Anar - Restaurant Award Highly Commended

High-class Persian dining in the Emirates Palace 7 Reviews

© ITP Images

A trip to Anar is all about the boldly scented flavours that separate Persian dining from that of the wider Middle East. The staff are dressed in jaunty peasant gear and guide you to your table beneath a bright, mosaic ceiling.

The extensive menu takes you on a comprehensive journey through the country’s culinary heritage. The kufte ye anar o peste – lamb with almond, pistachio and aromatic herbs stewed in a pomegranate broth – is the pick of the starters; the soft, sweet meat practically melting into the sharp pomegranate jus. For those wanting something lighter, mirza ghasemi – baked eggplant with stewed tomato and egg infused with garlic and turmeric – is an unctuous, gooey mush of garlicky sweetness.

There is a wide variety of meat and fish main courses, but avoid the ghurme sabzi, which is slow-cooked lamb in a mixed herbal stew with red kidney beans, as it is bitter and drowned in a swampy-looking liquid. But the shahname kebab – beef tenderloin marinated and dusted in black pepper – is, though less adventurous, reliably juicy and tender.

Pudding may prove a bridge too far for some, but try and leave room because these are spectacular. Falude bastani is a thing of beauty: pale, tangy noodle sorbet sprinkled with rosewater and pistachio nuts and served with saffron ice cream. And to wash it all down: scented and soothing Persian tea. Anar is as impressive as ever.

By Time Out Abu Dhabi staff
Time Out Abu Dhabi, 1 January 2009

• Previous reviews
  • 22 December,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: Bowden Sadrpanah on 23 Jun ' 10 at 12:21

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• 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

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• 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

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• 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

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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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