Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi: Four Decades of Indian Mastery at Emirates Palace

A master chef with nothing left to prove

Martabaan has a useful advantage over restaurants built around a celebrity name: Hemant Oberoi’s reputation was established long before the dining room opened. Emirates Palace describes him as a master chef whose approach was shaped over four decades as Grand Chef of the Taj Group, with work across Mumbai, Delhi, Singapore and San Diego. That history explains why the restaurant feels more like a personal repertoire than an exercise in fashionable Indian fine dining. Oberoi takes dishes and techniques with deep cultural memory, then refines their presentation without stripping away their identity. The palace setting adds scale, but the food is not asked to compete with the architecture simply by becoming more ornate.

Signature dishes that actually tell the story

The official menu language points to Varqui Crab, Dum ki Nalli and Masala Chai Crème Brûlée as signatures, alongside Oberoi concepts such as Temple Cuisine, Iron Cuisine and the Naza. Those references reveal the restaurant’s real character: Indian cooking treated as a broad culinary language rather than a narrow collection of curries. Varqui Crab brings delicacy and layered texture; Dum ki Nalli leans into slow-cooked richness; the chai dessert turns a familiar flavour into a polished finale. The Tikka Le Bar and private dining rooms extend the experience beyond the plate, while the Arabian Gulf view gives the room an unmistakable sense of place. Current 2026 guest reports continue to praise the presentation, flavour and highly attentive service.

Palace dining with current recognition

Martabaan remains MICHELIN Guide Selected in Abu Dhabi’s 2026 edition, an important distinction because Emirates Palace itself now houses two one-star restaurants as well as several Guide-recognised venues. Martabaan is open from 12:30pm to 10pm and is closed on Monday and Tuesday; reservations are on +971 2 690 7999. For Simply Abu Dhabi, the strongest reason to recommend it is that the restaurant does not rely on palace grandeur alone. Oberoi’s long career gives the menu its authority, and the setting gives that cooking theatre. Go with enough people to share widely, choose at least one of the established signatures, and leave room for the Masala Chai Crème Brûlée rather than treating dessert as an afterthought.

Practical details

Location: Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, West Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Cuisine: Contemporary Indian fine dining
Telephone: +971 2 690 7999
Hours: 12:30pm-10pm; closed Monday and Tuesday
Recognition: MICHELIN Guide Abu Dhabi 2026 – Selected
Editorial status: Open