Any Indian visitor to this small but clean and beautiful emirate in comparison to its famous neighbours Dubai will feel home here as soon as one steps off the plane. As you head to collect your baggage there are familiar faces emanating languages not out place in a busy railway station in India. The southern state of Kerala is well represented in the second level management, shop assistants, restaurant staff and unskilled workforce. The oil rich emirate thrives on brain drain from the near and Far East as well as neighbouring countries. Some of the southerners even roam in lunghi and chappals during a sunny December mid-morning with a temperature of 24 degrees
For Gujaratis of course now a days there is no shortage of restaurants to suit their particular and vegetarian diet although there are many South Indian places to sample the humble Idli Dosa too. Each main area has its share of eateries serving sea food, Arabic, South Indian and Pakistani as well European and Far Eastern cuisines. I arrived here on a stop-over enroute to Mumbai and my brother-in-law recommended Anand Restaurant near Al Mariah Cinema and Mall off Al Durri Street. The town-planning, very much unlike the UK means one encounters high kerbed pavements with a series of square or rectangular midrise concrete blocks with a plethora of cladding, balconies, tinted windows and shopfronts. Parking, like any other city is at premium as they still do not have a metro.
Anand restaurant is on the ground floor of one these buildings comprising 16 x 4-seater Formica topped tables and plastic chairs with a family area to the rear. You enter through a glass shopfront double door and are presented with tables neatly arranged each laden with a tray of stainless-steel glasses and customary jug of water. The lady manager who was widowed holds the reins following death of her husband Siddharth. She is also helped by her daughters and work in a rota due to long opening hours.
She told me that the restaurant was named after his nephew, the first child of Siddharth’s elder brother Mayank Toprani. Back in 1981 Mayank used to work at The Sheraton Hotel and he opened this place with his dad Bharat originally from Kutch Mandvi. I used to work in Oman back in 1980 and know full well the shortage of proper vegetarian food. Mayank is now the head of the family but moved to New York and works at Radisson Hotel there.
So, for 38 years they are quietly serving traditional Gujju items covering savouries, sweets, farsan and of course mouth-watering home style thali with popular street food items as you can see in the menu. My breakfast comprised Puri Bhaji accompanied by sweet desi chai and fried salted green chillies. Lots of expats who break for lunch between 12-3 pm come here regularly to partake the full or limited thali (a dish of vegetables, roti, Daal and rice with pickles).
The recession has hit the Emirates as those of you following Gulf economic news know, coupled with a drop-in property prices and closure of many businesses. The rents are still high and unless both partners work it can be difficult to survive. The manager said there are people prepared to work for half the wages. They will stop by the restaurant requesting her to keep an eye for the traffic warden to save two dirhams parking charge in lieu of a quick cup of tea and sometimes leave the meal half-finished in case they were to be ticketed. Interestingly most of her customers tend to be South Indians and to cater for their taste sugar is no longer added in Daal (unlike most Gujju preparations)
Only fresh vegetables and pure ingredients mostly imported from India are used for their dishes, supplied by the same wholesaler since 1980s. It is worth noting that UAE has started growing some local variety, mainly leaf vegetables which are also utilised. The kitchen is clean, staffed by Gujaratis from Kutch and Porbandar in Saurashtra. In the modern days of fast food, fine dining and internet booking places like this offer that vital service to the working-class expats where a full breakfast costs a mere £2 and you still get the best prepared food with homely ambience and cleanliness.
I would recommend anyone coming to Abu Dhabi to visit Anand Restaurant and similar places to support our small business community where one can exchange many a tales of Garvi Gujarat
BY DESH PREMI
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I used to go to Mayank’s restaurant in Vancouver BC. Too bad they left, never found a replacement for them. They were the best.