Restaurant Review:
Smokin'9

Cluster T, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

We are proper burger fans, be them sliders, normal sized or giant ones; we never say no to a good burger! So it is but obvious that our recent tasting at The Smokin’ 9 had us excited way before the day actually came. Akin to the burgers they serve, the restaurant itself is a small cozy space nestled in Cluster U of Jumeirah Lakes Towers. Surrounded by the lake and the JLT skyline, the hidden gem boasts of a warm décor; a brick wall on one side serves as a projector screen with Tom & Jerry playing on it while another side houses the bright kitchen and yet another has board games and fun signs establishing the place as the perfect one for some food and fun with friends.  
The menu is straightforward and offers a bunch of beef, chicken and vegetarian options along with a couple of sides and sauces. We had the following:

  • Classic: marinated grilled chicken breast, melted emmental cheese, iceberg water cress, mayo and bbq sauce
  • Paneer: marinated grilled chicken breast, paneer cheese, baby spinach and curry mayo
  • Gringo: signature chicken patty, homemade guacamole, iceberg and chipotle bbq mayo
  • Mozzar: breaded mozzarella, fresh basil leaves and homemade sun-dried tomatoes
  • Hand cut skin on fries: both French fries and sweet potato fries with Cajun​
They may be mini in size but the sliders at The Smokin’ 9 are indubitably massive in taste! We were divided on what our favorites were at The Smokin’ 9 but it was unanimous that everything we ate was a treat to the taste buds. While one of us isn’t too keen on uniting Paneer cheese with non-Indian foods like burgers or pizzas, The Smokin’ 9 got rid of that way of thinking with their Paneer slider which was absolutely fantastic! The sauces, Nam Prim Num (spicy Asian sauce) and the roasted vegetables and curry, deserve a lot of acclaim; not only have we not tasted sauces like these before, they also made for the perfect accompaniment to the sides and burgers.
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Overall, The Smokin’ 9 is a fun little place with some great tasting burgers that may look little but are packed with great taste and are filling to boot. The restaurant stays true to its tagline of ‘Intense mini burgers’ and we are definitely going back whenever we need our fix of intensely delicious burgers!