Awani recently opened its new branch at the Outlet Village Mall near Jebel Ali, Dubai. It is in the vicinity of Dubai Entertainment parks and resorts. I was invited for the media launch of the restaurant. The event was organised by Azur Blue .
The interiors are contemporary with serene combinations of blue, white and other contrasting colours like red and maroon. The wooden decor too is light coloured. They have made good use of the hand made tiles and hand painted plates of the levant region. The hanging lights added to the beauty and gave a very pleasant ambiance and added personality and character to every space of Awani .
Their objective is appealing and I would say everyone should treasure their culture and history when it comes to food. Awani is trying to preserve the Levantine flavors and tradition by serving dishes prepared by their chefs in homemade style. They serve a Levantine cuisine with a main focus on Lebanese and Armenian gastronomy.
Moving from décor to food, I was keenly waiting to taste what they had to offer, while waiting for the food I had freshly squeezed orange juice. They had lined up a long list of dishes for us to taste;
For salads – We had Bomali salad that was fresh, the crunchiness from iceberg along with sweet corn kennels, mushroom and chefs specialty dressing made it look and taste light. Pomelo fruit segment were also in salad to give it a citrusy bite.
Fattoush Salad, which is Middle Eastern chopped veggies, greens and lots of fresh herbs mixed with roasted pita, like croutons to give it crunch. Salad was covered in a sweet pomegranate molasses. Delicious! Next comes
Awani Tabbouleh which was very different than the rest tabbouleh, I have ever tasted this was – sweet, tangy, crunchy and super fresh just because, the ingredients which went in salad were complementing each other entirely. Salad included chopped parsley, lentils, tomatoes, pomegranate and sum pieces of pineapple with lemon dressing, was superb.
Moving towards the Cold mezze-we had the traditional Hummus with fresh warm pitta bread; they also serve the spicy version of hummus if anyone is interested.
Eetch is an Armenian side dish made with bulgar wheat, onion, tomato, dressed in lemon juice and olive oil. It’s a colorful salad that reminds me of tabbouleh but much grainier. The orange shade comes from the tomatoes. Presented in a round slice with salad, it was very moist, light yet rustic and refreshing. Loved it!
Its time to start with Hot Mezze – Batata Harra is cubed potatoes deep fried and tossed with garlic, spices and fresh coriander, bringing best out of them was flavoursome.
Freekeh Bil Fukhara many people are unaware about freekeh , it is a super grain just like quinoa which is widely used as cereal food. The dish served in earthy pot was well cooked, it was buttery, creaminess from mushroom and cream were heavenly, topping of Parmesan cheese, made it more rich and delectable. This dish reminded me of Italian Risotto.
Sujouk and Mushroom Fukhuara , meat sausages cooked with mushroom and Arabic spices was a classic delight.
Qallayet Bandoura Bil Lahem best piece of veal cooked in tomato base with Arabic flavors topped with pinenuts was very meaty and succulent.
Eggplant Beef Sajiyyeh a delicacy made with finest meat of baby veal cooked in white gravy along with kashkawan cheese was tender, juicy and the grilled eggplant complimented the beef. It was served in traditional clay pot topped with pine-nuts.
With so many flavors playing on my palate I wanted to know more about each dish. The friendly staff were well informed about the dishes, when asked the very letting us know the complete details of each dish and also were suggesting us according to our taste. It is imperative for the staff to have such knowledge about the dishes, so it helps customers make a choice.
Awani specialty Shawarmas – Beef shawarma its made of the beef fillet is bought from Australia, as its one of the best produce of beef. These long traveled fillets are marinated in special spices by the chef and presented to us, on a hanging skewer accompanied with pickles, onion, tahini sauce and potato fries. The beef was so succulent I could taste the spices which were added while marinating, very soft and meaty. Here Grilling is done using Natural charcoal to bring health benefits into your life so don’t miss it.
Chicken Shawarma The flavor of this is incredible!! The chicken was soft and juicy which is deliciously addicting, this was served along with garlic sauce, pickles and french-fries.
We come to the last part of the meal Dessert! Fresh Cream Othmaliya Delicious cream filled Middle Eastern sweet, is a special kunafa having a sweet & savory combination toped with kishta and lovely pistachios and served with sweet sugar syrup.
Muhallabiya its awani’s signature muhallabiya dish served with dry apricots and other fruits covered with cream, it’s a soft smooth creamy textured pudding, which had a layer of caramel crystals that just melts in your mouth, was terrific. It’s the after-dinner delight you won’t stop asking for.
Combination of both the finest Food and the most elegant experiences that you will discover in Avani, this is certainly one of the best Arabic restaurants in the Outlet Village. The restaurants décor is very welcoming and peaceful, food is certainly delicious. A great place for everyone and to enjoy Levant cuisine.
Web: www.awani.ae
Tel: +971 4 317 3999
