As-salamu'alaikum.
I was first introduced to Arabic cuisines back in 2008. And ever since I had my first lamb mandi, I've never looked back. I've had my fair share of shawermas & kebabs etc, but they're not really my cup of tea. My preference on Arabic cuisines is more towards the Yemeni rice dishes rather than the Levantine/Turkish grilled and bread dishes.
The usual rice dishes that I would normally order at any Arabic restaurants are:
1) Lamb mandi
2) Lamb kabsah
3) Lamb haneedz
4) Lamb madghout
On occasions, or whenever I want something other than the ones listed above I'd order:
1) Lamb zurbian (not all Arabic restaurants have this dish on the menu)
2) Barbecue chicken + kabsah rice
3) Grilled chicken + kabsah rice
4) Lamb oqdah + mulawwah (Yemeni flat bread)
5) Lamb kebab (plate)
6) Chicken sheesh tawouk
7) Saltah + mulawwah
8) Hummus with lamb + mulawwah
* For those who don't know the difference between barbecue and grill, read here.
Most of the Arabic restaurants that I frequent to are in KL/PJ area. That being said I'd always try to find Arabic restaurants during my travels.
Here is the list of restaurants that serve Arabic dishes that I've been to, in no particular order.
KUALA LUMPUR (16)
1) Restoran Saba, Cyberjaya & Setiawangsa KL
Taste: 4.5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Personal rating: Very Good
Personal favourites: Lamb Kabsah & Lamb Haneedz
2) Restoran Al Salam, Setapak KL (ceased operation)
Taste: 4.5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Personal rating: Very Good
Personal favourite: Lamb Mandi
3) Al Rawsha Restaurant, Jalan Damai (old location) & Kampung Pandan KL
Taste: 3/5
Price: 2/5
Personal rating: Below Average
4) Al Musafir Restaurant, AmpWalk, Jalan Ampang KL
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 2/5
Personal rating: Average
5) Restoran Wadi Hadramawt, Jalan Ampang KL
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Average
6) Al Jazeera Restaurant, Wangsa Maju KL (ceased operation)
Taste: 3/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Average
7) Restoran Hadramawt, Jalan Ampang KL
Taste: 3/5
Price: 2.5/
5Personal rating: Average
8) Restoran Taj Hadramawt, Taman Melati KL
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3.5/5
Personal rating: Good
9) Labib Restaurant, Taman Melati KL (ceased operation)
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Above Average
10) Khan Baba Restaurant, TTDI branch KL (ceased operation)
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Good
11) Sawarbina Restaurant, Jalan Semarak KL
Taste: 3/5
Price: 2/5
Personal rating: Below Average
12) Paradise Reyan, Berjaya Times Square KL
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Average
13) Turkish Cafe Istanbul, TTDI, KL
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Above Average
14) Suria Restaurant, Jalan TAR KL
Taste: 2.5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Personal rating: Average
15) Bedouin Arabian Cuisine, TTDI KL
Taste: 4/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Above Average
16) Lazeez Hadhramout, Taman Melati KL
Taste: 3/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Average
SELANGOR (23)
1) Kababji Grill, Kota Damansara SELANGOR (Pre-Sept 2015)
Taste: 5/5
Price: 4/5
Personal rating: Excellent
Personal favourites: Lamb Mandi, Lamb Madghout, Chicken & Lamb Kebab
* Update: changed management & kitchen staff as of October 2015. Latest rating on Kababji Grill is at number 2 on the list below.
2) Kababji Grill, Kota Damansara SELANGOR (Post-Nov 2015)
Taste: 2.5/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Average
3) Al Arabiyya Restaurant, Section 14 PJ SELANGOR
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3.5/5
Personal rating: Good
4) Bait Al Hadrami Restaurant, Bandar Utama SELANGOR (ceased operation)
Taste: 4/5
Price: 4.5/5
Personal rating: Very Good
Personal favourites: Lamb Kabsah & Lamb Mandi
5) Mozer's Cafe, Bukit Jelutong SELANGOR
Taste: 3/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Average
6) Hadramawt Kitchen, Glenmarie Shah Alam SELANGOR
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Good
7) Zam Zam Restaurant, Seksyen 9 Shah Alam SELANGOR
Taste: 3/5
Price: 2/5
Personal rating: Below Average
8) Arabian Island Restaurant, USJ1 SELANGOR
Taste: 3/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Average
9) Nasi Arab Taif, Kota Damansara SELANGOR
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Average
10) D'Arab Cafe, Seksyen 7 Shah Alam SELANGOR
Taste: 2/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Below Average
11) Restoran Al Sofra, Damansara Perdana SELANGOR (ceased operation)
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 4/5
Personal rating: Good
12) Restoran Aroma Hijrah, TTDI Jaya Shah Alam SELANGOR
Taste: 3/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Average
13) Rawani Hadramawt, Section 14, PJ branch SELANGOR (ceased operation)
Taste: 4.5/5
Price: 4.5/5
Personal rating: Excellent
Personal favourites: Lamb Kabsah, Lamb Madghout & Barbecue Chicken
14) Dima Restaurant, Ara Damansara SELANGOR
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Above Average
15) Dar Hadramawt, Bandar Baru Selayang SELANGOR
Taste: 3/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Average
16) Sam Hadramawt, Kelana Jaya SELANGOR
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Personal rating: Good
17) Restoran Half Moon, Sri Kembangan SELANGOR
Taste: 3/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Average
18) Tareem Hadramawt, Palm Spring, Kota Damansara SELANGOR
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 4/5
Personal rating: Good
Personal favourites: Oqdah Lamb & Lamb Haneedz
19) Aryaf Al Yemen, Cova Square, Kota Damansara SELANGOR
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Good
20) Restaurant Hadhrami House, USJ1 Subang SELANGOR
Taste: 3/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Average
21) Restaurant Sawarabina, Cova Square, Kota Damansara SELANGOR
Taste: 4.5/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Good
Personal favourites: Lamb Mandi & Chicken Mandi
22) The Roof Cafe, Palm Spring, Kota Damansara SELANGOR
Taste: 4/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Above Average
* Update: changed name to Restoran Hadrami as of November 2015
23) Ahmad Albab Restaurant, Seksyen 7, Shah Alam SELANGOR
Taste: 4/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Above Average
PERAK (4)
1) Nasi Arab Al Bayt Al Yamani, Ipoh PERAK
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Average
2) Original Hadramout Restaurant, Taiping PERAK
Taste: 2.5/5
Price: 3/5
Personal rating: Average
3) Selera Malam Terminal, Kamunting PERAK
Taste: 2/5
Price: 2.5/5
Personal rating: Below Average
4) Oasis Arabic Yemeni Cuisine, Taiping PERAK
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3.5/5
Personal rating: Good
PAHANG (3)
1) Al Raudah Arabian Food, Cameron Highlands PAHANG
Taste: 4.5/5
Price: 4/5
Personal rating: Very Good
Personal favourites: Lamb Kabsah & Roasted Chicken
2) Restoran Dallah Nasi Arab, Kuantan PAHANG
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3.5/5
Personal rating: Good
Personal favourite: Chicken Sheesh Tawouk
3) Restoran Qasar Saba, Kuantan PAHANG
Taste: 4.5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Personal rating: Very Good
Personal favourite: Lamb Mandi & Chicken Madghout
TERENGGANU (2)
1) Restoran Al Edrus, Kuala Terengganu TERENGGANU
Taste: 3/5
Price: 3.5/5
Personal rating: Above Average
2) Restoran Ardh Hadramawt, Gong Badak TERENGGANU
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 4/5
Personal rating: Good
PENANG (1)
1) Restoran Qasar Hadramawt, Bukit Mertajam PENANG
Taste: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Personal rating: Very Good
Personal favourite: Lamb Madghout
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- Abu Faree'ah Ratings guide
Extraordinary: 10 Excellent: 9-9.5 Very Good: 8-8.5 Good: 7-7.5 Above Average: 6.5 Average: 5.5-6 Below Average: 4-5 Poor: 2-3.5 Disaster: 0.5-1.5
I know I'm missing out on a few eateries here. This is as far as I can remember. Will update whenever any of the ones that I've missed comes back to mind insha Allaah.
* The ratings above are based solely on the Yemeni rice dishes and not based on other dishes.