Golden Dragon Marks 50 Years as UAE’s Pioneer Fine‑Dining Chinese Restaurant

Founding and Early Years

The restaurant opened in Bur Dubai on October 14, 1976, under the late KM Bhatia of KM Brothers, who was also a partner in the UAE’s first ice cream manufacturing plant. Kamlesh Bhatia, the founder’s son, said his father got the idea after a visit to Delhi in 1975, when he dined at a Chinese restaurant and had to wait almost an hour for a meal. He recalled his father saying, “He had to wait for almost an hour to dine there and the food was delicious. Then, he wanted to open a restaurant with the same name in Dubai.” In the following years Golden Dragon attracted families, businesspeople, prominent guests and members of royal families from across the UAE, according to Kamlesh Bhatia.

Sunder Mans, then general manager of KM Brothers, played a key role in turning the vision into reality. He remembered his employer telling him he dreamed of creating a restaurant “which nobody has ever seen”. Mans said the company secured a Dh2 million loan from the British Bank to start the venture. At age 84, Mans travelled to China and other Asian destinations to study interiors and collect materials. He enlisted Shakthi Parmar, a Bombay‑based architect and interior designer (now Mumbai), whose work shaped the original look. Craftsmen from Rajasthan, India, were brought to Dubai to produce decorative elements and wooden carvings.

Some of those original features remain today. Kamlesh Bhatia noted that the restaurant still has dining chairs, Chinese lanterns and decorative lights with wooden carvings dating back to its opening, providing a tangible link to the people who designed, built and furnished the premises. He also named carpenter Lalu Ram and the first cashier, Kishore Khemani, as early contributors, adding that he spoke to them and Shakti Parmar on the morning of the anniversary and found them emotional about the occasion.

Memories and Milestones

Long‑time patrons describe connections that span generations, with families returning with children and grandchildren. Andaleeb Mannan, who married in Jaipur in 1989 and moved to Dubai with her husband, held her wedding reception at the restaurant’s original premises because few venues could accommodate a large gathering while offering good food. She said, “Apart from noodles, I was not aware of any Chinese food,” and that first experience made Chinese food her favourite. Although she now lives in Abu Dhabi, she visits Golden Dragon whenever she is in Dubai; the restaurant has evolved into a Pan‑Asian dining destination and her current favourites include Hakka noodles, wontons and Thai curry.

During the 1990–91 Gulf War, when Dubai served as a stop for international coalition personnel, Golden Dragon was among a small number of eateries recommended by embassies and consulates. Kamlesh Bhatia recalled a late evening when a battalion of naval personnel arrived without warning; the staff still managed to serve about 250 of them by 9 pm, a fact he recalled with pride. The restaurant also became known for its busy reservation book, with people often approaching Kamlesh’s father for help securing tables, especially during peak periods.

Surender Singh Kandhari, chairman of Dubai’s Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara, said he was among the first diners at the restaurant. He added, “I was among the first diners at this restaurant. I would bring all my guests from different countries here. Our business group also met here almost every alternate week. But it was difficult to get reservation. Sometimes I had to ring up Kamlesh’s dad to get the tables. It was good food and it tastes the same today and they have kept the standard.”

Kamlesh Bhatia described Golden Dragon as the UAE’s first fine‑dining Chinese restaurant. In its early years the venue served alcohol for nearly three years, which attracted foreign diners; he noted, “Those days, some independent restaurants were given liquor licence. The rule changed later.” Mans said the budget exceeded Dh3.2 million, but the restaurant’s popularity allowed the investment to be recovered in just 10 months. Kamlesh believes the establishment encouraged other businessmen to open Chinese restaurants as Dubai grew into a global culinary destination.

Anniversary Celebration

The 50th‑year event was also a reunion for those whose working lives and personal ties are linked to the restaurant, including K Muraleedharan, chairman and managing director of SFC Group. He began his career as an accountant with KM Brothers before moving into sales and marketing, rising to become a managing partner and later establishing his own business. Muraleedharan recalled that Mans had signed his appointment letter. When his group took over Golden Dragon in 2013, he said he felt a responsibility to preserve the restaurant’s legacy. He stressed that the anniversary was not about business, saying, “Today is about gratitude, remembering our routes and celebrating friendships that have lasted a lifetime.”

Mirza Hussain Al Sayegh, a former UAE diplomat and now a member of the Board of Trustees of the Al Maktoum Foundation, attended as chief guest. He said the occasion offered a chance to remember the good old days and the events held at the restaurant. He remarked, “Food connects people and cultures just as Bollywood connects India and the UAE. This place has connected so many people over food,” noting his past role as the UAE’s first ambassador to India.

Mohammed Al Noori, a former director at Dubai Municipality and the Environmental Centre for Arab Towns (ECAT), also recalled how members of both Emirati and expatriate communities used to visit the restaurant for special occasions. Wellan Wong, who said she had known Golden Dragon since 1982, was reminded of her late husband, Patrick Chu, whom she lost four months ago. She said, “He managed the restaurant for decades before going on to establish two restaurants of his own,” and added that the venue brought back many memories of her husband and his long association with it.

Legacy and Expansion

Golden Dragon’s story continues beyond Dubai. The restaurant has opened an outlet at Sharjah Central Mall, while an Abu Dhabi outlet at Deerfields Mall was scheduled to open on October 21, as announced by Muraleedharan.