Mint Leaf of London 3.0 | DIFC

Fridays need to be special, and to take it up a notch we decided to lunch at this gorgeous gem located in Emirates Financial Towers DIFC. No matter how often or seldom I visit Mint Leaf of London, it’s one of those handful of restaurants in Dubai that feels like home, and a majority of that is owing to the humble hospitality by Chef Pradeep Khullar and his team. With gorgeous interiors, spectacular views and immaculate service, it would be a shame to not have this restaurant on the top of your list.

A place that impresses with its variety and versatility, it’s a great option for everything from date night to family lunches and evening drinks too. Mint Leaf of London has launched a brand new menu that offers a fresh new take on some key dishes, spins a twist on some Chef classics and retains a few of his signatures.

Exit Wasabi Puri, enter Watermelon Cracker! After being seated and exchanging pleasantries with Chef, we start with this amuse bouche that is Mint Leaf’s take on the classic watermelon feta salad. Scooped watermelon carefully filled with cream cheese, and enhanced in true Indian style with chat masala, cumin seeds and mint leaves is placed over a theatrical dry ice display. The best part of this absolutely summery refreshing pre-starter is the crackling candy garnish. Tip: eat it in one bite

We are soon brought our drinks, and what stands out among the two is Midnight in Paris. A sweet cocktail concoction featuring cream of strawberries blended with pineapple, raspberry and lime juice, this one’s great for the otherwise hot afternoon.

Our first vegetarian starter comes by shortly. While they call it Palak Patta Chaat, I call this a Pradeep Khullar classic. Chef truly is a master at turning boring green leaves into an exciting chaat bursting with sweet and spicy flavors, and this Spinach Tempura is no different. Tempura fried crispy spinach leaves are served over a tangy mango chili compote, and generously drizzled with sweet yoghurt, sour tamarind and spicy mint chutney. My only recommendation for this dish is to serve the sauces on the side, so diners can balance how sweet or spicy they want their plate to be.

Soon we move on to the next veggie dish which turns out to be such a pleasant surprise. Almost like a healthier mac n cheese, this Italian inspired Cauliflower Arancini features risotto rice cooked with cauliflower puree that’s butter blended with cheese, and coated with panko crumbs for a crispy bite. I totally enjoy the coriander pesto chutney on the side, and lick off the plate clean!

IMHO, nothing defines Dubai trends better than one single dish that’s adapted to suit the style of so many different restaurants. Our first meat starter- Lamb Boti Taco – is one such dish. 6 hour slow cooked lamb pieces are shredded and mixed with capsicum, onions and tomatoes to create a remarkable filling for those mini roomali roti tacos. Garnished with sev and garlic sauce, they create a melange of wonderful flavors. And that silky lamb is absolutely melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Moving away from the usual poultry, our next starter comes from the sea. And I instantly fall in love with it. The cream dory fillet in this Dhaniya Mirchi Machhli is marinated with the prominent flavor of coriander seeds and a subtle hint of green chilli that takes a while to show up but lingers on for a long time on our taste buds. The crusty panko coating makes it a real hit and the tomato pickle chutney is simply fab.

Time for Round 2 of our drinks, and this time we ask for Goan Shack and Flavors of India. The former, with its lovely presentation, is a bestseller featuring passion fruit, ginger, lemon and mint flavors. The latter captures the core palate of the country, through a mix of garam masala, grapefruit, lemon and vanilla syrups.

While sipping on our drinks, we are brought forth our palate cleanser. A chaat masala spiced orange and black currant sorbet, this makes a great cleanser for our taste buds while at the same time prepping us for the next round of dishes.

Our mains come in and the first thing we notice is the sheer variety. We start with Chettinad Prawns that feature Jumbo prawns prepared in true South Indian style with Chettinad spices. These are served over a bed of poha and enhanced with a coconut based curry. We have them with naan, but they can be paired with paratha or rice as well. Next up is the Silken Tofu & Zucchini Kofta. Almost like malai kofta, this one’s made from tofu and zucchini instead of your usual potato and paneer mix, and brought together by tempura panko crumbs for a crisp finish. The smooth cashew and tomato based curry makes it a dream. We love pairing it with naan.

The signature Dal Makhani, also a Chef’s classic comes up next. Made with black urad dal, tempered with tomatoes and topped with butter, this one goes perfect with rice and naan. And of course, no Indian meal is quite complete without a Chicken Biryani. This one’s just right in flavors, and also very light. Our side dish includes Black Quinoa & Wasabi Raita which is a very unique combination of yoghurt and puffed black quinoa, flavored with sweet pomegranate pods and spicy wasabi paste. A must have if you ask me.

While we give ourselves a break before desserts, I order another drink called Once Upon a Time. This one’s a spiced earl grey brew mixed with orange bitters, lemon and grapefruit, and topped with whisked egg whites, served luxuriously in a coconut shell cup. I simply adore the dry ice presentation.

Our desserts come in shortly, and once again, we’re surprised with the variety brought in for us. We begin with the classic honey cake that comes with multiple layers of honey sponge filled with honey along with a blend of mascarpone and whipped cream. It is served with an absolutely creamy caramel ice cream on the side drizzled with toffee sauce. A tad bit sweet, but come on it’s honey! This is followed by Lotus Cube that’s got Lotus 3 ways! Featuring layers of lotus sponge and lotus mousse filled with crunchy lotus feuillitine, this cube is served with a crisp pistachio biscotti. Finally it’s time for the Sticky Toffee Dodha Pudding with Berry Ice Cream. What a delight this one, it is a classic fusion of Dodha barfi meets sticky toffee pudding The sweet pudding features flavors of coconut milk and nuts while the wild berries ice cream on the side balances the sweetness with a tart flavor.

A remarkable offering by Chef Pradeep Khullar, the 3.0 menu brings lots of different Indian flavors on a single table. I would recommend you try the Chef’s tasting menu at this place which will allow you to experience a variety of different creations in one go. Don’t miss out on their all day happy hours!

Mint Leaf of London

Location: Level 15, South Tower, Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC, Dubai
Contact: 04 7060900

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