A light munchin’ @sikkadubai wasn’t a bad idea, considering we had to keep room for desserts. We began by revitalising ourselves with beverages prior to having our bites, here’s what we settled on:
‘Pistachio Rose Sahleb’: a hot beverage that’s ideal during winter(or you can make an exception during summers too) is an instant uplift to ones mood. Sahleb is a smooth middle eastern milk-based drink rich in flavour and consistency. The first impression before you have a sip, is the soft fragrance of rose and saffron together, then you get that creamy pistachio delight. The presentation of this pretty beverage is on point, kinda has that Mediterranean feel to it. This worthy-drink is sure to bring the warmth in you with its unique ingredients and tone.
‘Tropical Fruits’: the moment I hear the word “Tropical” instantly the first fruit that pops in my head is none other than the ‘King of Fruits’, Mangoes. This beverage has an unexpected twist to it, apricot purée, blended along with vanilla ice cream(yaayy) and fresh mint. Doesn’t this sound super simple.
‘Rose Karkade’: for those of y’all who aren’t aware what karkade is, it’s Hibiscus. Now take that combined with rose to form a subtle sherbet was definitely superb. I genuinely love hibiscus added into beverages, it conveys the delicate tones of earthly goodness. And, the addition of something quite pungent in flavour such as rose it balances each other well enough that you cannot stop at just one sippin’.
‘Mojito Passion Fruit’: this is one of those go-to drinks a passion fruit addict like me must have(typical lankan things). With basic ingredients such as soda water, lime, fresh mint, gum syrup and the unusual addition of green apple made this a delightful mocktail to slurp. Very refreshing y’all.
Now, for the quick-eats:
‘SIKKA Chicken Tikka Manakish’: the best-tasting manakish ever. For the love of butter chicken sauce + chicken tikka lathered together on a thin dough. Succulent pieces of chicken with lots of flavour and mild spices topped with oozing cheese(ofcourse, else it ain’t called a manakish), cherry tomatoes(they could’ve added a bit more of this) and rocket leaves, which made this entire eat even more pleasing for our tastebuds. Let’s talk about the dough, although it was thin and the filling being heavy it never once fell apart nor did it get soggy, it stayed intact with its perfectly rustic-gold base having just the right amounts of char and smokiness, love it. Also, definitely a fan of the silverware it was served in, conveys the old-touch of the cuisine. We did order manakish without cheese as well, equally yum.
‘Keema Naan Bread’: a bread that I am a
HUGE fan of, is Naan. Charred to moderation, the bread was soft, fresh and we settled for a minced meat(keema) filling. Although, I feel they could’ve done better with the quantity of the filling as we barely could taste it, except for hints of aromatic spices and flavours. They also offer the same with a cheese filling instead.
Finally, the much worthy desserts:
‘Saffron Milk Cake’: having heard A LOT about milk cakes and most hyping over it, I now understand why. This was simply divine and so so good!. The moistness of the sponge cake, drenched in saffron milk just does it. I usually am skeptical when it comes to desserts that incorporate such spices mainly of pungent nature, but this definitely was NOT the case here. The use of saffron was evident but not to an overwhelming extent, the quantity was adequate enough to taste it and convey the warm-glowing shade of yellow. I do love the plating and presentation here, merely because it felt as if it came right from my kitchen. A must have for those who have never tried or are hesitant to have ‘Milk Cakes’.
‘24 K Gold Molten Chocolate’: when in Dubai one must ought to try something crazy-fancy(well for the camera/gram atleast). I love how they carelessly tossed in some caramel popcorn, pistachios and dried rose petals as a garnish, had a very vintage feel to it and the presentation was an eye-pleaser. The molten chocolate was beyond heavenly, it was served right-off their ovens, the warmth of which could be tasted as we dug in(check my insta-story for the madness). The silky-melted chocolate fondant oozing out of the cake combined with the ice cream merely added more to my sweet tooth addiction. The crunch from the popcorn and nuts provided that extra texture. A comfort food on a sweeter end that won’t disappoint.
Locational Review:
The creativity of using a newspaper format as their menu @sikkadubai is pure genius. I love the style of it, the font used, how the dishes were presented, this is quite a rustic concept. This eatery definitely makes you feel comfortable. From their sunroof that provided a lovely atmosphere, to their decor and furnishings, not to forget how pleasant the staff members are, ready to greet and make sure you are taken care of. Inspite of the restaurant being crowded, the service was upbeat. We genuinely enjoyed our time here. A place that makes you feel as though you’re seated at your own porch.
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