Review: This Dubai restaurant's Indian brunch is a fine dining bargain

What's On

20-02-2025

One of Dubai's best hacks for saving money is to seek out quality lunch menus. Select wisely, and it means you can dine at world-class restaurants for modest prices, without compromising on quality. Jamavar's Royal Brunch might just offer the best case study in town right now. Imported from its Michelin-starred Mayfair London branch, Jamavar opened in August last year. It sits in the Address Residences Opera District, and is the third of its international outposts (the originals being in India).
I arrive to an empty venue on a sunny Saturday afternoon (its runs from 12.30pm to 4pm at weekends). Four giant, crystal chandeliers hang above us with large (like, massive) artwork towering over diners at either side of the room. It's fancy but cosy, with dark furniture and cream chairs.
Friendly staff hand me a menu, and the price needs to be seen to be believed. For Dhs395, you can work your way through a Starter, South Indian Sampler, Main and a Dessert. All this comes with unlimited drinks, too, spread across cocktails, wines, beer and spirits. The non-alcoholic options costs Dhs295.
Karare Aloo Chat at Jamavar Dubai
My two friends and I start with the Panipuri, Bambaiya Bhelpuri and Karare Aloo Chat. Of these, the latter steals the show. Cool yoghurt smooths over the potato tikki, with spiced white peas and mint chutney.
The waiter fills my glass without me even asking, in my case a glass of the Chenin Blanc, Simonsig Stellenbosch. Up next, we share everything on the South Indian Sampler menu. The eye-catcher here is the Butter Sada Dosa, a tent-shaped crepe with VIP access to your Instagram story, served with chutneys and bites.
This is where value for money really comes in, because we haven't even reached our Mains yet and we're close to full already. If, like us, you have room then great. But if it's a light lunch you're after, with one eye on dinner later, then this is a place to swerve.
Anyway, there's only one dish three Brits could possibly order which is the Butter Chicken (they didn't have Vindaloo). My experience of Butter Chicken has mostly been consigned to the boxes of a takeaway in my native England (I'm sorry, that is changing), but here lies an outstanding example of why fine dining Indian really is worth paying for.
The Butter Sada Dosa will make its way straight to your Insta story
By now, it's time for dessert, the Rhubarb Chuski Falooda, but not after leaning back in my chair for a good few minutes to savor the splendid variety of flavours that leave me feeling like I won't need to eat for the rest of the weekend. The verdict
Given Jamavar hails from Michelin history, has an interior that rivals any swanky restuarant and offers fine dining food (and lots of it) at just Dhs395 with unlimited drinks, this has to be one of the best value lunch deals in the city right now.
Images: Supplied
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