Try traditional Arabian cuisine at Rrala’s Habibi, MGF Metropolitan Mall. Apart from mezze and kebabs, couscous and chicken majboos are a must-try
Moroccan, lebanese and Arabian cuisine made an entry to the foodies’ list some years ago. Perfectly balanced flavours, fresh ingredients, mezze and generous use of olive oil are features that anyone who had tasted the cuisine once can list. But it seems in the years to come, we will know more facts about Middle Eastern cuisine. With an increasing number of places serving Middle Eastern cuisine in the city, we are now exposed to the traditional fare. There are chefs from specific regions churning out authentic delicacies.
One such recently opened place is Rrala’s Habibi at MGF Metropolitan Mall. They call themselves an Arabic cum Middle-Eastern flavour restaurant offering delicacies of the Mediterranean and Arab world. The place is designed to suit the theme. To add to your dining experience, there’s Arabic folk music playing in the background and you can also enjoy belly dance.
Gleaming chandeliers, richness and vibrancy spread through bright colours come to mind when you think Arabic and that’s exactly what you find here.
Ratib Al Ghriwati is the chef from Syria designed the menu. He follows authentic preparation methods and makes sure that the guests are served with as much love as goes into the making of food. “No place in Delhi offers authentic Arabic food and through Habibi I want to introduce it to Delhiites,” said Ratib.
The food is an assortment of lebanese and Moroccan food, so the menu comprises basic recipes and ingredients like chickpea, egg plants, meat and lamb.
Our wholesome meal began with a traditional cocktail nefertiti, a sweet mixture of tequila orange juice and syrup with kafir lime which clearly represented the sweetness and fruity flavours that are an integral part of the cuisine.
Habibi smoothie was a blend of fruits and vanilla extract. The menu is a delight for non-vegetarians with a range of kebabs. Chicken and lamb kebabs were perfectly dry and had a smoky flavour. The taste of the cold mezze, which contained all the definite Middle-Eastern veggie ingredients like chickpea, yoghurt, egg plant and zucchini with a major taste of olive oil, was scrumptious.
We went for chef’s recommendation in the main course and tried Moroccan couscous, a tangy dish of semolina cooked with vegetables, and chicken majboos, a typical Arabian dish cooked like biryani. The prices are a bit high but the place is worth a visit.