Nayaab Haandi is one of the better Pakistani restaurants in Dubai. This branch in Barsha is their second. It is smaller than the original in Satwa but no less clean and cool. Its interior, while spartan, is respectable. Amu Kambiz loves Pakistani food and insists we visit a Pakistani restaurant whenever he is in Dubai (from Tokyo). He and I have actually been to the Al Ghazal one together. We ordered his favourites – Kabab Platter, Haleem, Chicken Haandi, Channa Daal and Biryani Rice.
A view from the street 
Attention to detail 
Spartan but clean interior
Remember the post Freddy Mercury Queen song, too much love will kill you? Well, too much tenderizer will turn even the best cut of meat to mush…which is what we found with a couple of the kababs in Nayaab Haandi’s kabab platter. Served with much fanfare, on a smoking mangal no less, it left much to be desired.
No one on the planet does Haleem like the Pakistanis. It’s just a culinary masterpiece and Nayaab Haandi’s Haleem is really, really good. Eaten with pieces of Afghani flat bread, I’d say this was the highlight of our meal. The Chicken Haandi (= claypot) was good but nothing to get too excited about.
Haleem 
It’s not Haleem without these condiments 
Biryani 
Afghani flatbread 
Haandi (claypot) 
Chicken Haandi 
Chop sticks in a Pakistani restaurant? How bizarre! That’s Amu Kambiz for you.
We ended our meal with a rather tasteless Kulfi and a sugarless carrot Halwa (saved by the Gulab Jamun it was served with).
Carrot Halwa 
Service was exemplary – the restaurant manager and his staff going out of their way to accommodate us.
There are a number of very good Pakistani restaurants in Barsha. In my humble opinion, Nayaab Haandi is definitely one of the top of that list and well worth a visit.
#1 Blogger on Zomato Dubai in 2018 and 2019 and beyond…
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.