Once Upon A Bite | Karama

Once Upon A Bite is truly a pop of color in every corner. Bringing back nostalgia from the streets of Mumbai, the restaurant encourages the concept of conversations over food, hence “chatter on a platter”. The interiors offer cozy vibes and are designed to accommodate couples, families or friends, and you can even dine solo if you like at one of their high tables.

On our visit to this hidden gem, we tried a few bestsellers that took us straight down the memory lane. Read on to find out what we tried and what we loved.

We started with two of their recommended drinks. The Spiced Orange Juice (AED 16) featuring fresh OJ mixed with spices was fair, but it could’ve been cooler. The Masala Cola (AED 12), a chilled a spicy version of Thumbs Up was simply fab and filled with nostalgia. Our first dish was Chicken Keema Pao (AED 17) was quite a decent one. It comprised of two soft paos filled with tasty chicken mince, lots of onions and prominent turmeric and chili spices. The portion is good for one – if you’re not having anything else – or two – if you’re sharing other dishes. The Cheese Chili Garlic Toast (AED 15) was next and this was my favorite of the lot. I lovvveeed the creamy, crispy, spicy, garlicky textures and flavors. This was one dish I wouldn’t mind eating all by myself and maybe another portion too.

One of my main reasons for visiting Once Upon A Bite was their noodles variety. Having heard so much about the Maggi variants, we tried the classic Street Style Maggi (AED 12). Quite good in terms of taste, the noodles were cooked just fine. But I felt the dish lacked a punch, and it could’ve been spicier. I’m definitely going back to try all the other Maggi varieties. The Chicken Roll (AED 18) was next. Very much like a kathi roll, this one was brilliant in taste and sufficient in filling. In fact, the portion is so big, that I would find it difficult to eat both pieces by myself even if I was really hungry. This one’s definitely a share-worthy item.

For mains, we decided to do some international fusion and jumped East, then West. From the Wok menu of the East, we tried the Chili Chicken (AED 26) with a portion of Chicken Chili Garlic Noodles (AED 22). The chili chicken was supremely tender, but the gravy was more of hot and sweet, while I was expecting it to be spicier. The noodles were fab. Very similar to hakka styled noodles, I loved the flavor and crispiness in these. The noodles are something I’d go back for. From the Pasta menu of the West, we opted for the recommended Penne Pasta with Chicken in Pink Sauce (AED 22). Quite good and cooked perfectly, the pasta was creamy, spicy, herby and packed with flavors. The garlic bread sides were fresh and hot.

Instead of stuffing ourselves with dessert, we opted for Karak Tea (AED 4 each). The presentation was great, but the tea could’ve been slightly less sweet.

Once Upon A Bite

Location: Shop 4, Ground Floor, Wasl Opal, Street 26, Al Karama, Dubai
Contact: 04 5260679

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