Gymkhana has always been one of those restaurants that feels established rather than launched — a stalwart of the tier-one Indian dining scene in London. If you’re not aware, Gymkhana London is the flagship two Michelin-star venue. The arrival of Gymkhana Dubai in DIFC doesn’t read like a newcomer’s debut. It reads like a relocation of excellence: a familiar triumph brought home, polished up, and dressed for the Dubai lights.
Inside, the restaurant splits into three distinct spaces, each doing a different job. The main dining room is velvet-dark and buzzy, with a burgundy ceiling and handsome wooden walls. The lighting is perfect, flattering in that expensive way that makes everyone look like they’ve spent time in better hands than their own mirror. It felt, very memorably, like dining in a luxury Orient Express carriage — the kind where you expect a waiter to recommend a beverage you didn’t know you wanted and then deliver it with calm certainty.
A bar-style area sits beside it all: cosy booths, stylish energy, and the pleasing sense that this is a place for conversation — because the chattering noise makes a fun atmosphere, not a nuisance. Downstairs is a cool, cavernous dining space: spacious, atmospheric, and clearly built for occasions — where events are hosted, and nobody appears to remember they were ever attending anything remotely for networking purposes.
The service was exemplary and never overdone. No syrupy pantomime, no exhausting parade of scripted “enjoy!” moments (you know the ones where the staff seem more excited about your happiness than you are). One waiter delivered a line that sums up the discipline: “What is promised has to be delivered.” In a business district like DIFC, where everything arrives with the faint aura of compliance, it felt almost refreshing to hear such straightforward honesty. And it’s backed up by execution — the courses landed smoothly, at the right pace, with genuine care.
The menu is extensive, familiar to those who’ve seen Gymkhana’s style before — but with a distinct UAE twist. The best part is that it doesn’t trade on gimmicks. It trades on appetite. Starters begin with street-food energy, then elevate it into something genuinely refined. There were chutney-forward bites served alongside potato rice, plus lentil and wheat poppadums that were so moreish you could easily convince yourself they were designed for “just one more”. I, personally, would have been happy to make a meal out of nothing but those poppadums and chutneys.
Then came a delicious little show of technique: shrimp and cauliflower fired balls — crisp, intensely flavourful, and disappearing at a rate that suggested the table had made a pact. And the wild tiger prawns — so garlicky and vibrant with garlic, chives, and chilli that they didn’t just taste bold; they tasted intentional. The main event — the dish people talk about — was a globally competitive lamb preparation. They serve two chops with what looks like a Thousand Island-style sauce, but it’s far better than that: richer, deeper, and somehow engineered to feel like it melts in the mouth. I don’t say this lightly: I could have gnawed a few more. This is the kind of main course that makes you understand why guests keep returning.
For dessert, we went for the saffron pistachio kulfi falooda, and honestly, the name is almost unfair because it doesn’t quite prepare you for the experience. It combines creamy saffron-infused pistachio kulfi with noodles, basil seeds, and chilled milk — creating a dessert that’s indulgent, chilled, and beautifully balanced.
Gymkhana Dubai delivered the thing that matters most: a high level of consistency. And while two Michelin stars remain in London (for now), I’d be confident Gymkhana Dubai is aiming for those dizzy heights, with the DIFC crowd’s full approval!
Source: Khaleej Times