Anar - Restaurant Award Highly Commended

High-class Persian dining in the Emirates Palace 4 Reviews

© ITP Images

From Time Out Abu Dhabi Eating Out 2010

Persian cuisine is probably not meant to be eaten in such surroundings. It’s humble food at heart, and as each dish is served in ever more elaborate bowls, with a triangle of warm, doughy flatbread and mounds of fragrant rice accompanying it, you do wonder if this is what the Persians had in mind. Certainly, like a lot of Emirates Palace’s more expensive restaurants, Anar struggles to fill its seats and the atmosphere tends to be a little more subdued that it should be. It’s a shame because food as good as this deserves to be shared and cheaper prices might just give it a new lease of life. For the time being though, it remains a rather formal, if pleasing experience. The décor is a little on the dark side and in middle of the room stands a rather perplexing six-foot high giant chalice.

The culinary choice is huge, with a winding journey through the heritage of Persian cooking. Lamb, flavoured with rustic country spices and aromatic herbs make up the bulk of a menu which slips seamlessly between sweet, fruity stews and tender grills. Dishes like the mirza ghasemi, a baked eggplant dish with stewed tomato and egg, will also satisfy eager vegetarians hungry for something more than a kebab. From the peasant gear of the waitresses to the sweet-smelling cuisine, the whole experience is a little overwhelming and maybe not as fun as it should be, but there is nothing else quite like Anar in the capital and the food is simply impeccable. For that alone, it remains something special.

By Time Out Abu Dhabi staff
Time Out Abu Dhabi, 22 December 2009

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  • 03 January,2009- reviewed by Time Out Abu Dhabi staff

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Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.

Posted by: Jim&Yngvil on 20 Jan ' 10 at 18:20

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

A big disappointment. Yes, the setting is grand, but really the place was utterly dead and lacking in any kind of ambiance. I'm not too familiar with Persian cooking, but based on my experience in cuisines in this region from Morocco to India, this food was remarkably lacking in flavor, matched only by the incredibly skimpy portions (4 tiny cubes of lamb in our herb-spiced lamb stew), at a price of 100-160 AED per main course. Our "saffron rice" consisted of a large dome of white rice with a veneer of saffron rice (think gold leaf vs solid gold). If not for the raw garlic on the side, it would have had no flavor. Surely there are better Persian restaurants in town.

Posted by: almansory on 15 Jan ' 10 at 13:42

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• Best for: Brunch served
• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

i have been there last Friday with my family and the brunch was only for 135 AED .the buffet was amazing with selection of kebabs.
live BBQ which served in our table was just incredible.
i love the balcony with overlooking the sea

Posted by: Reza on 15 Jan ' 10 at 11:35

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Jalal Khoory on 02 Sep ' 09 at 08:32

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• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

I dont know how or on what basis you recomend this place.Must be the most boring and silent restoorant in the world!!!!I went with my wife and by main course time we just wanted to leave.No service, no nice music and really empty.Only food was good.Nobody even to welcome us inside or say bye when we was leaving.

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