Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Cuisine Style: Indian
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined in September 2017
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Vineet Bhatia
Formally: Manish Law
Turn the clock back forty years in the city of Dubai, and you had a few office buildings and hotels, that may have been as many as twenty stories high. Today there are thousands with most being over fifty stories, and the worlds tallest building the Burj Khalifa Tower. To turn a desert into a mega city requires large sums of labor. When most of that labor comes from India, the culture comes along, and the city has to cater to its workforce, putting money back into its economy.
The Sheraton Dubai Creek opened in 1978 and it features many restaurants from Italian, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Indian. Ashiana, which means home, serves authentic cuisine from different parts of India, complemented by an exceptional dining experience with live Bollywood style music, and is also noted for being one of the first Indian restaurants in Dubai. Chef Bhatia also has the signature restaurant Indego at the Grosvenor House near the Dubai Creek, along with Michelin star restaurants Zaika and Rasoi in London. The Geneva Rasoi was also awarded the star in 2009.
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| Inside the Sheraton |
Upon entering you are guided down a hallway with dark wood columns and red lamps, very reminiscent of Indian architecture setting the vibrant mood of your meal from the beginning. The two main dining rooms were to the left or right of the hall, with a small stage set up on the right side for the live entertainment. I was one of the first to arrive but as the evening progressed, a larger party was sat near me, along with a few tables for couples out for a nice night or intimate dates. The wine list selections vary from a few old worlds, but mainly new world selections. The American selection from California was basic table wine, and unfortunately, the one wine they did have from India was from Sula Vineyards, a sauvignon blanc that I have had several times. Nashik, Maharashtra wine region has over 50 vineyards, but with Sula being the largest with the most international connections, it will be the one you see most on restaurant menus in Europe and Asia.
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| Ashiana Hallway |
I decided on Colombelle blanc, from Plaimont Winery, France which was a light to medium bodied wine with 70% Colombard and 30% Ugni Blanc. According to the tasting notes, the aromas are of flowers, mango, pineapple and crisp citrus. Once in your mouth, it lights up your palate with pink grapefruit and distinct grassy notes. The finish is refreshing and very pleasing. Plaimont Winery was founded in 1979 when the wineries of Plaisance, Aignan, and Saint Mont joined forces to create a single entity. Besides wine, they had a selection of mock-tails for their Muslim guests, and the signature cocktail selection varied beyond traditional Indian cocktails to include the Mexican twist, a hot toddy, and more traditional masala mojito.
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| Dining Room |
Menu:
- Starters
- Signatures
- Kebab
- SMains-Sharing
- Biryani
- Bread
- Accompaniments
- Desserts
- Tasting Menus
- Business Lunch Menus
They had a very extensive menu and made it hard to lock into any one or two particular items, so as I did my research before making the reservation, decided on the chef’s tasting menu. It began with Pappads and assorted chutney dips and raita.
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| Pappads |
The starter was followed by an amuse of aloo papadi chat which is a vegetarian patty of boiled potato, coriander chutney, tamarind chutney topped with yogurt, and served with a nice refreshing fruit beverage.
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| papadi chat |
The tasting menu was broken down into three courses starting with a selection of appetizers, six assorted main course options, and two desserts. If you are dining alone like I was it would be too much to eat, but perfect for two or more people. The appetizer plate came out beautifully garnished with a sliver of sauce under each item presented starting with an Achari fish tikka, followed by a chutney chicken tikka, and a classic lamb seekh kebab. the Achari is a fish fillet marinated in an assortment of spices and then grilled to pack a punch making it very authentic in flavor and taste. Achari originates in southern India in the two communities of Vishwakarma and Charodi.
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| Starter |
Around this time as I was enjoying the starter dish, the live band was getting set up. The Indian music known best in the West is the sitar playing of Beatles-collaborator Ravi Shankar and hip-gyrating dance music of Bollywood musicals. But Indian music is much more than that. It has a long history and is closely linked to Indian spirituality. The instruments, melodies, and rhythms are mostly unfamiliar to Western ears, and for Westerns requires a whole different approach and understanding of music to appreciate. Classical Indian music concerts have traditionally been built around a single vocalist or instrumentalist. Classical Indian music itself is based on single melody lines, often with great attention given to single notes.
The main course selection was delivered in five containers along with a side of roti. They included chicken tikka masala, lamb rogan josh, mix kadai vegetables, dal tadka tamatari, and steamed white basmati rice. Rogan josh is a signature recipe of Kashmiri cuisine with Persian origins, very mild on the spice scale, but full of wonderful flavors. Kadai also called a karahi is a type of thick, circular, and deep cooking-pot that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is used in Indian, Afghani, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Nepalese cuisines. The vegetable assortment had cauliflower, carrots, green peas, capsicum, ginger, and wonderful accents of cumin, coriander, and garlic in a thick tomato puree. Tadka or Tarka is a dal dish of cooked Pigeon Pea lentils which are fried with sautéed onions and tomatoes and later tempered with various spices, such as asafetida, red chili, and then tempered with ghee, and sometimes enhanced with mango powder (amchoor), tomato, curry leaves, and sambar powder.
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| Main courses |
Dessert:
Dessert included two selections served together as part of the chef tasting prefix menu. The dish included Gajjar Ka Halwa or carrot based pudding, and an eggless Malai Khulfi ice cream made with condensed cream, cardamom, dried milk solids, and nuts. A perfect way to end another wonderful Indian meal.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Indian Cuisine Articles and Restaurants:
A Taste of India Casual curries of North & South with Buffet in Brandon, Florida
Armani / Amal A tasting tour of India at the Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa Tower, Dubai, UAE
Mr. Todiwala’s Kitchen Vibrant Pan-Indian street-style Cuisine in Slough, United Kingdom
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Dubai restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Turkish culinary journey with an eclectic European twist
Plaza Versace Hotel, Dubai, UAE
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Authentic churrascaria-style dining
Palm Island, Dubai, UAE
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Contemporary Middle Eastern and Levant buffet at Hyatt Park Hotel Dubai Creek, Dubai, UAE
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Take a tour of the tallest building in the world
Dubai, UAE
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A walk into the Piemonte with a contemporary twist
DFIC, Dubai, UAE
|
Blend of Argentinean & Brazilian cuisine
Dubai Marina, Dubai, UAE
|
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Contemporary Japanese restaurant, sushi, & cocktail mixology
DFIC, Dubai, UAE
A Top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
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Stylish modern Spanish and global cuisine
Dubai Creek, Dubai, UAE
|
An eclectic taste of Asia with buffets at the Burj Al Arab
Dubai, UAE
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘ about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Ashiana a 4 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, and were outstanding.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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9
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1
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Food quality
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10
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7
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3
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Plate presentation
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9
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9
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0
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Customer service
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9
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7
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2
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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7
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2
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Total regular points awarded
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47
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39
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8
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.829787234042553
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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3
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0638297872340425
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.893617021276596
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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4
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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4 of 5 Stars:
89% Rating with a 3 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
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Wine rating:
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6 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Italy, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, Australia, California, Chile, India, New Zealand, South Africa
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Conservative dining
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Cuisine Style:
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Indian
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-Free, Halal, Pescatarian, Vegan and Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Business casual attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Lounge, Business parties, Romantic, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Valet, hotel parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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AED Arab Emerite Dirham
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د.إ
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€€
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Ashiana Restaurant:
Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel and Towers
Baniyas Street, P.O. Box 4250
Dubai, UAE
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+97142071733
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Online reservations
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Email Contact:
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Serving hours:
Dubai Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC + 3:00)
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Lunch: Sun-Thur
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Dinner: Mon-Sun
7:00 pm - 11:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus
Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Contemporary-Authentic Mexican Cuisine
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
A Re: Start business at “Little High Eatery”
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
Other Pictures:
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
