Punjab Grill — Restaurant in Abu Dhabi

Punjab Grill - Contemporary Indian Fine Dining in Abu Dhabi

Indulge your senses and experience exquisite creations by the extremely talented Chef Sandeep at an equally remarkable venue.

Dining at Punjab Grill is a gastronomic experience where the chef outdoes himself presenting the diverse cuisine of India seamlessly integrated with local influences creating unmatched flavors with exquisite presentations.

The Venue Set on the banks of the Khor Maqtaa in the Venetian Village, Punjab Grill offers indoor and outdoor seating with stunning views across the water and a modern, stylish interior with tables well-spaced apart and all necessary precautions in place.

The ambience is classy with friendly staff who welcome you with a discreet temperature check and a warm, sanitized towel to freshen up as you get comfortable at your table.

They offer a full a la carte menu and a special five-course Chef Table menu designed to highlight the chef’s novel creations taking diners on a whimsical culinary journey across Indian cuisine.

The Experience

The Chef had curated a special version of his stunning Chefs Table concept for us to try and even had a customized menu featuring The Experience Team on it with was a charming impression.

The journey starts with a platter of bread and papad accompanied by not one or two but eight exquisite home-made dips that certainly enhanced the flavors of each bite.

Salad

Spiced Farmfresh Buratta – The Buratta was soft, aromatic, and moist on a bed of greens with a ball of crisp eggplant bhurta delicately spiced and a tomato chutney, perfectly executed. Starters

Kolkata Beetroot Tikki – A stunning creation of beetroot cutlet topped with a spherical ball of cottage cheese that you make your way into and it bursts delicious sauce. It is encapsulated in one Kolkata style chaat base; the flavors are tarty and sweet.

Lucknowi Chicken & Hazelnut Cutlet – This came under a class clauche with exotic smoke wafting out chicken coated with a hazelnut crust, deep-fried with apple curry and fresh raita for contrast, tasted incredible.

Entrees

Chettiar Salmon Bites – An exquisite bite of Norwegian salmon subtly spiced on a seafood salad base, delicate and crunch with a slight heat from the pepper sauce.

Zafrani Broccoli & Malai Mushroom – A beautiful medley of saffron-flavored broccoli and tender mushrooms. With sweet potato puree and parmesan foam, it gave a unique twist to the dish.

Chatpata Sumac Murg – A tender piece of chicken stuffed with chicken mince with a trio of hummus and pineapple slaw, the combinations are astounding and gave a unique taste.

Arvi ka Salan – A bite of crusted, fried taro root with sesame and peanut sauce.

Mains

Kashmiri Lamb Chop – A Punjab Grill signature dish, the lamb was perfectly cooked with a walnut chutney and a Kashmiri roghan au- jus, absolutely divine!

Bhatti da Murgh Pindwala – A stuffed chicken drumstick delicately spiced on a bed of salad with a butter chick style gravy that elevated the flavors. A modern version of a classic Punjabi dish worth trying.

Zafrani Jhinga – Two of the biggest shrimp we have ever seen delicately flavored with saffron marmalade, completely out of this world.

Bengali Coconut Prawns – A striking presentation of prawns in a coconut half-shell laid on a bed of leaves with a bowl of Ghee rice and a deep-fried kachori on the side that collectively entice your taste buds with unique flavors.

Dessert

Carrot Halwa Roll – Classic carrot halwa stuffed in a roll with vanilla ice cream on the side, a delicate combination that worked perfectly.

Blackberry Yoghurt – A superb blend of sweet and tart flavors on a bed of frozen sugar with stuffed berries, very light and refreshing.

The Verdict

There are no words to describe. Each dish was perfectly executed and the presentation was spectacular. The cocktails were flawlessly crafted and the desserts...

Fine dining makes you feel welcome, and doesn’t try to intimidate you. You really feel a strong urge to go back to experience the outstanding hospitality and satisfy your inner food cravings.

On the other hand, pretentious dining shielding under the guise of fine dining with food and service that do not do justice to the extravagant interiors makes the entire experience devoid of genuineness, zest and lustre, just like their service is and flavorless and insipid, just like their food is.

Unfortunately, my dining experience at the Punjab Grill was nothing less than pretentious.

There are no greetings when I got in, only a curt ‘how can I help you’ without any smile when I entered. For a restaurant that has invested in such lavish decor, does it hurt for the staff to smile ? Consistently, most staff seemed bored to work and it felt they were doing their minimal for the heck of it.

We got a measly pakoda served as a complimentary appetizer which was tiny but embellished with tamarind sauce smothered over the plate - I could barely taste it as it disappeared quickly in the gastronomical gullies of my neuroendocrine system.

After our server suggested that we try their mix vegetarian curry, we ordered the same with bagara baingan (aubergine) along with some tandoori and bajra rotis.

When the food finally arrived, we were looking forward to relish it but were in for an absolute disappointment.

From a hygiene standpoint , there was a piece of hair in the onions and from a taste standpoint, this was easily the worst curries I have ever had in my life.

The Bagara baingan had its composition of masalas wrong which resulted in a bad aftertaste. Do yourself a favor - please have the chef visit Coriander Indian cuisine restaurant in Alain to taste their bagara baingan and you will know what it’s true taste it. The baigan was not even cooked properly and had a weird smell.

Likewise, the mix veg curry was totally flavorless with vegetables that were not fresh. I personally invite the chef to my home so that I can prepare mixed veg curry for him.

The manager was courteous and tried to rectify and make amendments but the situation was beyond salvageable. We were offered complimentary paan ras malai which was just average but at least it was palatable. We appreciate this gesture and attempts to remedy the situation. They charged us for the bread and water and did not charge us for the two curries. But, in all honesty, nothing really makes up for such an outrageous experience , especially the hair in the food. I would not eat here even if I got free meals for a lifetime.

Overall, Punjab Grill comes steep price point and resultant expectations for impeccable service standards and high quality food, however, given the lack of quality control and hygiene, poor food quality and service standards , we felt it provided very poor value for money. In retrospect, we felt we should not been swayed by the promises of this so- called fine dining experience and ‘Instagramable ‘ interiors.

The Ritz Carlton has such lovely restaurants like the Lijiang that I usually visit - it is a shame that a restaurant like Punjab Grill is associated with this prestigious hotel brand.

Nevertheless , Thanks...

We are driven by uncompromising freshness and quality, gracious hospitality and a growing list of restaurants. - Team Punjab Grill

The word 'uncompromising' justifies the dining experience in Punjab Grill. The generosity in the service, quality of ingredients in the dish, and grandeur of the restaurant setup explains all about the uncompromising nature of Punjab Grill and its business. The expert team of chefs lead by renowned and talented Chef Sandeep Ail leaves no stone unturned to impress you with their culinary presentations and pays tribute to the robust flavours of Indian cuisine through an array of dishes in their menu.

Despite a 'Punjab' in its name and its association with Punjabi taste at the native venture in India, Abu Dhabi's Punjab Grill touches the Royalty from across the Indian states, which is impressive. Chef Sandeep Ail's expertise in coastal cuisine and Punjab Grill's core concept of North Indian cuisine makes this place a classic amalgamation of various flavours from the corners of India. There's no 'sugar-coating' on the dishes served to the guests; the essence of Indian cuisine is kept intact by culinary connoisseurs working in Punjab Grill's kitchen.

Occasional tweaking of menu suitable to the festivities and trends keep the Punjab Grill's bar high in the F&B market of Abu Dhabi. Their Diwali Menu, Ramadan Menu, Chef's Table menu, and specially curated menu are examples of their business expertise and subjective approach.

Punjab Grill is the platform for non-Indians to learn about Indian cuisine and the melting pot of varying flavours of India for Indians living in Abu Dhabi; they use the global appeal of Indian Cuisine ideally. The simplistic yet impressive platting, beverages complementing the food, and attentive staff are the restaurant's features that believe in its legacy and reputation; Punjab Grill practices it so well.

The prices justify the portions of the dishes; the ambience is eclectic. The location - Venetian Village - facing the water body is excellent; the service is flawless, and the food is the experience that everyone should have at Punjab...