Calicut Notebook Restaurant

Name: Calicut Notebook Restaurant
Address: Level 1, Lulu Hypermarket, Al Barsha, Dubai, AE
Telephone: +97143549166

Al Barsha

Indian restaurant Open now 04 354 9166

Calicut Notebook Restaurant is an Indian restaurant in Al Barsha focused on Kerala and Malabar flavours, with dine-in and takeaway mentioned in reviews. Visitors come for dishes such as Special South Indian Tali and fish curry with appam, in a relaxed setting suited to family meals.

Reputation Score

3.8

★★★★☆

2,136 ratings

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The Good Stuff

Showing 2 of 7

Kerala Flavours

Reviews consistently point to authentic Kerala and Malabar cooking, with traditional flavours that suit family meals.

South Indian Tali

The Special South Indian Tali was praised for traditional flavours, quality and a satisfying quantity.

Let's go!

What to Eat at Calicut Notebook Restaurant

Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Calicut Notebook Restaurant, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.

Food 6

Appam Net +5

“4. Appam (8/10) - Appam was good but very small in size.”
Fish curry Net +2

“Their fish curry paired with appam was perfectly balanced and full of flavor, and the biryani was fragrant and satisfying.”
Kerala paratha Net +2

“3. Kerala paratha (9/10) - slightly chewy but fresh”
Mutton biryani Net +2

“Tried the beef and mutton biryani. Loved it! And the squid starter. We’ve been eating at Calicut Notebook for a while now, but never tried the biryani before.”
Nadan chicken gravy Net +2

“1. Nadan Chicken Gravy (10/10) - it was AMAZING. Perfect traditional flavours, high quality and good quantity.”
Special south indian tali Net +2

“1. Special South Indian Tali 10/10) - it was AMAZING. Perfect traditional flavours, high quality and good quantity.”

Honorable mentions (27)

Fish mango curry Net +1

“Flavour bomb in the mouth for every bite you take. We had mango fish curry with appam.”
Anda paratha Net +1

“I grew up in Dubai in 80’s and Anda Paratha and Karak chai was the go to place at any South Indian cafe.”
Beef fry Net +1

“The beef fry was very tasty.”
Calicut chicken curry Net +1

“We ordered Kerala parotta, chicken fried rice, and the vibrant green Calicut chicken curry, all of which were perfectly executed and packed with fresh flavors.”
Chicken chatti curries Net +1

“Their fish and chicken chatti curries are excellent, and the appams are among the best we've had.”
Chicken dum biryani Net +1

“We had a great time at Calicut Restaurant. My go-to dish is the Chicken Dum Biryani, and as always, it was absolutely delicious. This time, I also tried the pink warm water that the staff mentioned is made with Kerala herbs and helps with digestion.”
Chicken fried rice Net +1

“We ordered Kerala parotta, chicken fried rice, and the vibrant green Calicut chicken curry, all of which were perfectly executed and packed with fresh flavors.”
Chicken varattiyathu Net +1

“Food quality is generally good with satisfying portions. Pricing runs slightly higher than other Kerala spots, but select dishes are worth it: Special South Indian Thali, Nadan Chicken Gravy, Chicken Varattiyathu, Mango Fish Curry, Prawns Mango Curry, Prawns Varattiyathu, Appam, and Wheat Porotta. I'd go easy on Fish Biryani, Paneer Curry, and regular Parotta — consistency and portion size can vary.”
Chilly chicken gravy Net +1

“2. Chilly Chicken gravy (9/10) - It was fresh, flavourful and chicken was really good but it was little sweet.”
Fish chatti curries Net +1

“Their fish and chicken chatti curries are excellent, and the appams are among the best we've had.”
Fish fillet elayil tawa (sea bream) Net +1

“Today, we had the Malabar Chicken Curry, Fish Fillet Elayil Tawa (Sea Bream), and appams. Everything was incredibly tasty and definitely worth trying.”
Kandari fish Net +1

“Kandari Fish and Thai grilled prawns were cooked to perfection—fresh, flavourful and incredibly satisfying.”
Kandhari fish thava Net +1

“Tasty Kerala style food. Special thanks to Mr. Arun for recommending best in the menu. Kandhari Fish thava and Kerala prawns curry with Parata is a must try.”
Kanthari chicken Net +1

“The food is incredibly delicious, and the Kanthari chicken made with fiery bird’s eye chilies stands out as an absolute must-try for its bold, spicy punch.”
Kanthari chicken starter Net +1

“The food was amazing, and the Kanthari Chicken starter was an absolute highlight — 👌a must-try!”
Kanthari chicken tawa Net +1

“Had a wonderful dinner at Calicut Restaurant Al Barsha.. The food was fresh, flavorful, with authentic Kerala taste. the Kanthari Chicken Tawa was definitely the highlight, perfectly cooked, full of flavor, and something we would highly recommend. My son absolutely loved it as well. A special thanks to Ms. Sanskriti for her warm hospitality and good service.”
Kerala prawns curry Net +1

“Tasty Kerala style food. Special thanks to Mr. Arun for recommending best in the menu. Kandhari Fish thava and Kerala prawns curry with Parata is a must try.”
King fish biryani Net +1

“I came after the lunch rush and ordered ahead for take away their king fish biryani. The food taste great, flavorful and the masala is spicy. The serving was big and more than enough for 1 person.”
Malabar chicken curry Net +1

“Today, we had the Malabar Chicken Curry, Fish Fillet Elayil Tawa (Sea Bream), and appams. Everything was incredibly tasty and definitely worth trying.”
Parata Net +1

“Tasty Kerala style food. Special thanks to Mr. Arun for recommending best in the menu. Kandhari Fish thava and Kerala prawns curry with Parata is a must try.”
Prawns mango curry Net +1

“Food quality is generally good with satisfying portions. Pricing runs slightly higher than other Kerala spots, but select dishes are worth it: Special South Indian Thali, Nadan Chicken Gravy, Chicken Varattiyathu, Mango Fish Curry, Prawns Mango Curry, Prawns Varattiyathu, Appam, and Wheat Porotta. I'd go easy on Fish Biryani, Paneer Curry, and regular Parotta — consistency and portion size can vary.”
Prawns special Net +1

“2. Prawns special (9/10) - bit expensive and prawns bit softer”
Prawns varattiyathu Net +1

“Food quality is generally good with satisfying portions. Pricing runs slightly higher than other Kerala spots, but select dishes are worth it: Special South Indian Thali, Nadan Chicken Gravy, Chicken Varattiyathu, Mango Fish Curry, Prawns Mango Curry, Prawns Varattiyathu, Appam, and Wheat Porotta. I'd go easy on Fish Biryani, Paneer Curry, and regular Parotta — consistency and portion size can vary.”
Thai grilled prawns Net +1

“Kandari Fish and Thai grilled prawns were cooked to perfection—fresh, flavourful and incredibly satisfying.”
Weekend veg / non veg meals set Net +1

“Great warm service from the moment we stepped in.The ambiance and decor was spectacular! The weekend veg / non veg meals set was fantastic. it's presentation on the banana leaves left a nostalgic moment's back home with family.Every other dishes had the real Malabar touch. spices, aroma and the unique flavors felt like home away from home.best part the prices are so reasonable ,will be back soon with family and more friends.”
Wheat porotta Net +1

“Food quality is generally good with satisfying portions. Pricing runs slightly higher than other Kerala spots, but select dishes are worth it: Special South Indian Thali, Nadan Chicken Gravy, Chicken Varattiyathu, Mango Fish Curry, Prawns Mango Curry, Prawns Varattiyathu, Appam, and Wheat Porotta. I'd go easy on Fish Biryani, Paneer Curry, and regular Parotta — consistency and portion size can vary.”
Fish curry meals Net 0

Mixed feedback

“The overall food was nice. we had fish curry meals and it was special on that day.”

Drinks 2

Herbal water Net +1

“Amazing food, great unreal choices and simple setting in a great vibe. Loved the Biryani, the prawns especially the herbal water”
Pink rose water Net +1

“They serve a unique pink rose water instead of plain water, adding a refreshing twist; mineral water is available if you prefer to skip it.”

What to Avoid (6)

Food 6

Aleppo kuruma Net −1

“This place is not suitable for vegetarians as options are very limited (no shallots, barely any bread options, no vegetarian dish on banana leaf; just aleppo kuruma perhaps).”
Butter chicken Net −1

“1. Butter Chicken: • The gravy tasted sour and completely off. • The chicken was poorly cooked, with a dry and unappetizing texture. • While the quantity was generous, the quality was a solid zero.”
Fish biryani Net −1

“Food quality is generally good with satisfying portions. Pricing runs slightly higher than other Kerala spots, but select dishes are worth it: Special South Indian Thali, Nadan Chicken Gravy, Chicken Varattiyathu, Mango Fish Curry, Prawns Mango Curry, Prawns Varattiyathu, Appam, and Wheat Porotta. I'd go easy on Fish Biryani, Paneer Curry, and regular Parotta — consistency and portion size can vary.”
Fish fries Net −1

“Fish fries were merged in corn flour and it was just average since we couldnt get the taste of fish.”
Paneer curry Net −1

“Food quality is generally good with satisfying portions. Pricing runs slightly higher than other Kerala spots, but select dishes are worth it: Special South Indian Thali, Nadan Chicken Gravy, Chicken Varattiyathu, Mango Fish Curry, Prawns Mango Curry, Prawns Varattiyathu, Appam, and Wheat Porotta. I'd go easy on Fish Biryani, Paneer Curry, and regular Parotta — consistency and portion size can vary.”
Regular parotta Net −2

“2. Parotta: • Dry and far from fresh, it felt like it had been sitting out for hours.”

Tips for a Better Visit

Showing 2 of 5

Use Lulu Parking. Since the restaurant is inside Lulu Hypermarket, parking is described as easy.

Try Tali. For a traditional meal, consider the Special South Indian Tali, praised for its flavours, quality and quantity.

Plan the visit

Practical details

Level 1, Lulu Hypermarket

Al Barsha First - Al Barsha, Dubai

04 354 9166

Mon	8:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Tue	8:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Wed	8:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Thu	8:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Fri	8:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Sat	8:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Sun	8:00 AM – 12:00 AM

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Common Concerns

Showing 2 of 5

Slow Service

Orders can take a while, particularly during busy periods and weekends.

Weekend Noise

Saturday evenings can become loud enough to make conversation difficult.

Customer-reported prices

These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.

35 AED

Fish Mango Curry

“The Fish Mango Curry for 35 AED had only 2 tiny fish pieces - they can hardly even be called pieces, more like crumbs”

Google review · May 2026

30 AED

Beef Ularthiy

“The Beef Ularthiyath for 30 AED was also a very small portion”

Google review · May 2026

16 AED

fish curry meals

“i am living in uae for last 20 years and first time i am having an avarage meals for 16 AED😀 and mackarel fry they charged 20 AED”

Google review · July 2025

20 AED

mackaral fry

“i am living in uae for last 20 years and first time i am having an avarage meals for 16 AED😀 and mackarel fry they charged 20 AED”

Google review · July 2025

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LOCAL

The Bottom Line

Calicut Notebook Restaurant is a Kerala- and Malabar-focused Indian restaurant in Al Barsha, with a menu that gives diners plenty to explore. Reviews make the Special South Indian Tali, fish curry with appam, Kanthari chicken and seafood especially useful starting points. The food is often described as fresh, generous and genuinely traditional, although experiences are not completely uniform.

The thali has been praised for its traditional flavours and banana-leaf presentation, while appam is a recurring favourite with fish curry. Seafood highlights include Kandari Fish and Thai grilled prawns; king fish biryani also travels well for takeaway and was described as a large serving for one person. Some diners also rate the beef and mutton biryanis highly.

The setting is generally comfortable and welcoming, with enough space for family meals and parking available inside Lulu Hypermarket. It can become busy on weekends, and several reviews mention slow service during rush periods. Saturday evenings may also be noisy, so a quieter meal is more likely outside peak times.

Vegetarian choice is a real limitation in one review, and pricing was described as slightly above other Kerala spots. Delivery portions deserve a check: one AED 35 Fish Mango Curry arrived with only two tiny fish pieces.