Chocolate Cheese & Makhan Malai

East meets West! A total indulgence this one, it features dark chocolate cheesecake topped with creamy malai foam. It is garnished with citrus zest, raspberry sprinkles and soan papdi flakes.

Peppermill

Location: 2nd Floor, The Dubai Mall Downtown Dubai, Dubai
Contact: +97143327337

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