Anar - Restaurant Award Highly Commended

High-class Persian dining in the Emirates Palace 7 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

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

• Share | |
• E-mail:
• 
• Print:
• 

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

Posted by: Bowden Sadrpanah on 23 Jun ' 10 at 12:21

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

The food at Anar is fine nothing to specific to complain about, although I am yet to see anything that resembles Persian/ Iranian food.

I can only assume the chef and other kitchen staff are not Persian and are providing their own take on 'Iranian food' i.e.they are using the names of famous Persian dishes without following the receipes.

Inside the restuarant lacks atmosphere, outside you get a nice view of the beach and sea.

Posted by: Nabila Rashid on 16 May ' 10 at 16:55

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

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

Great food, staff , and value for money.
staff very friendly
food was very delicious
and good price, AED 250 only for the Friday brunch buffet inclusive of free flow of sparkling wine and AED 135 for non alcoholic drinks.
terrace seating with amazing view offer looking marina, inside seating feel like in the Iran.
if you booked thru restaurant reservation they will give you 10% discount for the brunch.. isn't great ??? you have to try.. every Friday from 13:00 hrs to 15:00 !

Posted by: Mehdi on 16 Mar ' 10 at 08:54

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Would you go back to this restaurant? No

Went to anar with some of my friends that had never had iranian food, being iranian I wanted to introduce them to iranian cousine.
the place must be the most boaring place in town. no one to welcome you the staff have no clue of what they are serving.
we had grills like you would in any iranian resturant, they call it iranian but i have no idea what it was and the portions my god it was a kids meal and for that price.
please dont judge Iranian food on your experiance at anar

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

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• 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

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• 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

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• Would you go back to this restaurant? Yes

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

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

OverallDecorService

FoodAmbienceValue

• 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.

Add your review/feedback