Review: Can Copper Chimney stand out in a crowded market?

One reason why we don't get too excited about desi food - and by desi, I don't mean Indian generally but north Indian specifically, at times spiced up by friendly influences from across the border - is that there are so many options strewn all over Dubai. I visited Copper Chimney - at the Millennium Plaza Hotel on SZR (direct access from the Emirates Towers metro station) - because I'd heard so much it, and wanted to find out what the fuss was all about.

The restaurant is huge, spanning two levels. The second level, where we sat, has a live kitchen with custom-made tandoors (grills). If you ever wanted to induct a first-timer to the pleasures of the (north Indian) palate, look no further. The menu does a brilliant job of demystifying the varied nuances with its detailed interpretation. Taka-tak Keema Masala Fry, for instance: "minced lamb masala served with hot buttered buns. Taka-tak is the sound you hear in Lahore's Anarkali Bazaar, where the lamb is prepared on a tawa (a local iron griddle)."

The food lives up to the hype. The Jaipur Salad (fresh greens and namkeen - a savoury snack - doused in jaggery, tamarind dressing, topped with pomegranate), the Grilled Burrah Chops (lamp chops marinated over eight hours, seared and chargrilled), and the Almond Phirni Chikki Crumble (chilled rice pudding topped with crunchy, crumbled jaggery nut squares) were standouts.

TASTE
Everything pretty much hit all the right spots - especially the tangy Jaipur Salad and the crunchy Amritsari Shrimps. Both proved that however ubiquitous desi food may be, there's always room for surprise. The let-down, for me, was the Indian Chelo: couldn't do justice to the milky rice.

AMBIENCE
Copper Chimney is sprawling. It's easy on the eye: modernism juxtaposed with age-old authenticity in its furnishings. Lovely props all around, live kitchen. But this is a family joint - evident from the seating and the bright lights - so on busy evenings, it may be a bit noisy.

SERVICE
The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, but the service was not too personalised. Perhaps with the (good) intent to leave us to our own devices (including smartphones), they weren't around for a lot of the time. But, if you waved at them, they'd fetch up and be most gracious.

PRESENTATION
Indian food - and portions - don't have that delicate feel to make it a presenter's delight - though the colours add their own flourish. Copper Chimney does a fair (and thoughtful) job with tried and tested garnishes. First time I "saw" half a baked garlic with desi food!

VALUE FOR MONEY
Quality-wise, this is a top-dollar eatery, but the most expensive item is the Grilled Burrah Chops (Dh74); the marvellous Jaipur Salad, good for two, even three, is Dh27. The famed biryanis all hover around the Dh50 range. Yummy desserts, all below Dh25.
ADDRESS
Millennium Plaza Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
Reservations:
04 3269444
sushmita@khaleejtimes.com