The Thali Reimagined at Thali By Azima

If there’s something we’ve noticed about the food scene in Oman in the past year or so, it is that areas like Al Hail and Al Khoud have seen a vast range of restaurants and cafes opening up in their folds. The inhabitants of these areas are spoilt for choice with the myriad of food options, and for those of us who live in Muscat, this is a wonderful reason to drive up to these eateries for a meal. And if there is one place you absolutely must visit, it is Thali By Azima in Al Hail South.

We arrived at the restaurant on a Monday afternoon. Step in and you are immediately immersed in lots of colour! Splashes of yellow, green, blue, pink, orange – the colours of Holi – jump out at you, creating a fresh, happy ambience. Just adjacent to the entrance, a display of colourful hand-painted teapots greets you, while a host of gorgeous hand-embroidered umbrellas are suspended from the ceiling. While the booth-style seating is reminiscent of most Indian thali restaurants, the pretty wall hangings, the umbrellas, turbans and the teapots transport you to colourful Rajasthan. There is also a beautiful Omani angle to the décor – hand-painted Omani pottery sits on a display at the front of the restaurant. The décor itself brings forth the inspiration behind the menu – an amalgamation of Indian cuisine with Omani tastes.

During our visit, we had the pleasure of meeting with Faisal Abdulnoor Khamis Al Zadjali, the owner of Thali By Azima. He told us about his vision to create a special thali named Thali By Azima that included biryani, butter chicken, tandoori chicken, dal makhani and naan to cater to the tastes of Oman while ensuring that the flavours of the food were rich and authentically Indian. Apart from this, the menu at the restaurant is huge and spans across scrumptious appetizers, six different types of thalis, a variety of Indian curries and gravies, breads, an all-day dosa corner, a tandoori corner and Chinese cuisine. He mentioned how the spice tolerance levels vary from person to person, and so customers have a choice to choose between mild, medium and spicy levels while ordering each dish. As he talked about the menu, the cuisine and the décor, it was clear that Thali By Azima is a labour of love and that there has been a lot of care taken to include something for everyone on the menu.

And then the food started rolling in! We were first brought the welcome drink – chilled rose milk with basil seeds (sabja seeds), a refreshing treat for a warm afternoon. Next came the quenchers. The Mango Lassi, garnished with pomegranate arils was creamy and just the right amount of sweet; so good, it’s no surprise it is a best-seller! The Lime Juice, Watermelon Juice and Orange Juice were fresh, fruity and reviving.

For our first course, we were served Chicken Lollipops and the Mixed Veg Platter. The Chicken Lollipops were not your average lollipops available in almost all Indian restaurants. Instead, these were tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce – juicy, succulent and cooked perfectly, with the balance of sweet, tang and spice that just took it to a whole other level; no wonder it’s another best-seller! The Mixed Veg Platter included crunchy spring rolls, delicious cutlets, spicy pakodas and yummy samosas – a whole platter of goodness to love.

Time for mains. The special Thali By Azima brought together Chicken Biryani, Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani served with Naan. The Chicken Biryani was infused with the goodness of a myriad of spices and every bite was flavourful and satisfying. The Butter Chicken was creamy, rich and the sweetness was so well balanced, it made for the perfect accompaniment to the biryani and the crispy-on-the-outside, soft-and-tender-on-the-inside naans. And the Dal Makhani was homely and authentic. The South Indian Chicken Biryani was the star of our meal – packing heat, spice and peppery notes, the chicken was cooked to perfection, while the fluffy rice, caramelised onions and the South Indian masala made the biryani a winner; we can’t wait to go back for more! The Malai Kofta was a lovely dish – the koftas were plump, soft and pillowy, dunked in a rich, creamy gravy flavoured with cardamom and mildly spiced. The bread basket filled with garlic naan, missi roti, tandoori roti accompanied the Malai Kofta absolutely splendidly!

In true thali fashion, we ended the meal on a sweet note with the Gajar Ka Halwa that was part of the thali, a popular Indian sweet that is another one of Thali By Azima’s specialties. The carrot halwa was glorious, tender and soft, cooked in the goodness of ghee (clarified butter), and just the right amount of sweetness to complete the meal!

All in all, we loved our experience at Thali By Azima. The food was a real celebration of Indian cuisine, and the reimagination of the traditional thali to combine both Indian and Omani tastes is a stroke of genius. You have to taste it, to believe it! Head to Thali By Azima for scrumptious fare, great service and a colourful experience.