The menu holds a treasure trove of Indian dishes and drinks… 

Opening in Karama just two months ago, Food Ka Mood could be classified as ‘just another vegetarian Indian restaurant’ among the throng of restaurants in Karama.

But, after seeing images on the ‘Gram and hearing the chatter among local foodies, we decided to head down and check it out for ourselves.

When we arrived, we instantly felt at home in the comfy and warm-hued interiors, with a standout being the very Instagrammable ‘Food Ka Mood’ signage.

Temperatures were taken and we were led to our table and handed a no-frills tri-fold menu.

Instantly, favourites jumped out at us including Mumbai vada pav (a deep-fried potato dumpling inside a bread bun), dosa (a rice crepe-like dish originating from South India) and much more.

Food ka mood

However, we also saw dishes with intriguing names such as ‘red marbles’, and ‘Indiana Jones grill’, which left us wanting to know more.

We stuck with the classics and ordered pav bhaji – a thick vegetable curry made with blended potatoes, onions, carrots and chillies, served with a buttered bun (Dhs24), and a Mumbai sandwich (Dhs12).

For mains, we opted for sizzlers after being tempted by its aroma courtesy of another diner. With four options available, we picked the Food Ka Mood Special (Dhs47), which included rice or noodles, fries, paneer cubes, vegetables and a vegetable cutlet.

To drink, we had a whopping 50 options to choose from, with unique names such as rainbow, tarana, yummy, boom and more. Thankfully, a description was provided.

We placed an order for taal (Dhs16), meaning rhythm, a combination of strawberry and litchi; mogambo (Dhs20), a blend of musk melon, orange, grapes and vanilla; and a classic and refreshing lemon mint (Dhs12).

The pav bhaji arrived and, though tasty, it didn’t transport us back us to Mumbai. The bread disappointed as it was cold when served.

I particularly enjoyed the Mumbai sandwich, but only wish that it was grilled to give it a bit of a crunch.

Food ka mood burj khalifa dosa

It was somewhere around this time that another Instagrammable dish (pictured above) was being served to another table. Curiosity piqued and we were told that it was a special sada dosa, paying ode to the Burj Khalifa. Of course, we placed an order for one.

We heard the sizzle of our main course heading our way and after snapping a photo for the ‘Gram, our meal was served by our waiter saving us from the hot splutters.

Food ka mood

Hidden under the cheesy layer were vegetables, rice and fries, but the portion was a tad much and we were defeated by all the carbs. The cutlet tasted great, but we only wished there was more than just the one.

Our ‘Burj Khalifa’ dosa arrived next, stuffed with vegetables and covered in cheese shavings. Because of the cheese, we found that tasted quite similar to the sizzler we had just had, and it could have had more spicy chutney to add more flavour.

Food ka mood

With the sizzling brownie not available for dessert, we contented ourselves with the last drops of our delicious drinks, which were a highlight of the evening.

We left quite contented, but with so many options on the menu and with many bearing unique names, we wished for descriptions or for a waiter well versed with the menu to walk us through it.

However, maybe that’s just the charm this new gem needs to keep guests coming back for more. I know it won’t be my last visit and I may just be courageous and order the ‘red marbles’.

Food Ka Mood, 19 Zaa’beel Street, Al Karama, Dubai. Tel: (0)4 380 2424. @foodkamooddxb

Images: Food Ka Mood/What’s On