In recent years Dhaka food scenario has been seeing a significant change in terms of variety and authenticity. Many new places have been coming up every now and then – offering foods from different corners of the world. Oriental cuisines along with Mughlai and Continental ones, have long been reigning the local restaurant realms for decades. The latest to make a debut is the Mediterranean cuisine, which has some similarities with the Mughlai type. Both are meat-based but the variance is in terms of spices and preparatory methods.
Al-Majlis Arabian Restaurant is a Yemeni restaurant which introduced itself to this metropolitan city in February, 2025. This is the first ever Yemeni place to dine in Dhaka. The food and the décor, coupled with the ambience, speak volume about the origin.
The menu begins with a variety of lamb dishes, lamb being the prime ingredient of a Mediterranean cuisine. There are Lamb Mandi, Lamb Madfoon, and Lamb Haneeth, to name a few. The poultry segment of the menu has a staggering 30 plus dishes – in many different preparations. Mandi, Mafdoon, Haneeth, Kabsa, Shawaya, Zurbian, Tannur, and Madhbee are the dominant features of this segment.
Tagine and Eqdah are typical stews from the North African Region. These are slow-cooked meat-based broths, with additions like nuts, vegetables, and fruits, to make these more flavorful as well as tastier. There are around 10 dishes in this section of the menu, where both meat and vegetables are the staples.
Shaksuka (a poached-egg preparation with spices and tomatoes and peppers), Qilabat (a liver-vegetable-spice preparation), Tunas, Beans, Peas, and Eggs are some of their popular breakfast/dinner options.
Mutabbal, Baba Ganouj, Cucumber-Yogurt, and, of course, Hummus are the delicious accompaniments which enhance the taste of the delicious Yemeni dishes.
A Mediterranean menu is incomplete without grilled foods. Al Majlis offers more than a dozen grilled items. These have both fish and meat as the prime ingredients. There are also a good number of Grill Platters, each of which varies in terms of taste and texture and flavor.
Mouth-watering desserts like Fatteh, Sambousa, Baklava, Basbousa, and Areeka, are some of the typical Yemeni Desserts offered at Al Majlis. These are mainly flour and sugar based with an assortment of nuts and honey.
The restaurant is open from noon till midnight. The management plans to keep it operating for 24 hours soon. Apart from the meat and the fish, all other ingredients are flown in from the origin. It is spread over a single floor and can accommodate more than 150 guests. A few private dining rooms, aptly termed as Majlis, are available for small parties. One is designed in a typical Middle Eastern style, with a different type of seating style. There is an exclusive washroom and a handwash provision in the private dining rooms – which is possibly the first ever in any restaurant in Dhaka. Other stellar features of the restaurant are a kids zone, a smoker’s room, and VIP room, to name a few.
Majlis, an Arabic term, means meeting room. This place is aptly named so as it is indeed a wonderful meeting place that is all about good food and vibrant pulse that truly makes it an amazing dining experience. Owned by a Yemeni owner, the restaurant has a team of 4 Yemeni chefs to dish out the delicious fares. Mediterranean decors are dominant interior features. The ambience exudes authentic Yemeni charm and beauty. The colorfully donned servers are very welcoming and warm. It is located in Faisal Tower, North Gulshan, on the same premises as Lavender, Gulshan 2. To relish authentic Mandis, Tagines, Eqdahs, and delicious desserts like Basbousa and Fattehs – all Yemeni foods – Al Majlis is the perfect place in Dhaka now.
Dining and Cooking