Trying Out Iraqi Cuisines At Kabab Erbil Al Rigga

You know what I like about Dubai? You get to explore options for food and trying out cuisines from other parts of the world is one of my game. Good thing I'm surrounded with friends who also fancy dining out and hunting hole-in-the-wall restaurants, we found ourselves lost in the streets of Al Rigga.

Location - Al Riqqa

A two-minute walk from the red line Metro Station towards Avenue Hotel which is the nearest landmark, you can easily spot Kabab Erbil Iraqi Restaurant to your right with an outside seating area. If you're a fan of Al Fresco dining, then this spot is for you but never on summer.

The huge wooden door is slightly intimidating but as you approach it, waiters will warmly welcome you and ask if you have a reservation. I was informed that Kabab Erbil is actually an Arabic fine dining restaurant so I pretty much expected it already.

"We have a reservation for two, I'm a guest of Mr. A", I told the receptionist and she said "Of course Madam, we have available seats here at the first floor and more seats upstairs. You can choose whatever seat you'd like to have."

Inside Kabab Erbil - Interiors

The foodie in me quickly searched for a seat near the windows and I found myself at the second floor of the restaurant. The corner spot upstairs is very well lighted and we can see cars and people passing by. Done and we found our corner.

One thing that I noticed: all seats were arranged for groups. A minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 or 8 can sit in one table. We arrived during lunch time and other guests came in - most of them are families.

A few moments later, a waiter came to our table with the warmest 'Hello, welcome to Kabab Erbil' and handed us over a menu.

Starters

Like any other Arabic restaurant, they serve complimentary pickles and bread right away. I've read a few Zomato reviews and I'll have to agree, their bread is to die for.

Many other options for starters like Erbil Special Salad, Fattoush, Tabbouleh, Mouttabal, Eggplant, Aragula, and Beetroot Salad are available on the menu but we opted for the medium sized mix appetizer. This one's good for two, maybe even three if your group is on a diet. What I love: Their mouttabal and tabbouleh.

The Mains

I was thinking of ordering an exotic dish like the ones listed on their daily menu (Iraqi Patcha or Dolma) however I don't want to fail my taste buds so I did what a foodie will normally do: ask for the best seller. The waiter suggested their famous Qoozi Lamb that comes with rice cooked the Iraqi way and Murag beans on the side.

The serving is only for one person but with my body size, I think it is good for sharing and so I let my dear friend sample on my plate as well. We sliced on the meat and geez, it was so soft and that it fell off the bones right away. It was heaven.

Dear friend ordered her all-time favourite Arabic dish: the half mixed grill which we also shared accompanied by another sauce. The vegetable garnish made the food look really pretty, what more, it tasted really great.

And like I mentioned, the servings were pretty much in large portions and we didn't have any room for desserts. We could have ordered mixed fruits or Iraqi sweets but the juices we tried (Mango Juice and Banana Milkshake) were more than enough to complete our meal.

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Kabab Erbil Iraqi Restaurant is an Iraqi fine dining restaurant with branches located at Al Rigga and Al Muteena. Operating hours are Sunday - Thursday: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm and Friday - Saturday: 02:00 pm - 1:00 am. Follow them on:

Disclaimer: We were invited to sample the menu at this restaurant. Opinion and photos are my own.