Starters Restaurant review
share a great introductory dish of deep-fried calamari that’s sprinkled with lime zest, shichimi pepper, salt and served with a smoky garlic lemon yoghurt dip – the calamari is tenderly cooked and its batter is light and crispy. Southeastern Asia flavours make their way into the next starter dish of chicken laksa soup, which was unbelievably good. The dish is kept light but packed with flavour from the chicken, lemongrass, galangal and coriander. Moving onto the middle course, we opted for the ‘King of the Beach’ signature platter of sushi, sashimi, ceviche, oysters, king crab legs and nigiri, all of which are superb, fresh and a delight to eat. This dish is perfect for sharing with a couple of friends and is a real showstopper (cameras at the ready as presentation is perfected!). If you’d like to try something from the robata, options on offer include Thai red curry king prawns, negima chicken in yakitori sauce, wagyu beef with shisho chimichurri and asparagus in an onion soy reduction, which we had as a side and would highly recommend – the asparagus is
cooked with a great crunch and the marinade works really well. If you’re a fan of black cod miso, don’t miss the ama miso glacier 51 toothfish for main. Due to overfishing of black cod, chef Eko substitutes with toothfish and it’s honestly just as good – you can hardly tell the difference! The sweet miso marinated fish melts-in-themouth and is well balanced by a sprinkling of truffle dust and a quinoa base. For dessert (if you have room!), the chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream is a decadent dish of oozy, chocolatey goodness. For a lighter option, opt for the planner of seasonal fruits or a sorbet.
How was the service?
Attentive and informative. The friendly team were well-versed on the menu
offering and always on hand to help and ensure comfort. Chef Eko also came out to greet us – along with other guests – and is such a friendly guy whose passion for food and his menu really rounds off the experience on a great note.
The bottom line:
Buddah-Bar Beach is a brilliant spot to head with a group of friends or your other half. The venue offers stunning beachfront views, so I’d recommend arriving for sundowners before dinner. Five evenings a week, you’ll also find a saxophonist around performing during the sunset session, as well as guest DJs.
Want to go?
Priced around Dhs350 per person for three-courses without beverages. For more information or reservations, call +97124988888, e-mail buddhabarbeach. abudhabi@stregis.com or visit buddhabarbeachabudhabi.com. August 2018 BBC Good Food Middle East 21