Layali Kish is the newest and easily the best of the Kish Persian-Iranian franchise of restaurants in Dubai. Located beside Hashemi Car Accessories on Hessa Street in Al Barsha, the restaurant has one of those warm, homely, non-pretentious do-it-yourself interiors which one immediately finds familiar and gets comfortable with. In addition to stereotypical dining areas on either side of the lobby as you enter, there are a number of cosy private dining rooms as well as several cubicles for those who want a little personal space and/or intimacy.
Interior 
Interior 
The private dining cubicles 
Interior 
View from the street
I was pleasantly surprised at how good the kababs were at Layali Kish. Ostadi’s chicken masti and Feri Classic’s koobideh aside, these were the BEST kababs I have had in Dubai in a long, long time. In fact (and now that I’ve dropped names), their Kabâb Koobideh is second only to Feri’s. Dare I say, their masti meat is actually better than Ostadi’s (not their chicken though). The Jūjeh Kabâb-e Zaferani was insane, the best I’ve had in Dubai – and that’s saying a lot. The only Khoresh (stew) I tried was their Ghormeh Sabzi which was really good but could have done with a little more tartness, something an extra limoo amani or two can easily fix.
The excellent mixed grill for two 
Ghormeh Sabzi
My daughter started with a hearty bowl of Āsh-e Shirazi which she said was yum even if it tasted (to me) as if it was made with dried rather than fresh herbs. If you are new to Iranian cuisine, I strongly recommend you try a bowl of Āsh (which basically means potage, a thick soup or porridge); it can be quite soul warming in this wintery weather, not to mention filling. The complementary fresh Taftoon-style flatbread was served straight from the oven and our breadbasket was replenished as fast as we wolfed down the bite-sized cones of bread we made stuffed with feta, fresh herbs and dried walnuts (also comps) – delish.
Āsh-e Shirazi 
Fresh Taftoon-style flatbread 
Mast-o-Khiyar (yogurt and cucumber raita)
Layali Kish is a family owned and run affair, and this is reflected in every detail of the restaurant, most particularly the warm and friendly hospitality one is shown from step in to step out. Unlike many Middle Eastern restaurants, English is spoken fluently here and is the main language of the menu. Although only a few weeks old, Layali Kish has all the hallmarks of a great all-rounder. And whilst I still have many of their stews (khoresh) to try, I can safely recommend their kababs as some of the best in Dubai, making this young eatery worth a detour.
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Xerxes physically dines at, or orders from, each and every venue he reviews. He pays in full for whatever he and his companions eat, drink, take away or occasionally throw at each other. Xerxes accepts no money, gifts, discounts or free meals in return for reviews or favouritism. What you have read was NOT influenced in any way by the venue. Join me on Instagram @ravenousxerxes or email me on xerxes@dellara.com.