Old Castello | Jumeirah

When comfort food combines with fusion, it creates such a perfect companionship, it’s one that urges you to make repeated visits to that place. Such is the effect of the food at Old Castello. This legacy Jumeirah spot has seen years of love and continued support from its patrons, and although the management has changed hands over time, the restaurant continues to offer the best in unparalleled hospitality attracting people of all ages, and from different backgrounds.

We were invited to dine at the restaurant on a Wednesday night, which apart from being a great midweek night out, also coincided with their weekly Bingo Nights hosted by famous Zee TV anchor Priya Jethani. With a grand prize of a 5-star luxury staycation, this was sure to get the numbers ticking (pun intended).

As soon as we arrived, we were offered some shisha and we decided to go with Paan Rasna. The restaurant is well-known for its shisha, and after looking at the variety of flavors + the great quality, we knew why. While we waited for the chef to prepare his specials planned for us, we were brought a welcome starter (amuse bouche) of a crispy puff. Served over dry ice smoke, this pastry was filled with creamy yogurt, and melted in our mouths in one single bite.

Along with the puffs, we were also treated to some smoky drinks. The Wild Berry Mojitos, featuring strawberries and raspberries muddled with lime and mint were served in a shiny copper glass with a tad bit of dry ice drama.

Soup and salads came in next. The Tomato Basil soup, IMHO, was a real winner. Very creamy, with a hint of basil flavors, this soup was served with a side of garlicky croutons that offered a good crunch to balance out the smooth texture. Their Fattoush Salad offered a fusion of sorts, thanks to the sumac spice dusting on top. Another one from their fusion list, the Chilli Lotus featured fried lotus stems served over a bed of wok fried capsicums and onions along with chatpata ragda peas. I wasn’t too sure how I would feel about the lotus dish, but to my surprise I ended up loving it for its spicy chaat-styled flavors.

We assumed these dishes were the starters and mains would be up next, but wait, we still had non-vegetarian starters to sample. For this we were offered Chicken Gulnar Kabab and Izmir Kebab. The former came with tandoori marinated chunks of boneless chicken thighs skewered and presented espetada style, while the latter was a Turkish delicacy of minced meat mixed with cheese and bell peppers. Both these grills were served with condiments and sauces on the side.

Side by side with the Bingo games, ticking the numbers off our tickets, we also indulged in some delicious chef recommended mains. The Lentil & Paneer Donut was quite the charmer. Almost like a medu wada lookalike, albeit filled with cottage cheese, these rich fritters were placed over a bed of salan gravy. We enjoyed this along with a portion of zaatar garlic naan. The naan was great, and would make a fine choice even as is. The Dal Dairy Daily, as they call it at Old Castello, was a traditional slow cooked black lentil preparation topped with butter and cream. And of course, there was the Larhmeen Chicken Biryani. Absolutely aromatic and flavorful, this had everything you would expect from a good biryani. Recommeded! One of the most creative mains was the Crab with Cilantro Pesto. Featuring crispy soft shell crab served over a bed of barley cooked in pesto, this dish was a creamy dream.

I saw something on the dessert menu that read coconut jiggery ice cream and I was hoping they would bring that for us, but I guess that one’s for my next visit. The dessert we were offered was a chef’s specialty – Honey Comb Chocolate Mousse. Honestly quite light than what I had expected, this dessert came with gram flour sand and a whipped airy mousse along with a chocolate flower pot. Very very impressive.

While we didn’t quite win any of the Bingo prizes, the food at Old Castello sure won our hearts.

Old Castello

Location: Behind Jumeirah Plaza, Street 10 C, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
Contact: 04 8800082

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