In the culinary world even a simple dish can have a rich story to tell.

The humble biryani traces its not so humble roots back to the Mughal royal kitchen in 17th century Persia, the brainchild of Shah Jahan’s Wife, Queen Mumtaz Mahal. Its popularity later spread throughout the region and now biryani, the food once created only for regal palates, is synonymous with the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent.

So says the blurb for Royal Biryani and recognising the link between food and history, the Al Seef Village Mall location invites you to ‘dine like a king’.

Looking forward to being treated like royalty for a night my guest and I took our seats in the extravagant restaurant, with its low-hanging lights, mirrors and flowers, reflecting the lavish surroundings of palaces of old.

To start I sample the vegetarian kebab e khash, a traditional dish not often found outside India, made of kidney beans, garlic, punchy green chilli, sweet pomegranate and broken papadum coating.

Meanwhile my guest sinks her teeth in to the paneer tikka mumtaz, creamy oven baked cheese that sings with notes of chilli, mustard oil, black salt and garlic.

For the main I have no option – it has to be the Royal Biryani while my guest orders the mahi gazni, a flavourful seafood curry.

The biryani is indulgent, featuring crispy rice on the top and fluffy rice in the middle, soaked in juices from the abundance of meat, all of which marry well with the subtle taste of cardamom and chilli. It’s a dish steeped in history as much as it is flavour.

My guest’s mahi gazni features succulent pieces of fish served in a rich tomato gravy. The dish is brought alive by a sprinkle of traditional herbs and must be matched with the freshly baked garlic naan.

For dessert my guest orders the chocolate gulab jamun, a unique take on the classic sweet. Light and fresh, the soft pudding is sweet and moreish, perfectly rounding off an enjoyable experience.

With attentive staff, a relaxed atmosphere and some impressive food, Royal Biryani certainly is a destination fit for a king.

Need to know:

Location: Al Seef Village Mall, near Khalifa Park

We say: Tasty, contemporary, up-market Indian food

Cost: AED 370 for two people

Opening times: Daily 9am-11:30pm

Contact: 02 448 8556, royalbiryani.ae