7 minute read
Hakkasan, Abu Dhabi
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Having visited the likes of Hong Kong, Thailand, Bali and Japan over the last six years, my taste buds have definitely developed a liking for oriental flavours which I occasionally try (and fail) to reproduce at home. Luckily, one of the great benefits of living in a country like the UAE is that when it comes to world-class fine dining, you need not jump on a plane to foreign lands to find what your taste buds are yearning for.
This month, we head to globally-acclaimed, modern Cantonese restaurant Hakkasan Abu Dhabi, the largest of the brand’s many global outposts. Located at one of Abu Dhabi’s most renowned landmarks, Emirates Palace, Hakkasan features a large dining room divided into discrete areas by oriental screens of geometric design - the brand’s trademark wooden lattice. The lighting in the dining room is subdued, with a prevalent lambent, boudoir red tone. Meanwhile at the bar, you can expect to see the brand’s signature blue hue, including handcrafted and embroidered furniture and an enormous marble bar.
The vast 108-seat outdoor terrace featuring laid-back cabanas with views across the city’s skyline makes it an incredible location to dine in the cooler months. We soak in the views with a dining table on the terraces main dining area.
We begin our evening with a round of refreshing beverages. We scour over the pages for a while, and with an undecided look on our faces the hostess kindly recommends that we try the new Hong Long mocktail. A beautiful concoction of strawberries, ginger, black forest honey, Hong Long puree, lemonade, 22-carat gold flakes and citrus smoke arrives at our table. A spectacle both for your eyes and your taste buds.
With international outposts in some of the world’s most vibrant cities, Hakkasan’s menu is a culinary balance of signature dishes curated with local tastes and traditions in mind. Cantonese to the core, Hakkasan Abu Dhabi embraces the fact that a wealth of options is often what diners enjoy about Chinese cuisine, so there’s options aplenty for both carnivores and vegetarians alike. Whittling it down to some delicious Hot and Sour Soup and Dim Sum before our mains, we practically throw ourselves at the small eats platter boasting Hakkasan’s signature Peking Duck with pancakes, cucumber and spring onion, alongside a delectable selection of steamed Dim Sum. These included abalone and chicken shui mai, sea bass dumpling with caviar, king oyster mushroom dumpling, yambean carrot wrap, sweetcorn dumpling and my all-time favourite the Chinese chive jade dumpling. Pert and shiny like a display of priceless gemstones, a sticky yet delicate exterior that is perfectly balanced with fresh ingredients - these could easily be the best dim sum Abu Dhabi has to offer.
I can only continue to spill out further praise for the mains as a selection of sampling menu-sized dishes arrive at our table in style. As part of the ‘Taste of Hakkasan’ tasting menu, an assortment of beautifully presented main dishes appear at our table. Crispy Silver Cod with XO sauce served with stir-fry sugar snap peas, cloud ear and ginger, and a portion of edamame egg fried rice are exceptional.
Despite dish after dish of divine food, it is relatively easy to narrow down our favourite two. The star of the show is undoubtedly the melt-in-your-mouth signature Stir-Fry Black Pepper Rib Eye Beef. Despite not being the biggest fan of tofu/bean curd, I am pleasantly surprised by the Tofu, Aubergine and Shiitake Mushroom Claypot prepared in a chilli black bean sauce, this dish comes in at a very close second.
To end, we are served an incredibly tasty Milk Chocolate and Hazelnut Parfait drizzled in warm chocolate sauce along with a palate cleansing trio of fruity sorbet; lemon, mango and berry. Both desserts arrive at our table in Instagram-worthy style, but that certainly doesn’t last for long.
All in all, Hakkasan Abu Dhabi serves up world-class Cantonese cuisine with a team of service staff that are professional, informed, and attentive. It’s the ideal spot for your next intimate dinner, casual drinks or private celebration.
Hong Long, AED 150 Hot And Sour Soup, AED 58 Hakkasan Signature Peking Duck, Whole, AED 688 or Half, AED 348 Supreme Dim Sum Platter, AED 145 Vegetarian Steamed Dim Sum Platter, AED 105 Taste of Hakkasan Tasting Menu, AED 318 per person (served from 6.00pm to 8.00pm daily) Stir-Fry Black Pepper Rib Eye Beef, AED 180 Tofu, Aubergine and Shiitake Mushroom Claypot, AED 78 Edamame Egg Wok-Fried Rice, AED 58
Latin American Flavours And Views At Li’Brasil
Promising a homely touch of Lebanese cuisine with an exotic twist of Brazilian delicacies, the newly opened Address Beach Resort’s Li’Brasil is our dining destination for the day.
Going beyond the sunshine of the Rio’s beaches, Li’Brasil is a chic indoor and outdoor bar and lounge overlooking Bluewaters Island and the Palm Jumeirah. Headed by Executive Chef Ruediger Lurz the menu offers a balance of the two unique cuisines in a tropical setting that makes for a new dining destination.
It is our first visit to the Address Beach Resort, having recently opened we are curious to see how it stacks up to the competition in the area. With the familiar scents of the Address brand wafting through the lobby, Li’Brasil is located just to the left of the expansive entrance. Marked by a wooden door, the interior is spaciously spread out, and given the lovely weather, we move straight to the even more expansive exterior terrace. Views of the Ain Dubai, the marina skyline, and Bluewaters Island are impressive, and it’s definitely worth booking a table outside to make the most of the experience.
Li’Brasil’s interior features an exquisite lounge with a vibrant ambience, complete with tropical inspired elements and artwork. The opulent bar counter takes centerstage whilst guests can immerse in the different flavours of Latin American-infused beverages or an array of delicately fashioned teas embodied with light floral undertones. We start with a few beverages from the menu, worth mentioning is that also on offer are a range of unique Brazilian style beverages.
We browse through the menu. Interestingly the menu features a range of Chef Lurz’s own take of vegan dishes, sprinkled with Middle Eastern flavours, Lurz sets the tone by offering a variety of delicacies catered to vegans, including Koussa Mahcheya, Feijoada and the Espetos De Batat E Cebola. Made of the best Lebanese and Brazilian flavours, dishes make for a healthy, wholesome and inventive meal.
We start the meal with the Fully Loaded Hummus, which arrives after a few minutes, topped with lamb, pine nuts, and parsley. This dish is accompanied by Arabic bread and the small cheesy bread synonymous with Brazilian cuisine (and very moreish, even if we would preferer it served a bit warmer). We’ve been spoiled recently with excellent hummus at other venues and feel this version has a bit more to go.
The Beetroot Caviar is also technically another hummus, and the presentation is beautiful. Like the other hummus, it arrives with Arabic bread and cheese bites, which we appreciate.
We decide to split one of the salads, the Pineapple Avocado Salad is topped with sliced shallot, cracked pepper, and sumac dressing. Quite honestly, we think the flavours in the dressing could be a little more intense, the portion size a bit larger, and we believe the plating would be better on a larger plate to really showcase the ingredients. Marked as a ‘Pots to Share’ the Brazilian Chicken Curry is a bit of a let-down, as the flavours come across as quite bland, and the serving size is smaller than expected. While the plating is rustic, and served up with rice, we personally think more could be done to dress up the dish. My dining partner orders the Coffee Rubbed Fillet which is more or less hidden under salad and fries. Whilst I don’t like the sweetness in the marinade, my dining partner enjoys the dish. Would we return to Li’Brasil? We’re not in a complete hurry to do so, but we do think the views are incredible, including the new drone show over the marina, so it might be worth stopping in for a drink before continuing your evening. Additionally, having recently opened perhaps they are still in need of sometime to find their flow.
Fully Loaded Hummus, AED 28 The Beetroot Caviar, AED 28 Pineapple Avocado Salad, AED 38 Brazilian Chicken Curry, AED 68 Coffee Rubbed Fillet, AED 78
Address Beach Resort, JBR, Dubai, +971 4 879 8888
such that all the food arrives more or less in a few minutes. Whilst we did ask for the food to come as it was ready, being inundated by dishes is perhaps a sign of miscommunication between the servers and the kitchen. Additionally, service isn’t quite as forthcoming and knowledgeable as some other restaurants we’ve been to recently.
