Peppermill has been a go-to spot for Indian fare in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for a few years now, predominantly serving rich North Indian food. Its fancier sister restaurant Laung by Peppermill is centred on the regal fare favoured by mughals and other royal dynasties, with a contemporary twist on the classics.
Given Indian restaurants are a dime a dozen in the UAE, The National set out to review how Laung (which translates as clove, the aromatic spice so lavishly used in Indian cuisine) sets itself apart.
What to expect and where to sit
Tucked away on the first floor of Nation Towers on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, Laung by Peppermill can seat 80 diners in an expansive space that features semi-private and private dining rooms. A glass-encased terrace offers stunning views of the skyline and the sea beyond, and should be your go-to when the weather cools.
The menu
Featuring an extensive menu with chaats, grills, curries, biryanis, breads and desserts, Laung by Peppermill offers signature Indian dishes (such as butter chicken and kadhai paneer), as well as intriguing options such as ghee roast chicken with chettinad sauce. My dining partner and I entrust chef Munish Rana with bringing us his favourites.
The meal begins with toasted poppadoms served with a trio of chutneys ― coriander, tamarind and yoghurt-based ― which whet the appetite for what is to come, alongside light and refreshing mango mojito and berrylicious mocktails.
Gol gappa aka pani puri is a cheap and cheerful staple at Indian street food restaurants. Laung's tangy gol gappa-dhappa dish is pricier than most at Dh29, but comes on little glasses and is topped with a moreish tomato chutney and slivers of papaya. The spicy-sweet water the puris are filled with does not take away from the crunch, but this is a dish best eaten quickly.
We are next served beetroot kebab (Dh55). Truth be told, I am not the biggest fan of the vegetable, but the melt-in-the-mouth patties at Laung have a crunchy exterior and are served with crumbly cheese, making for an exquisitely textured dish. The spice level complements the sweetness of the beetroot, too.
If you're not the biggest fan of spicy food, consider the murgh malai tikka (Dh59). The chicken kebab is flavourful, tender and ― to its benefit ― is served without the twist that accompanied our first two starters.
A tangy berry-chilli sorbet (Dh7) helps cleanse our palate for the mains, which are the real stars of this show.
We try the classic lamb rogan josh (Dh75), dab moilee (Dh99) and chicken meatball in makhni gravy (Dh69). The first is a Kashmiri-style braised lamb curry, and Laung’s version comes with a smooth, flavourful thick sauce with meat that falls off the bone. It's best eaten scooped up in a crunchy garlic naan (Dh17), although the restaurant also serves biryani rice (Dh33).
My dining partner, who is from Kerala, says the dab moilee (tiger prawns cooked in creamy coconut milk tempered with curry leaves and chillies), reminds him of a dish his mother cooked, which I take as a seal of approval. This curry is best paired with plain steamed rice.
With not much space for dessert, we manage only a few bites of the gulab jamun with rabri (Dh29) and shahi tukda (Dh39). Laung serves its gulab jamun warm with a nutty rabri and crunchy caramelised popcorn. The shahi tukda, meanwhile, is a calorific but decadent multilayer dish served with pista and kulfi ice cream.
Standout dish
The meatball makhni is like nothing I’ve ever had before, which is saying something given butter chicken is a staple across the subcontinent. At Laung, a giant ball of minced chicken is stuffed with butter and spices, and perched atop a pool of buttery tomato and bell pepper gravy ― a mild sauce packed with flavour. All that butter does make this dish heavy, but it's a worthy cheat treat.
A chat with the chef
Chef Rana has worked at various Taj properties, including the ones in Lucknow, Sri Lanka and Dubai. In the UAE, he has also worked at Al Murooj Rotana and award-winning Indian fusion restaurant Tresind.
Rana, who is trained in European and Indian cuisines, reveals that he plans to add a number of Indo-French fusion dishes to the menu later this year.
Price point and contact information
Dishes start at Dh29 for soup and go up to Dh119 for the lamb chops. Laung by Peppermill is open from 11am to 11pm, and reservations can be made by calling 02 886 8877.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
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Cricket World Cup League Two
Teams
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
Fixtures
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Oman
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Brief scores
Day 1
Toss England, chose to bat
England, 1st innings 357-5 (87 overs): Root 184 not out, Moeen 61 not out, Stokes 56; Philander 3-46
The specs: Volvo XC40
Price: base / as tested: Dh185,000
Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 250hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.4L / 100km
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
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Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
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Afro%20salons
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE v United States, T20 International Series
Both matches at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free.
1st match: Friday, 2pm
2nd match: Saturday, 2pm
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Amjad Gul, CP Rizwan, Mohammed Boota, Abdul Shakoor, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
USA squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (captain), Jaskaran Malhotra, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jannisar Khan, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh
Hurricanes 31-31 Lions
Wellington Hurricanes:
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett
British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)
FINAL LEADERBOARD
1. Jordan Spieth (USA) 65 69 65 69 - 12-under-par
2. Matt Kuchar (USA) 65 71 66 69 - 9-under
3. Li Haotong (CHN) 69 73 69 63 - 6-under
T4. Rory McIlroy (NIR) 71 68 69 67 - 5-under
T4. Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 67 73 67 68 - 5-under
T6. Marc Leishman (AUS) 69 76 66 65 - 4-under
T6. Matthew Southgate (ENG) 72 72 67 65 - 4-under
T6. Brooks Koepka (USA) 65 72 68 71 - 4-under
T6. Branden Grace (RSA) 70 74 62 70 - 4-under
T6. Alexander Noren (SWE) 68 72 69 67 - 4-under
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Champions League quarter-final, first leg
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SPECS
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Ipaf in numbers
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Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
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- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
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- Price: Not announced yet
How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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LAST-16 EUROPA LEAGUE FIXTURES
Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)
FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm
Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm
Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm
Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm
Thursday
Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm
Sevilla v Roma (one leg only) 8.55pm
FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm
Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The Specs:
The Specs:
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 444bhp
Torque: 600Nm
Price: AED 356,580 incl VAT
On sale: now.
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5