Indie Kitchen & Lounge, one of Beirut’s popular restaurant-cum-lounge has finally opened its door in Dubai, located at the business hub of Dubai – Financial Centre.

Where: Indie Kitchen & Lounge, DIFC
How much:  AED 300 for two people (approx.)
Cuisine: International
Recommended:  Rossini Jr. & Spicy Tuna

Tell us what you think of our Indie Kitchen & Lounge review.

Food:

The menu is rather limited, but consists of novel dishes. Two of the dishes that knocked it out of the park for us were:

Spicy Tuna

The Spicy Tuna consists of basically two slices of raw tuna, dipped in a spicy, tangy sauce and placed over crispy, golden fried white rice. Honestly, I am not a fan of raw fish, but I didn’t think twice before trying this dish. The spicy sauce gave an interesting flavor to the tuna and the rice. The fish was clean and as fresh as ever (always good to know).

Rossini Jr.

This one was recommended by our kind server, Jonathan, and it was one of the best recommendations we have received so far. This dish consisted of mini cubes of prime beef, topped with seared foie gras and truffle flakes. The beef was cooked rare, and was still red inside. However, the beef was so tender, that it just melted in our mouth. The flavor of the truffle was prominent, along with the sweet balsamic sauce that was drizzled on top. All of these ingredients together, made for an incredible dish.

However, what we didn’t enjoy as much were the Baked Samosas that were dry and lacked flavor compared to the rest of the dishes.

Dessert

From chocolate brownies to panna cotta, the dessert platter consisted of a little bit of everything. However, this dish is not on the menu and it needs to be requested for in case your craving something sweet.

Indie’s sinful dessert platter consists of Waffles, Choco Co, Pineapple Carpaccio and the mighty impressive Coconut Passion Panna Cotta.

With perfect consistency and a rich taste, this was the first time I was trying a panna cotta like this. We recommend this to you if you love tropical flavors, however, make sure you jump in quick as it melted pretty fast.

Ambience and Service:

It is no doubt that food at a restaurants is surely an important factor, but the ambiance and the service is equally important for the overall dining experience.

Being located above Gaucho, it can be a little bit of a hassle finding the restaurant as there are no visible sign boards outside. A wooden door with the logo of Indie leads to this rather spacious restaurant lounge.

The interiors are beautiful with quirky round chandeliers and dim lighting, which makes it a perfect venue for having a few drinks while listening to the beats played by the in-house DJ.

The area is divided into a few sections including the Cocktail Bar, the Sake Bar, the fresh “market” area, and the dining area. Each section has got different setting in terms of the seating, some including the more comfortable chairs and sofas, while the others have the tall stools which are more for suitable for having drinks by the bar.

The service was very pleasant, and the staff uniforms require a special shout-out; very neat and shipshape with the bow-ties and the suspenders.

Verdict:

Overall, Indie can be a perfect spot for post-work drinks and delicious food, or an enjoyable girl’s night out. Put on your stylish yet comfortable outfit on aka smart casuals, as door policies apply.

If you’re interested, take note:

• They are currently open from 5 pm – 2 am, but soon they will be open for lunch time as well.
• Although they are not officially launched yet, but the lounge is already fully booked especially on weekends. Reservations are recommended.
• For more information, contact Indie: +971 4 4569817