Hadramawt restaurant takes its namesake and culinary influences from the Hadhramaut region in the Republic of Yemen. Upon entering the restaurant, you get a feeling of being being welcomed into their home. As we sipped freshly squeezed juice and Arabic tea, manager Salahuddin passionately enlightened us on the historical influences of Yemeni cooking, emphasising that at the heart of it lies: the ingredients, the cooking process, and most importantly the people.
The first dishes to be served were quintessential Arabian appetizers of falafel and Hadramawt’s very own mixed appetizer, which consists of both eggplant and chickpea hummus, accompanied by a side I would best describe as an Arabic salsa with a pomegranate essence contributing to a sharp flavour profile.
On top of the tabbouleh and fattoush lay two petite parcels of pure joy: grape leaves, that had been boiled and encased with rice and spice. Coming from the UK, I have never had the pleasure of experiencing anything like this before, and will now be on my weekly order! I highly recommend the breads of all breads, the Malawah. Although the bread encompassed the whole table, we encouraged the restaurant to set the World Record for the largest Malawah made… could you imagine how awesome the certificate would look perched at the door?
Hadramawt caters for all, from a light salad to what meat lovers dream about, MEAT! Low and slow is the aim of the game and a cooking concept that is consistent throughout Yemeni cooking — perfectly executed at Hadramawt. Every day, starting at 4am, the preparation begins when the meat is boiled, seasoned with a combination of partnering spices from turmeric to cumin, then wrapped and left to cook in the tandoor for 5-6 hours.
The Lamb Mendy is highly recommended not only by myself, but also the restaurant. When you put your fork into the lamb, the chunks of meat will fall off the bone and melt in your mouth like a hot knife to butter. I could write and rave for days about the 3 different lamb dishes we tried including the Akda and the Haneeth, however unfortunately I will have to sum it up in a couple of words: soft, seasoned, succulent and so so good!
If you’re undecided about what to choose from their extensive menu, I recommend you go all out and order the mixed grill. Here you will be able to try a bit of everything from lamb, beef to chicken. Make sure to accompany it with their very own creamy feta cheese and chilli sauce with a portion of Arabian, aromatic rice, and not to forget the Malawah!
As the table before us managed to sneakily order the last grilled fish, it was not a problem as the staff at Hadramawt made a quick dash to source more fresh fish for us to taste. The whole Perch fish came wrapped in aluminium foil, cooked in the tandoor. Salahuddin predicted that we would not be able to finish the serving: oh how he was delightfully proven wrong! The flaky and textured fish was butterflied and coated with a spicy red ‘Birds Eye’ chili paste, which comes in at a ‘mere’ 100,000–225,000 Scoville units, so be prepared for an explosion of flavor! I should add that the spiciness can be altered upon request.
Thank you to all at the restaurant for being so accommodating and taking us on a Yemeni food adventure. Sit tight Hadramawt lovers (myself included), there are rumours of future expansion!
Hadramawt Restaurant
Address: The Curve, Lot G68, Ground Floor,Mutiara Damansara, 47810 Selangor, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 11am to 1am on weekdays, 11am to 2am on weekends
Follow this link to order online.
Jonathan is busy eating his way through Asia, where he is completing an exchange program organised by his university. Coming from Scotland, the biggest culture shock he’s experienced is the heat!
