There are a few international cuisines that have to be absolutely tip-top to justify the high prices in a fine-dining, five-star UAE hotel setting.
Indian food is perhaps the most prominent example: the sheer numbers of expats from the subcontinent means you can find fantastic dishes at wallet-friendly prices across the Emirates.
If you want a few more airs and graces, mall chains such as India Palace and Peppermill do a rather fine job of plugging that particular gap, whether dining in or ordering for delivery.
Which brings us to Punjab Grill, the Indian offering in the Venetian Village, the laudable multi-outlet dining destination within the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi.
First impressions were overwhelmingly positive. When we visited, on a Thursday evening, there was scarcely a free table, which contributed to a bustling, good-natured vibe. However, that seemed to come at a (small) cost during the meal.
The service was for the most part endearingly personal, with a system in place that allowed the same waiter to bring your food to the table throughout your meal, despite a host of fellow staff whisking the plates to and from the kitchen. It became almost entertaining to watch our waiter dash across the dining room to complete the culinary equivalent of a slam dunk in this well-choreographed tactical operation.
But the copybook was blotted when we were asked to move tables mid-meal without explanation or obvious reason. We refused, given that we were perfectly happy where we were.
This was an amateur-hour misstep, and one that you would not be subjected to at any of those mall restaurants.
Despite its name, Punjab Grill – the first Middle East outlet from a global chain – does not solely deal in dishes from the northern Indian state. There are contributions from other parts of the country, all the way down to coconut prawns, more traditionally associated with the south.
Broadly speaking, the menu gives an overview of the most popular choices from across India, alongside a smattering of less-standard fair.
The small plates were arguably the most inventive. The applewood-smoked strips of sweet potato and slices of star fruit – which were respectively delicious and an acquired taste – were delivered to the table beneath a smoke-filled dome.
They continued to emit vapour once unveiled, to the intrigue of several diners at nearby tables.
The hara kebab – two spherical spinach patties drizzled with mango preserve – were not nearly as dramatic, but did wield a modest amount of tangy taste.
Despite my dining partner’s protests that she wanted the butter chicken for her main, I cajoled her into being a touch more adventurous and so she tried the chicken lababdar – chicken tikka simmered in a rich tomato-and-cashew gravy.
It was probably the dish that most warranted thoughts of cheaper alternatives – although at Dh65 it seemed a lot more reasonable than the Dh95 butter chicken. The broccoli and cauliflower masala, which cost the same as the lababdar, was not terrible by any means, but nor did it make much in the way of a lasting impression.
Dessert went a long way towards redeeming the lacklustre mains. The kulfi with figs was elegantly presented, while the coconut and jaggery cake, served with saffron cream, was as easy to eat as it was on the eye.
Where Punjab Grill does hold a trump card over its cheaper compatriots is that there’s a genuine atmosphere about the place.
Although you easily could spend half as much on a similar amount of perfectly palatable food in a less-well-heeled restaurant, there is just about enough charisma and quality here to warrant the extra outlay.
• Our meal for two at Punjab Grill, Venetian Village within Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal, cost Dh438. For more information, call 02 449 9839. Reviewed meals are paid for by The National and conducted incognito
aworkman@thenational.ae
