abudhabi

BBQ Al Qasr

Posted on by leolawrence94

BBQ Al Qasr, Emirates Palace, AD

If the Etihad Towers are the shining beacons of modernity dominating the Abu Dhabi skyline (see article ‘Ray’s Grill’), then the Emirates Palace is their palatial and more vertically challenged neighbour. However, don’t let this antithetic example fool you. The Emirates Palace is without a doubt the most opulent and ostentatious encapsulation of luxury into which I have ever stepped foot. Situated across the road from the Etihad Towers, this Kempinski collection hotel’s gardens are perfectly manicured. The interior is stunning and, most noticeably, gold. Everything is gold. There is even a gold machine. Having pressed all the buttons, I still have yet to find out how to make this intriguing machine actually produce the precious material I seek but I can only assume that those worthy of it will be able to master the technology. I’m sure I will be let in on the secret soon…

After meandering past the gold machine and – yep, you guessed it – gold bathrooms, we reached the beach area of the hotel where the restaurant BBQ Al Qasr is located. The restaurant is beautifully laid out with tables interspersed in raised cabanas that are accessible by traversing a maze of wooden decking laid out on the pristine sand. We perused the menu that had a handy flashlight attached to it to offer a solution to the evening’s darkness and were brought a selection of breads to enjoy with sundried tomato, olive paste and butter.

Unsurprisingly I ordered beef Carpaccio to start because this is a barbecue restaurant so obviously I wanted my meat to be served raw… I swiftly proceeded to remove the lettuce garnish and enjoyed the tender beef, presented elegantly on a large stone slab and polished wood support. My compliments to the waiters’ wrists for bearing these burdens for the sake of our culinary delectation. The slices of beef wrapped around baby radishes added an interesting and crunchy touch.

For the main course, I finally caught on to the barbecuing idea and ordered barbecued beef and chicken skewers. The presentation of this course was wonderful in that the mini barbecue was brought to our cabana and the barbecue beef and tandoori chicken was served in front of us. While obviously impressive, this was verging on old news after the tableside creations of Ray’s Grill (hyperlink) from the previous evening. (The struggle of eating at good restaurants is real…) The beef and chicken was served with grilled peppers and roasted garlic that inevitably ended up on the plate to my left under Papa L’s jurisdiction. A side of fries may have crept in also since I am a westernised fat person living in the guise of a formerly athletic young person.

For the sake of this food blog I felt it only responsible to indulge in a dessert in order to report on the full range of options presented at this beach side establishment. With this in mind I selected the molten chocolate cake, which was a delight to the senses. Underneath a more welcome chocolate mousse garnish, yet more cocoa-y goodness oozed out of the centre of the rich cake and mingled with edible golden (what a surprise) decorations. It was spectacular.

While enjoying a fragrant jasmine tea to cleanse us of our gluttonous sins, we observed a camera crew filming a large group of excitable young women greeting each other before sitting down to dine. It was interesting to witness since most of the socialising we had seen out and about in the city was quite reserved and quiet, but where better than a palace of gold to host the Real Housewives of Abu Dhabi?

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Ray’s Grill

Posted on by leolawrence94

Ray’s Grill, Eithad Towers, AD – we’ve hopped over to the Middle East!

When visiting the Etihad Towers, be prepared for luxury. A set of three towers that dominates the Abu Dhabi skyline, this five-star hotel is the epitome of indulgence from the moment you step into the enormous lobby right up to the 63rd floor, on which the steakhouse and grill restaurant, Ray’s, is located.

After an ear-popping ride in the most opulent yet mildly psychedelic elevator I have ever experienced (it turns out floor to ceiling mother of pearl tiles are probably the cheapest legal high around), we arrived at the restaurant, which has incredible views over the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi’s magnificent palace.

The menus lived up to the carnivorous expectations of a good grill restaurant so I started with a charcuterie platter featuring spectacularly presented cured meats that tasted just as good as they looked. Ole Sib went for some smoked salmon that was brought to the table and thinly sliced before our very eyes while Papa L opted for a Caesar salad that was also created in front of us, allowing for it to be personalised to his taste. While we thought this was cool at the time, we were les certain a few hours later when the personalised amounts of garlic made themselves known!

For the main course the obvious choice for me was the steak. Why go to a grill restaurant without sampling some good quality meats? It was clear that Ray’s was serious about its steak when I was offered a choice of sharp knives presented in a beautiful wooden box to act as my steak-slayer. It cut smoothly through the New Zealand sirloin, which was truly excellent; perfectly rare with a delicious smoky taste. Barbecue sauce was my condiment of choice. However, for as long as I can remember, my test for a good steak has been whether it can stand on its own, sans sauce. This steak passed the test with flying colours and the barbecue sauce remained untouched.

Dessert brought with it the entertaining experience of watching Papa L try popping candy for the first time. We both had apple crumble with a salted caramel sorbet (how the tables have turned on my salted caramel views…) while Ole Sib sucked on some ice cream after a traumatic wisdom teeth debacle. The apple crumble had the perfect ratio of apple to crumble and the accompanying incognito popping candy was a treat for the taste buds and the ears. The final course was an explosive success.

While finishing off our third pitcher of the Etihad Sparkler (a delightful sparkling peach mocktail – dental surgery and alcohol sadly don’t mix well and solidarity is important in sisterhood), we took in the stunning view. While the restaurant was quiet since it was a weeknight, there were still parties arriving for their feast past 11:30pm. The capital of the UAE is still vibrant and bustling at night and it is clear that people enjoy their nightlife, but not in the drunken riotous way that is common in good old England.

With alcohol-clear eyes and full bellies, we descended back to earth and waited for the valet to pull up our sturdy Toyota while admiring and lusting after the swathes of Rolls Royces and Ferraris. But hey, who needs those gas-guzzling noise machines when you can live the life of a suburban soccer mom?

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