Masgouf in Dubai
grilled over wood coals.

Masgouf (مسكوف — also spelled masgoof, maskoof or mazgoof) is the national dish of Iraq and the single most-ordered plate at Kabab Erbil since we opened in 2003. A whole freshwater fish is butterflied, brushed with a marinade of tamarind, turmeric, olive oil and salt, then stood upright on stakes around an open wood fire and cooked slowly for about an hour.

The slow, indirect heat is the whole point. It dries and crisps the skin while the flesh stays moist and smoky — a texture you simply cannot reach with a gas grill. Near the end, the fish is laid flat over the coals to finish, then served on a wide platter with grilled tomato and onion, lemon, fresh herbs, pickles and hot Iraqi bread.

We serve Masgouf at both branches — our Iraqi restaurant in Deira, Dubai and the best Arabic & Iraqi restaurant in Sharjah. Because each fish is cooked to order over real wood, we recommend calling ahead or including it when you order Iraqi food online. It is also the centrepiece of our Iraqi catering in Dubai, where we set up a live Masgouf station at your event.

Browse the full Iraqi menu to pair it with mezze, kubba and charcoal grills.