Shambath Cafeteria, Al Qusais

Cafeterias provide food for those who greatly help Dubai go forward. As some one said, the great food in any great city can be found on its naked streets. Dubai is no different. Yes there are some aristocratic places which provide heavenly dining experiences. There are some other decent places serving exquisite food. But for the sake of excitement of eating, we are more likely to be a eater on the streets. Shambath Cafeteria doesn't have magnificent food. But the whole Shambath experience is one of those a food lover can go through with a very pleasant smile on their face. There are about twenty parking spaces nearby but its very hard to get one to park in. All of them are always occupied. No matter, a car can be parked on the side of the road with out disturbing other road users. There is likely to be a crowd all the time surrounding the little cafeteria. You will have to shout to be heard by the serving staff. Thats all part of the cafeteria experience.

Their snack shelf will be full of inviting bits and pieces of food till late evening. Let us introduce you to the wonderful world of these snacks and the more wonderful world of names. Undampori, Pazham pori, Bonda, Samosa, Parippu vada, Mutta bajji, Ulli vada and Uzhunnu vada. Undampori is deep fried sweet dough ball. Pazham pori is ripe banana slice coated in special dough mix and deep fried. Bonda is baked potatoes mixed with chopped green chillies covered in dough mix and deep fried. Samosa can be made from meat and vegetables. Shambath has vegetable samosas. Veg mix (onion, green piece etc) covered in rolled dough and deep fried to make veggie-samosa. Parippu vada is a row grind mix of curry leaves, ginger, salt, onion, green chilly, fennel seeds, asafoetida and Split Bangal Gram, deep fried. Mutta bajji is Boiled egg coved in dough and deep fried. Ulli vada is a mix of gram flour, rice flour, onion, ginger, green chilly, curry leaves and salt, deep fried. Black peppercorns and a mix of black gram dal, rice flour, onion, green chillies, curry leaves, ginger and salt are deep fried to prepare uzhunnu vada. The funny thing about uzhunnu vada is that it has a hole in the middle. Like a doughnut. It is not just a funny hole, its is made that way so that the area exposed to hot oil while frying is greater. 

Everything is deep fried and none of them are very healthy. Come on, for one day, one time, lets all forget about being overly health conscious. All of them are one dirham each. All of them are of at least above average taste. On some occasions, you might even find a gem in that shelf. We found one on one of our visits last month, a lovely "Pazham pori". Crisp outside and well cooked sweet banana slice inside. On our most recent visit, we got a brilliant "Samosa". The cracking noise while we chew through it announced that it was delicious. Snacks go very well with tea and coffee. Both of those are prepared with condensed milk and priced one and two dirhams respectively. Coffee tastes slightly better than their tea. If you prefer tea, there is nothing hugely wrong with it; go on, have one. 

They have a couple of Indian breads and curries on the menu as well. Strictly speaking, they don't have a printed menu, one of their staff will help you with the names and prices. To help chew through those Indian breads, they have Chicken Chukka, Chicken Chilly, Beef Fry, Chicken Pepper Masala, Nadan Chicken Curry and Chicken Masala. Chicken Chukka is well cooked chicken in grated coconut and spices. Chicken chilly is deep fried chicken bits coated in spices. Beef fry is juicy beef bits coated in spices and deep fried. Chicken pepper masala is chicken cooked in a mix of veggies and spices. Nadan chicken fry is Kerala chicken curry, Shambath style. Chicken masala is another south indian chicken curry version. All these curries are 10 dirhams a pop and of not very bad taste. For that money, those curries and breads will happily fill ones belly. All we say is that if you are some where near by, take the extra step, be at the Cafeteria, grab a snack or two you fancy and a tea or coffee for a couple of dirhams. Or get a curry and a set of breads for less than 20 to feed two hungry souls. Happy eating.

Rating Description

One Star: Avoid

Two Stars: If you are really hungry and thats the only restaurant nearby, you may dine in there.

Three Stars: A very good restaurant in it's category.

Four Stars: Excellent cooking; worth a detour.

Five Stars: Exceptional cuisine; worth a special trip.

Restaurant Contact Number: 042613182

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