Ana | The Dubai Mall
The Fashion Avenue at Dubai Mall doesn’t cease to keep getting better. All thanks to the fashionable additions of not only high end brands but also food that matches the craft and elegance of fashionable couture. Ana is one such addition. Offering a chic, albeit classy Emirati dining experience, with food that’s handpicked to represent the best from the cuisine, everything about this restaurant defines finesse. Right from the gold and pastel hued interiors, to rose scented wipes and the modern tablet menu featuring drool-worthy shots of their fare, Ana is a secret world hidden inside the grandeur of the Dubai Mall.
Once we are seated one of their pretty looking tables, we are handed over a tablet menu that lists each dish with a gorgeous photo and its main ingredients. We ask our server to suggest the best of the lot and go with everything she recommends. While we wait for our food to be prepared, we are offered a complimentary bread basket that features freshly baked pita bread paired with chickpeas and za’atar in olive oil. Our drinks follow shortly. Owing to the crazy humidity outside, we choose to sip on two of Ana’s bestselling mocktails. I pick my usual passion fruit mojito, while my plus one opts for their famous Vimto which is made with a unique combination of Vimto syrup and coffee. Both the drinks are refreshing and last almost throughout the meal.
Among starters and salads, we begin with the highly recommended Dill Kashmiri. My Indian palate instantly recognizes its chaat nature. Dressed up as a giant puri stuffed with cold yogurt, mashed potatoes and sprouts, and enhanced with spices, sev and pomegranate seeds on top, this makes for the perfect cold starter. Our obsession for Emirati Indian continues with mini Prawn Samosas. Filled with an utterly creamy prawns ragout, these crispy triangles are served on a bed of rich labneh yogurt, accented with pomegranate seeds and sumac spices.
We then move on to a couple of grilled dishes and the first one is the Emirati Deyay Shiwa. Brilliantly executed to create a crunchy outer texture with an absolutely tender inside, these chicken skewers are marinated in yogurt and garlic that give it a juicy taste, then grilled over charcoal for that burnt look and coated with chili flavored cups which is a regional favorite. We love dipping it in the side hummus and following every bite of the chicken with those thin crispy fries. Next comes the Prawns Shiwa / Harr. As soon as I bite into the first piece of prawn, I tell myself, I might have just found the best prawns in Dubai! Marinated in a spicy mix with garlic, lemon and yogurt, these shrimps and super juicy, hot and tender like cotton. Every piece oushes you to tey the next one, and honestly, it’s quite a difficult task to share this dish. The steak cut fries make a nice side carb, while the garlic sauce and ketchup are great for dipping.
We then move on to our spectacular main – Mbahar Chicken – the creamiest, most delightful rice dish I’ve had in a long long time. I’m a big fan of rice dishes that are wholesome without being too dry and this one falls right in line with the likes of biryani, Thai curry rice, dal chawal, and… you get the idea. Right from my first spoonful into the bowl, I’m impressed with the quality, quantity and myriad of flavors that pull this dish together. The dry fruits and fried onions lend a touch of tradition to the saffron rice, while the huicy, almost melt-in-your-mouth chicken plays well with the creamy curry.
Indulgence is sometimes a necessity, and when it comes to brownies, even the least sweet tooth person like finds it hard to resist. We love the dessert options at Ana, and are almost tempted to order two, but we decide to settle for 1, 2, 3… Find M. This delicious stack of brownie, vanilla ice cream, chocolate cake and chocolate coated white custard is uncontrollably tempting. After placing the dessert on our table, our server pours Galaxy sauce over the stack, drenching it in even more chocolatey goodness. This guilty pleasure is a must for chocolate lovers.
Ana
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Dining at the Dubai Mall often leaves me feeling a sense of accomplishment, having discovered something that’s not only new, but also unique in so many ways, something that I know will keep pulling me back every now and then. Ana Restaurant is one such spot. Serving Emirati fare across a myriad of flavors, Ana strikes the perfect balance between fusion and nostalgia, with food so good, it urges you to lick off the plate clean. It’s one of those rare occasions where I found it almost impossible to single out my favorite item off the menu. Eveything, and I mean everything we tried was spectacular to say the least. Right from the Vimto drink, Dill Kashmiri Chaat, Prawn Samosas and Emirati Deyay Shiwa to the Prawns Harr, Chicken Mbahar all the way to 1,2,3… Find Me, each drink, main and dessert made me want to call it one of the best I’ve had in Dubai. I can hardly wait to go back and try all that variety from their menu, and I strongly suggest you do the same.
Ana is located on the 1st floor of Fashion Avenue, close to the waterfalls. Although very prominent, you might find it a little hard to spot the place, since there is no name outside the restaurant as such. Remember, when you’re in this mini city, The Dubai Mall app is your best friend.
Location: Level 1, Near Waterfall, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, Dubai
Contact: 04 3882313
