Indian Food Company is a newly opened restaurant located in the beautiful Jumeirah Lake Towers area. Overseeing a serenading lake, this is a desi at heart place serving Indian food with a contemporary twist.
As I stepped in, I saw a banner proudly proclaim, “Nothing brings people together like good food”. I found myself in instant agreement. Food, despite all the diversity it has to offer, has an underlying quality to unify people. I happened to visit this place along with some talented food bloggers from Dubai, courtesy a meetup organised by the restaurant. Whether or not the restaurant will wow us to recommend this place in unison is something that was to be tested.
The restaurant makes an excellent first impression. With outdoor & indoor seating options, the ambience is subtle sans any blaring music. The interiors too are elegant hinting at their penchant for minimalism. Also, it is very assuring to see a restaurant staff armed with gloves, masks, and taking all the necessary precautions during the ongoing health crisis.
The menu too adopts a simple approach by opting for self-explanatory names. Again, no attempt to disguise itself with a smarter than thou attitude, which I find quite impressive. The food on offer tends to lean more towards the Northern parts of India. It will surely impress people looking for Punjabi or Dhaba style flavours. The menu offered several meat & vegetation options. Our table went ahead and opted for the following:
- Starters: Paneer Tikka Ajwani, Ghar Ka Samosa, Tandoori Soya Chaap, Achari Chicken Tikka, Paneer Tikka Quesadilla, Samosa Chaat Pizza,
- Main course: Butter chicken, Paneer Butter Masala
- Desserts: Gulaab Jamun Carpaccio
- Drinks: Masala tea, Passion Fruit Punch, Saffron Pistachio Lassi, Mango Caramel Lassi, A special Zankars Tea by IFC
The restaurant means serious business when it talks about serving desi food with a twist. Quite evident from the way Samosa Chaat Pizza or Paneer Tikka Quesadilla appear on your table.
Talking about appearances, one of my peeves with fusion food serving restaurants is the over-emphasis on presentation neglecting food at the core of it to the backseat. I was glad to notice that in the instance of IFC, they chose to do it the other way round – prioritising food. This is by no means to say that the presentation is bland. On the contrary, it has a very homely feel to it, you know the way you present dishes at their best when people come over to your place.
In a nutshell, the food is satisfactory, looks beautiful, and packs for a scrumptious meal. However, few things totally stand out, and I believe they are worthy of a special mention.
- Ghar ka samosa: True to its name, its a homestyle comfort samosa filled with a stuffing of masala aloo. The aloo is spicy enough to make you enjoy it but not fiery to make you regret ordering it. The crust is perfect. Neither too thin, nor too thick, and it is fried to a crisp. My table went into a collective state of foodgasm the moment we bit into it. Makes you go Hadippa with every bite.
- Butter Chicken: IFC calls its BBC, i.e. Best Butter Chicken in town. I would say that the claim is not without reason. A buttery sauce that’s cooked on a slow flame for over six hours and the chicken pieces infused with the perfect smoky flavour seem to do the trick. I felt this is one of the closest I’ve come to an authentic Punjabi Dhabe wala butter chicken in Dubai.
In Frame: Butter Chicken and Paneer Butter Masala - Gulab Jamun Carpaccio: This is a must-try. Thinly sliced soft gulab jamuns topped with a delicious rabri, this deserves all your attention when on your table. Do away with mobile phones or other forms of distraction because this dessert makes for a compelling case for your friends to wipe the plate clean should you step out for a call.
All in all, for me and my squad, it was an afternoon spent well. So if you’re heading towards or live around JLT and are looking for some good Indian food, you should surely consider stopping by Indian Food Company. I’d suggest getting an outdoor seat and order yourself some samosas and masala tea right away.
The restaurant also has combo options for takeaway lunches at fairly reasonable prices. They also plan to introduce a breakfast menu somewhere down the line. Definitely looking forward to that.
See you soon with a new restaurant, and a new review. Follow Bhukkad Balak and be a part of my food journey.
Bhukkad Balak 