Originally Posted by
nmc980
IMO I'd stay away from the malls to eat (you can get those restaurants globally) and instead venture to the likes of Satwa (close to downtown / 15 mins from the airport variable on traffic). You'll be treated to some incredibly tasty (and cheap) Arabic, Pakistani & Indian cuisines. Most places are open late into the night - a couple that stand-out are Al Malah & Ravi's.
I agree, Satwa is cool. The food choices are basic but varied and good, and it has more personality than many other areas of Dubai. It's close to a large Indian enclave, so the food and the feel is good. In comparison, most pseudo-toff English haunts in this town are crashingly boring, seemingly matching those who enjoy and frequent them.