Tony Valainis
You can sample the bold flavors of Arabic food at Lafayette Square’s new Taste of Dubai Restaurant à la carte. But why not try them on one platter, piled on a bed of delicate saffron rice? The rice, redolent of clove, cinnamon, and saffron, brings to mind Indian biryani. Parsley, garlic, and a marinade with plenty of aromatic spices flavor this luscious chicken kufta. Boneless hunks of chicken are doused in a marinade, making them especially tender and flavorful. Super juicy ground beef and lamb are shaped into a kebab-length log and grilled until perfectly smoky. Grilled red onions, charred tomatoes, and tangy Middle Eastern pickles complete this elegant dish three or more can easily split. The platter’s most traditional Arabic offering, shish kebab, features nicely charred hunks of lamb.