Makani

Set inside Sahara Centre in Al Khan, Makani is a smarter-than-expected North Indian restaurant that rewards the detour off the mall concourse. The interior is stylish and deliberately calm, with a polished main dining room, private cabins for parties of up to six and a quieter corner section that works well for families with small children. It is the kind of room that suits a planned dinner rather than a rushed post-shopping bite. The kitchen is anchored in Mughlai and Nawabi cooking, with the dum biryani - served in a sealed clay pot - as its signature. Kastoori murg tikka, malai tikka, reshmi and seekh kebabs and angara kebab lead a strong tandoor section, while nalli nihari, murgh Lucknowi masala, paneer hara masala and dal tadka carry the main course. The breads deserve an order of their own: tandoori roti is properly whole-wheat, garlic naan is well salted, and taftan is the bread worth trying. A tandoori lobster crosses the menu's usual boundaries, and desserts lean traditional, with phirni and a slightly too-sweet gulab jamun closing the meal. Spice levels are calibrated on request, useful given the kitchen's tendency to run bolder than first-timers expect. Service is generally warm, accommodating of allergies and attentive to the private cabins, though on busy evenings first acknowledgement at the table and select dishes such as fried fish can run slow. Pricing sits above its neighbours, a fair reflection of the setting and the ingredients rather than a gouge. For groups celebrating a birthday, for couples looking for a quieter mall dinner, or simply for anyone who takes their biryani seriously, Makani is among the stronger Indian addresses in Sharjah.