India Palace Restaurant

Set on the ground floor of Safeer Mall in Abu Shagara, India Palace brings a richly traditional North Indian dining room to Sharjah - heavy carved wood, warm lighting and private family cabins that give the space a distinctly formal, almost Mughal-era feel. It remains a popular choice for family celebrations, office dinners and group iftar meals, and the scale of the room makes it comfortable for larger parties without feeling cavernous. The menu leans toward classical North Indian and Mughlai cooking. The biryanis - particularly the Sultan-e-Ghost and the house chicken biryani - draw regulars back, as do the tandoor dishes: tangdi kebab, Shahi seekh kebab, paneer tikka and the fish tikka. Curries worth ordering include the Dum Ka Zafrani Murgh (saffron-and-almond chicken), butter chicken, and dal makhani, with the garlic naan and mint-accented breads a dependable accompaniment. Vegetarian diners are well catered for, with a buffet option available on weekends and during Ramadan that gets positive mentions for its salad bar and sweets. For drinks and dessert, the Nimbu Pani refreshes, and the kulfi, Shahi Tukda and falooda round things off pleasantly. Service, when at its best - regulars single out Prem, Cynthia and Musahib - is attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. A few caveats deserve noting. Prices sit at the higher end for what is effectively an upmarket mall restaurant, and portions are on the smaller side relative to what you pay; the quality is generally good, but consistency varies, with occasional reports of bland seasoning or slow service during busy periods. Weekends and special occasions bring a louder, busier room. For a traditional North Indian meal in a handsome, occasion-appropriate setting - with biryani and tandoor as the anchors - it still earns its place among Sharjah's established Indian tables.