Boasting stunning views of Downtown Dubai, this Insta-worthy eatery located at La Mer welcomes you on a wonderfully untraditional culinary adventure with its divine curry-infused dishes

There were two reasons that I was a little apprehensive about dinner at Masti: firstly, it’s quite a long way to go for a curry when you live in  JLT (one of the best places in Dubai to get tasty traditional Indian food), secondly, because Masti is famous, and in fact award-winning, for the way it creates (and has mastered the art of) Indian fusion – something I’m not a big fan of.

You see, I’m Indian, and I’ve been eating Indian food since I was two-years-old (nothing beats my mum’s home cooking), and if there’s one thing I know – it’s a good curry, I also know there’s nothing you can fuse Indian food with that can make it taste better…. apart from maybe another Indian curry. But a friend of mine was keen to go to Masti, had heard it’s where the cool kids go for a curry and cocktail, and also something known as a butter chicken pizza – despite being the exact fusion absurdity that gets my goat, the truth is, that I do love pizza and I’m a big fan of butter chicken – let’s say I agreed to tag along for the curiosity factor.

First impressions were good, Masti is a little tropical haven for adults – the perfect escape from the noisy kids at La Mer. A hybrid of Indian-inspired decor (including a giant stained-glass elephant head above the bar) and verdant shades and foliage that adorn the walls and corners of the restaurant make you feel hidden away and safe, even more so now with the social distancing measures in place.

We begin with beverages that have cute names including the Maharani, Mystic Diwali and Electric India –  clever twists on classic cocktails, most of which hit the spot and make the ideal accompaniment to the delicious fiery marinated prawns. We also order the Tuna Bhel Tartare for starters – the fresh fish and creamy avocado are beautifully incased in a crispy ball made from chickpea flour, that the waiting staff crack open for added drama – the contents every bit as incredible at the presentation.

Then it’s onto a kind of mid-course before mains, and this is when we get to try the BC Pizza of burrata, butter chicken and basil, it does what it says on the tin – literally a pizza base covered in chicken curry, cheese and then sliced into triangles.

And the verdict is: it was hard to stop at one slice. The BC pizza sounds like such a simple idea on paper but a crispier base (compared with your traditional naan or paratha) might be what this saucy curry has always needed to soak up the taste to a next level.

We’re so stuffed from our starters and the BC Pizza, we opt for one main to share – the Yellow Pepper Roasted Salmon, cooked tandoori style to give it a hint of Indian flavours and very nice too. All in all, Masti is doing an exciting job of taking Indian food in a new direction and will delight those who like to experiment with their cuisines. Is it better than a traditional curry? For me, probably not. Is it worth taking a chance on for a bit of adventurous eating? Absolutely!

For restaurant bookings e-mail [email protected] or call 800-MASTI, for more information visit: mastidubai.com

Restaurant timings:
Sunday – Wednesday: 12 pm – 12am
Thursday – 12 pm – 1am
Friday & Saturday – 12 pm – 1am