Al Surur Traditional Kitchen is a jack of all trades restaurant franchise which covers everything from Desi and Arabic to Iranian food. The branch which we ordered a home delivery from in Motor City is one of four in Dubai. We learnt that they have a Pakistani chef who used to work in an Iranian restaurant and makes killer kababs, so basically that’s what we ordered. I asked the receptionist to swap the Minced Chicken (Koobideh Chicken) with Joojeh Zafarani and to get it all to us in under an hour. Our edited mixed grill for three was therefore made up of nine short skewers of Koobideh Meat, Tikka Masti Chicken, Tikka Masti Meat and Joojeh Zafarani.
The food arrived in just under an hour and was well packed and still warm. Accompaniments are nothing in comparison to Sadaf which we ordered from a fortnight ago. These guys send you your kababs, some rice, a few flat breads and nothing much else. The Koobideh was absolute rubbish. Do not order it. The Tikka Meat was tough and only got tougher as it cooled – not recommended. The Joojeh Zafarani was spiced which it shouldn’t have been but at least wasn’t as bad as the others. The Tikka Masti Chicken was the best of the lot. I say that but it wasn’t anywhere near Ostadi.
I assume Al Surur does a better job at their Pakistani and Arabic dishes. They’re not very good at Iranian kababs. Not if you’re sitting with access to Sadaf and Layali Kish on Hessa Road and Caspian in Barsha, all three of which will run circles around this place. I’ll give them this though, they’re very competitively priced; our mixed grill for three with nine skewers of kabab cost only AED105. That said, if it’s Iranian food with any form of quality and authenticity you’re looking for, consider other options.
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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.