Ravi Restaurant

Ravi has been feeding Satwa since 1978 and has become a Dubai institution, drawing office workers, taxi drivers, chefs and curious visitors to the same plain tables. Satwa is one of the city's older residential districts, and Ravi is a reminder of the neighbourhood food culture that thrives away from the hotels and malls. The menu is long, the portions are generous and the spicing is bold, which explains why it is busy at almost any hour.

The cooking is Pakistani and Punjabi. Nihari, a slow-cooked beef stew traditionally eaten for breakfast, is one of the dishes people come back for, along with mutton karahi cooked to order, chicken tikka, daal and a range of curries mopped up with naan and roti from the tandoor. Ask what has just come out of the kitchen, as the specials change through the day. Meals are cheap even by local standards, which makes it easy to order several dishes and share.

The setting is simple: a small indoor dining room and pavement tables outside, which are the most popular in the cooler months. Service is quick and no-nonsense. There is no need to book, and queues move fast, although late evenings and weekends can be crowded. It is a casual place where families, solo diners and groups mix easily, and dress is relaxed. Alcohol is not served.

Ravi's fame has led to several restaurants elsewhere in Dubai using the same name, and the original Satwa restaurant has publicly said that these are not its branches, though some of them dispute that. If you want the original, head to Satwa. Vegetarians will find enough to eat, with daal, vegetable curries and breads.

Satwa sits between Jumeirah and Sheikh Zayed Road, and a taxi is the easiest way to arrive; the World Trade Centre and Al Jafiliya Metro stations on the Red Line are a longer walk away. The area is worth a wander, with tailors, fabric shops and small grocers along the streets nearby. Al Mallah, the shawarma and juice stop, is close by, and the Etihad Museum and the seafront at Jumeirah are a short drive away.