The wadis of Ras Al Khaimah come alive in the spring and winter. Amidst the emirate’s rocky cliffs and rugged mountains, channels, waterfalls, and natural pools flow and fill with life-giving water. Plants and flowering trees also flourish, painting part of the landscape a lush green.
Hiking the Hajar mountain trails during that time of year is one of the emirate’s best outdoor activities. After a satisfying hike, how about you recharge with some pani puri, tandoori, malai kofta, butter chicken, and paratha from an Indian restaurant in Ras Al Khaimah?
Indian food, with its layered fragrance and flavors, nourishes and satisfies the soul. It’s the best comfort food after a long day of exertion. Try it when you’re particularly exhausted and see if the combination of aromatics and heat does not jolt your palate awake and give you energy.
Where do you go if you’re craving Indian food? Below are a few of the best Indian restaurants serving some of the tastiest and the best Indian food in Ras Al Khaimah:
1. Jalfrezi by Chef Vivek Huria
Chef Vivek Huria has over three decades of experience working in hotel kitchens. Some of these properties include The Oberoi and Hotel Oberoi Towers, Hyatt Regency New Delhi, The Royal Meridien Mumbai, Intercontinental The Grand Mumbai, and a few hotels in Ras Al Khaimah: Al Hamra Hotel and Ras Al Khaimah Hotel by Hansa.
Jalfrezi by Chef Vivek Huria is open for lunch and dinner. They serve authentic Indian comfort food but with a polish lent by Chef Huria’s years of experience in hotel fine dining. It is as Chef Huria claims: He set up Jalfrezi to provide guests with a fine dining experience at, in his own words, an “unmatched price.”
Visit them for tandoori kebabs (available in chicken, mutton, and veg options), veg and non-veg curries, and various types of biryani. Their chili cheese kulcha (a lightly leavened bread from Punjab in North India) is a must-try, and they’re particularly famous for their Punjabi thali (traditional Punjabi platter), currently available from Fridays to Sundays.
Location: Jalfrezi by Chef Vivek Huria is on Al Montaser Rd, Al Nakheel, Ras Al Khaimah.
2. India Palace Restaurant
India Palace Restaurant is an award-winning restaurant chain with branches in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah. It is one of the best Indian restaurants in the UAE and is open for lunch and dinner.
In Ras Al Khaimah, the restaurant’s decor and layout are on-brand and aligned with the restaurant’s lavishly prepared and nuanced royal Mughlai cuisine. The neutral (beige) floors, ceilings, and place settings serve as the perfect backdrop for the ceiling’s decorative molding, the upholstery’s blue stripes and botanical motif, the wooden accents’ intricate latticework, the stained glass panels, and the rich, layered draperies. The live bangle-making and instrumental music, meanwhile, further engage the senses for an even more extravagant dining experience.
The bestsellers at Ras Al Khaimah’s India Palace include butter chicken (i.e., murgh makhani or tandoor-cooked marinated chicken in spiced tomato-and-butter sauce), murgh dum biryani (chicken cooked with rice in dum), butter chicken biryani (butter chicken in rice), samunder ke ratan (tandoor-roasted king prawns), and kebab platters.
Get some refreshments to accompany your meal. Popular options include yogurt lassi with saffron, mango, or strawberry, saffron-flavored milk (thandai), and cumin- and coriander-spiced buttermilk (masala chaas). Location: You can find India Palace Restaurant on the second-floor food court of RAK Mall, one of the malls in Ras Al Khaimah, located on Khuzam Rd, Al Qurm, Ras Al Khaimah.
3. Moti Mahal Deluxe
Moti Mahal Deluxe began as Moti Mahal, a restaurant in Delhi founded by Kundan Lal Jaggi, Kundan Lal Gujral, and Thakur Dass. They are credited with inventing the Indian food staple, tandoori chicken, as well as butter chicken and dal makhani.
Moti Mahal has since become Moti Mahal Deluxe, with branches in Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. Because of its food and ambiance, it has also made our list of the top places to grab a business lunch in the UAE.
Moti Mahal Deluxe is open for lunch and dinner. Check out the wide selection of Indian food, including the following :
- North Indian meat curries
- vegetable curries
- Hyderabadi biryanis
- Indian breads
Try the Moti Mahal Deluxe originals: butter chicken, tandoori murgh, and dal makhani.
Location: Moti Mahal Deluxe is located on Al Quwasim, East Corniche Street, Ras Al Khaimah.
4. Nells Restaurant
Nells Restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner, is an Indian restaurant in Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Dubai, and Al Dhannah specializing in Kerala cuisine. They combine traditional recipes with modern techniques to create authentic and exciting flavors that transport you to vibrant Kerala.
What food should you try at Nells Restaurant? Everything. Start with their dosa (plain, ghee, masala) and nadan beef curry (local or Kerala beef curry). The seafood options are also worth checking out, including meen mulakittathu (Kerala fish curry), fish chatti curry (clay pot fish curry), fish pollichathu (banana-leaf wrapped fish), and fish paal vattichathu (spicy fish curry with coconut milk).
Location: Nells Restaurant is located on Al Montaser Road (opposite Dubai Islamic Bank), Al Nakheel, Ras Al Khaimah
5. Emirates Sea Restaurant
Emirates Sea Restaurant is one of the hidden culinary treasures of Ras Al Khaimah. It has an extensive but eclectic menu ranging from Indian to Chinese, Thailand, Arabic, and continental dishes. You can come to Emirates Sea Restaurant for excellent Indian chicken and mutton curry, including:
- mutton rogan josh
- mutton or chicken handi
- mutton or chicken kadai
- mutton rara masala
- mutton keema
- mutton korma
- chicken Hyderabadi
- chicken shabnam
- chicken bharta
Location: Emirates Sea Restaurant is on Al Thaqafah St, off Sheikh Muhammad Bin Salem Rd, Ras Al Khaimah.
A Tour of Indian Flavors
There’s just something so comforting about a bowl of vindaloo and butter chicken served with biryani, tandoori chicken, and chapati (roti). Indian food is particularly soothing when you need an extra energy boost, say after a long albeit exhilarating hike to explore Ras Al Khaima’s mountains, waterfalls, and wadis.
If you ever need some pick-me-up after a long day of hiking or sightseeing, visit any of the restaurants above. They serve some of the best Indian food in Ras Al Khaimah.
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The Visit Ras Al Khaimah website, operated and managed by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), is your go-to source of essential Ras Al Khaimah travel information. Need a place to stay? We have a list of Ras Al Khaimah resorts and hotels. Wondering where to eat in Ras Al Khaimah? We got that covered, too.
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