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Flavours of Pakistan in Dubai

Over the years, Khaleej Times has been bringing to you some of the best Pakistani restaurants from across the UAE that scream authenticity and taste. Here is Des Pardes in Oud Metha, that serves fresh, home-style Pakistani dishes, at the most affordable rates

For seven years now, Des Pardes has been serving the ultimate mouth-watering delicacies, with slow-cooked ingredients that bring out the flavours of Pakistani spices. Taken over by the Ali Khan and Hingora families two years ago, Des Pardes was constantly worked on, making improvements to serve customers better. Their aim for the food joint is to be able to serve food made with fresh ingredients, quickly.
"We were in search of a running restaurant that could be converted into a brand by introducing bulk and party orders, as well as becoming active on platforms such as Zomato and Uber Eats. Two years later, we are looking at expanding to new branches. The passion grew stronger as we realised that Pakistani food had the most marvellous flavours, enriched with the love for our culture," says Ali Khan, one of the partners of the restaurant.
"What we're trying to replicate with the food at Des Pardes is the feeling of a home-cooked meal that is tasty, fresh, and not too heavy. This is because unlike high-end, fine-dining restaurants, we have customers who eat here five or more times a week, and we want to make sure that our food satisfies them, while keeping it affordable," says Mohammed Hingora, another partner at Des Pardes.
"We operate like a fast-food joint serving healthier meals, and we're open 24/7 for 365 days a year. You could join us at 5am for nihari, and one of us will be here along with the staff to ensure you have the best customer experience," he explains.
The highlight at Des Pardes is the dine-in breakfast, which leaves the restaurant packed during morning hours as it serves halwa puri, channa, haleem and nihari, to name a few dishes, at an extremely affordable rate of Dh6. For their general menu, to keep things interesting, the restaurant makes four special dishes every day to add variety to their menu of the day.
Hingora says, "We had a very successful Ramadan with biryani distribution packages that included a samosa and sweet, all for prices starting from just Dh7. Another interesting concept we came up with was ready-to-cook marinated chicken and mutton, available for just Dh40 per kg, for people in the UAE who love to barbecue."
Review by KT
Out of everything we sampled, we loved chicken handi the most, which was served paired with hot and fluffy tandoori rotis. Rich, with well-done chicken and the the right amount of spice, it is easy to see why this dish is one of their best-sellers. We also polished off the mixed grill platter, with a selection of chicken, mutton and fish kebabs, that were marinated and cooked to perfection. Another stand-out item was the lassi - light, sweet and topped with almond flakes, this buttermilk drink was the perfect way to end our meal.
Speciality dishes
To start off, the crispy samosas are best enjoyed hot, and taste divine when paired with an imli chutney that gives it an extra kick of flavour. Next, Des Pardes' star dish is the chicken handi - rustic and full of flavour, this delectable curry dish is incredibly succulent with tender pieces of chicken. Paired with hot and fresh tandoori rotis and you have quite the satisfying treat. Another decadent offering is the nihari, a rich beef stew, that can be eaten with rotis or halwa-puri, for a hearty breakfast. The authentic biryanis are wholesome and filling, and go well with any of the curry dishes, or the raita served on the side. The mixed grill with mutton and chicken seekh kebab, malai boti and tikka boti at just Dh18, featured well-done meat marinated with an array of tantalizing spices. To wash it all down, opt for the sweet lassi, a light buttermilk drink that paired well with every other offering. Top off the meal with a traditional sweet, such as kheer or gulab jamun, for the ultimate Pakistani feast.
On this special day
At Des Pardes, Pakistan Resolution Day is celebrated by giving away a variety of authentic Pakistani sweets to customers free of cost. In addition to this, the prices of a few dishes are reduced, allowing you to savour their delicacies at ultimate reasonable prices. The restaurant also makes sure to take part in Pakistani exhibitions and events taking place across the UAE to engage with their customers.
If you are a fan of authentic Pakistani food and are looking for a place that is always open, head over to Des Pardes; their flavourful dishes are sure to leave you asking for more.