Baithak is a Pakistani restaurant in Ajman that is nothing less than the personification of the term ‘hidden gem’. Located in the Ajman Industrial Area, its interior is surprisingly well laid out and clean. There’s an upstairs ‘family’ dining area which seemed quite popular while we were there.
Before I go on I must accredit fellow food adventurer, @yousefalulama, with the ‘find’. Well-done Yousef. Sitting with him and @mansoormadani was like plugging into a culinary encyclopedia – their collective knowledge and experience is as vast as their appetites.
By the time we arrived Yousef had already ordered Chapli Kabab and Maghz Fry to start (both excellent) followed by the Baithak Nalli Raan, Nalli Nihari, Nalli Pulao and Nalli Dumba Pulao. It’s worth noting that the raan is slow-cooked lamb but the roasted marrow bones are beef (the long, straight femur bones are cut down the middle and roasted). The combination of the two is simply out of this world.
So too were the two pulaos, one with beef and the other, the Nalli Dumba, with lamb. They were both served with short cut beef bones from which one scoops marrow out of to mix in with the already heavily flavoured rice… for what can only be described as a nirvanic culinary experience. And if I haven’t made myself clear, this is like having food sex.
We couldn’t try their other kababs, karhais, handis or even their famous chicken tikka. That’ll be for next time. And a next time there most certainly will be. Service was friendly and fast (thank you Mohammed-Hamid) and, I’ve saved the best news till last, they are opening a branch in Dubai before the end of the month…watch this space.
Xerxes (pronounced Zûrk’seez) – Food Adventurer Extraordinaire – Shamelessly Exploring the Boundaries of Gluttony
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 him on his culinary journey on Instagram: @ravenousxerxes or reach out to him via email on xerxes@dellara.com.