On our recent Cheap Eats segment on Dubai92, we discussed a little-known Uzbek spot, Uzgen Restaurant, located near the Mall of the Emirates in Barsha. It’s easy to miss among the many eateries in the area, but it’s definitely worth a visit.
What’s This Week’s Cheap Eat?
The highlight at Uzgen is their manti – meat dumplings that are both delicate and flavorful. The best way to enjoy them is to bite off a tiny hole in the dumpling and sip the savory juice before dipping them in the yogurt sauce. Their beetroot salad, creamy and well-balanced, was a hit on our table too. Pair these with Tashkent green tea (maybe request less sugar) for a refreshing finish. And although we didn’t get to try their flaky samsa, it’s a popular choice among the regulars and it’s on our list to try for next time.
You can find Uzgen Restaurant on Google Maps here.
What Their Manti-Meat Dumplings Look Like
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Tune In
For more details about our experience at Uzgen Restaurant and other great finds, listen to our segment on Dubai92 or read the transcript here.
Transcript
Nats:
It’s Dubai92, you’re with Jono and Nats on the big breakfast. It’s Wednesday, which means we get to do this.
Jono:
Arva is joining us to give us something to tantalize her taste buds with. And this week Arva, concerned for your welfare as you head towards the newer area of Dubai, you are this side of the bridge as we refer to it. Where are we heading to?
Arva:
So this one is a tiny-tiny little Uzbek restaurant called “Uzgen” or “Uzjen”, I’m not exactly sure how to pronounce it, U-Z-G-E-N. And it is one of the tiniest Uzbek restaurants that I’ve seen around town. I’ve been to a couple of them. And I feel like from a price standpoint, it is one of the best return on value that you will find.
Nats:
Tell us what we’re going to stuff our faces with.
Arva:
Okay, so… a plate of five really fudgy delicate dumplings are fantastic. Like these are some of the best manti I have had in the city and like I said they come out as five dumplings. I think they might be sprinkled with dill. And what you do is when you pick them up, they’re quite wobbly because all of the savory meat juices are sort of collected at the bottom, like a tiny little pool within each dumpling. So what you do is you pick it up, please with your hands. And then pierce, just puncture a tiny hole into the side, drink out, like slurp out the juicy soup, and then you pick up your deflated dumpling and dunk it into the yogurt sauce that’s right in the center and then you’re golden.
Jono:
Oh my, I don’t know how you managed to do it when you describe the food. What you can do that this time of the morning, I’d hate to see what you can do at lunchtime.
Nats:
No really Arva, you know, a lot of people go through moments in their life where we ask ourselves, what’s our purpose? You have definitely found your purpose. Like every time you describe food to us, Oh My Goodness!
Arva:
Hahaha
Jono:
I have the picture in front of me. What’s weird about the menu that I’ve got online is it looks like there’s only eight items in the menu. Is that accurate or is there actually only eight items?
Arva:
No, no, no, they have quite a few different dishes. I like that their menu has a lot of helpful photos that actually look appetizing because sometimes a lot of these tiny little places the photos look rubbish. But this one, it looks really good and we had a really difficult time actually trying to pick but I think this 27 Dirham plate of five dumplings. I would say if that was what I was having for a light lunch, I would not want to share that. But if you were having it as one of a couple of different dishes, then that’s fine between two people. But honestly, it is a struggle to share those because they’re so delicious. And the meat just has a lot of flavor. So definitely get that. I would get their beet salad.
Arva:
Now, I have had very mixed experiences with beetroot salad. I never walk away being like: this is a life-changing beetroot salad. Like, you have to order it. I’m always like, hmm, whatever… This, actually surprised me. I’m not gonna say it was life-changing, but it was so good. So that and the beet salad, which I think is about 14 or 15 Dirhams. And the 27 Dirham manti, that combination could make for a really, really delicious lunch that doesn’t leave you feeling heavy and stodgy.
Nats:
Well, we’d like to join you for everything that you just said, and I’m going to get a t-shirt that says, “Pudgy Wobbly Dumpling” on it.
Jono:
Hahaha
Arva:
You do that…
Nats:
Never have I ever heard a better description for a dumpling in my life.
Jono:
It looks delicious, it certainly hits the spot as regards being a cheap eat. It’s called Uzgen Cafeteria. It’s in Al Barsha. As always, Arva, it’s been a pleasure to chat to you.
Arva:
Always a pleasure. Have a scrumptious week ahead, guys.
Find out where to find Nepali Jhol Momos in Dubai here.
Arva Ahmed is the co-founder of Frying Pan Adventures, Dubai’s first food tour company, and a celebrated food explorer known for uncovering Dubai’s hidden culinary gems. Her expertise in the city’s diverse food scene has been featured in prominent publications such as CNN, Khaleej Times, BBC Travel, The Sun, The Independent and countless more. She also hosts Ditch the Silver on YouTube. Through her immersive tours and storytelling, Arva brings Dubai’s rich flavors and vibrant cultures to life.
