Ushna - مطعم اوشنا — Restaurant in Abu Dhabi

Ushna – A CHEERFUL RENDEZ-VOUS WITH INDIAN FLAVOURS

“There is always room for a story that can transport people to another place”

Ushna- Warmth in Hindi, is a charming concept with colonial era décor, presents inventive Indian cuisine that compliments flavours and traditions with global ingredients and techniques.

Ushna is a multi-award-winning Indian Restaurant established in 2005 combining authentic Indian cuisine with contemporary styling, Trinity of the warmth interior, flavorful food, and joyful laidback experience.

Located at: Souq Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi

The Venue

The restaurant has one of the best locations in the city with a beautiful terrace offering scenic views of the waterside and the Grand Mosque creating a truly distinct ambience ideal for a relaxing meal.

Renowned and highly respected architect and interior designers created the modern, stylish interiors with deep, rich colours that exude warmth; giving the décor an opulent feel that perfectly complement the pleasant and knowledgeable service.

The Experience

We were warmly greeted by Adil the manager who has a way to make you feel right at home instantly, he will sit you down, ask about you, crack a few jokes and help you with the menu.

As we set about deciding what to order a platter of papads appeared with traditional chutneys in neat little miniature milk pails along with a refreshing passion fruit welcome drink, very nice.

The Order

They have a QR code that you scan and see the menu on your phone, right now they are taking all recommended precautions and the menu has been tailored to the current situation featuring some of their classics.

Maharaja Platter – This is a selection of all their kebabs for sharing, presented with a flourish under a steel cloche with aromatic smoke wafting out. The selection was truly spectacular, the highlights were the lamb chops, perfectly flavored, char grilled and succulent, the tandoori and malai chicken were exceptional as well.

Southern Railway Chicken – In the stye of south Indian railway food from the colonial flavors were spot on, chicken cooked to perfection and the heat balanced the delicate south Indian spices perfectly reminding us of our childhood train journeys in India.

Paneer Lababdar – A classic north Indian dish of cottage cheese in a thick tomato and onion gravy came with a crisp chur chur naan, the gravy tempered with garlic and garnished with a dry red chili was absolutely divine.

Chicken 65 Biryani – Tender pieces of chicken deep fried and tempered in the classic Chicken 65 flavors with fluffy, aromatic long grain rice made a perfect biryani, the taste was like a symphony of flavors spiced to perfection.

Garlic & Chili Naan – We tried their Garlic and the Chili Tomato Naan, fresh from the over hot and flaky just perfect for mopping up the gravy adding their delicate flavors to each bite. The chili tomato naan looks seriously hot but the heat was mild and the flavors intense we loved it.

The Desserts – No Indian meal is complete without dessert however stuff you might be, we tried the Kesar Rasmalai and the Mango Kulfi, the rasmalai was outstanding with a warm saffron flavor and the kulfi was stunning, a perfect end to a superb meal.

The Verdict

Indian food never tasted so well but hey this is Ushna we would expect nothing less, the place has moved with the times with a new interior, some additions to the menu but has managed to maintain its exception taste. Its one of those places that you go to for a memorable time with friends and family.

The food is as excellent as ever, the ambiance is classy, service on point and the location stunning, what more to ask for, cant wait to go back once the weather permits outdoor seating to enjoy the food and views. Senthil the GM will come over to chat and make you feel welcome and has done a great job of maintaining Ushna’s...

We had a corporate team dinner for 10 people at Ushna, Abu Dhabi, as part of a company team-building activity. Given Ushna’s reputation as a premium Indian restaurant, we expected both excellent service and professionalism. Unfortunately, our experience was the opposite.

Despite Zomato Gold being available at this restaurant (clearly mentioned on the Zomato app), the manager refused to honour the offer, claiming that it cannot be used for bookings with more than eight people. I cross-checked the Zomato Gold terms and conditions — there is absolutely no mention of such a restriction. When I requested any proof or written policy from the restaurant or Zomato, the manager had nothing to show and simply insisted it was their “policy.”

The tone and attitude of the manager were extremely rude and dismissive, which made the entire experience unpleasant and embarrassing in front of my team. Instead of handling the matter politely or professionally, he created an unnecessary scene in an almost empty restaurant, which was completely uncalled for.

We eventually paid the full bill (around AED 3,500) just to avoid further discomfort for our guests. However, the way this issue was handled was unacceptable for a restaurant of this calibre.

I sincerely hope the management and Zomato take strict action regarding this misleading practice and the unprofessional behaviour of the staff. Such conduct tarnishes the restaurant’s image and discourages genuine customers...

उष्ण (Ushna), a Sanskrit word means ‘warm’ is an integral part of the theme of Ushna Restaurant. There is warmth in hospitality, food, and service of Ushna. The elegant interiors, soft lighting, and excellent indoor, as well as outdoor seating arrangements with a view of backwaters and iconic Grand Mosque (a partial view), are super cherishing features of Ushna. Ushna restaurant brings the unique aspect of Fine Dining to the flavour profile of street food. The world-class drinks (cocktails and mocktails) with the essence of Indian heritage and a variety of wines respecting the nation of terroir and suitable for every occasion makes the drinking experience in Ushna unforgettable. The range of Kababs and Tikkas in Ushna is long. There are Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian options for Tandoor preparations. With a combination of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian, Ushna serves 16 different types of curries, but a section in the concise one-page menu of curries that catches the eyes is ‘Colonial’. Southern Railway Chicken curry is a must try. As the moon has black spots, Ushna too lacks in some aspects of culinary and presentation expertise. The desserts taste ordinary, and platting is average. The prices are higher than similar level eateries in Abu Dhabi; Ushna is overpriced. However, the wide range of collection of wines, scrumptious delicacies, excellent location, and award-winning spree makes Ushna a place for...