Location: On Elektra Street near Bani Yas / 6th Street, next to the El Dorado Theater
Telephone: 02-6763350
In the US, Thai food has in many respects become the new Chinese: prevalent but unfortunately heavily weakened for Western tastes. Real, genuine Thai food - e.g. Sripraprai in Queens, NYC - is flavorful and spicy, a wonderful experience. While Thai is obviously much harder to find in Abu Dhabi than in NYC, we hoped that the few restaurants here would be of much higher quality than the average Thai restaurant in the States. The first contender we tried is Asian Garden, a clean and small restaurant (about 10 tables) near the back entrance to the Eldorado Theatre on Elektra street (across the street from the Honda showroom) which advertises Thai, Filipino, and Chinese food. The first sign it was good - all the customers were Asian. The second sign - a nice, long menu. But that means nothing if the food wasn't good.
We ordered three main dishes: shrimp pad see ew (spelled "patseo" on the menu, Item #188, 20 AED), thai green curry with chicken (Item #96, 25), and Daing Bangus - a Filipino-style dry fried milk fish because it looked so tasty (Item #48, 25 AED), with an extra side of rice (5 AED) and a large water (another 5 AED). The daing bangus was tasty, though parts of the fish were a little dry and it was (not surprisingly) quite bony. The Shrimp "Patseo" was extremely tasty, with a good amount of egg, sweet soy sauce, and spice that separates real pad see ew from pretenders. The green curry was extremely good as well, a nice smooth spicy coconut milk based curry with a generous amount of chicken and eggplant. It was spicy, but not overly so - very good. All three dishes were a healthy portion - we took half of the curry home as leftovers.
In summary, we had some very good Thai food at Asian Garden for a very reasonable price (80 AED for everything). They have a pretty long menu, and we definitely will be going back to sample more of it. It's so nice to have found real, good Thai in Abu Dhabi.
29 August 2010
27 August 2010
Cho Gao (Indonesian)
Location: Crowne Plaza (Hamdan St)
One of the finest resto-lounges in Abu Dhabi, this newish Indonesian restaurant has a hint of a Buddah Bar feel to it. The dark earth-tone paint and woodwork inside, low slung tables and chairs, and the chill-out asian flavored house music in the background give Cho Gao a very nice vibe.
Daily happy hour from 4-7 pm with half-price drinks draws in a fun-loving after work crowd, most of whom stay on to sample the wonderful array of foods on offer. The steamed veg dim sum is to die for, but I'd recommend asking for a small dish of ground garlic in soya sauce for dipping. Most dishes are in the normal hotel range of 30-50 Dhs, and they have a very wide selection of bizarre cocktails.
Well worth a visit, particularly if you make use of the happy hour in advance of eating.
Jafari (Pakistani)
Location: Just behind Etisalat (Electra/Airport Rd), in front of Vision Downtown
To eat in, the Jafari Restaurant is a cultural journey on its own. Frequented mainly by taxi drivers and (on the weekend) the hoards of overworked and underpaid laborers who congregate in downtown Abu Dhabi, this is a well known establishment which serves very simple, very cheap subcontinent dishes.
On weekends you will almost certainly be sharing your table with an assortment of strangers. Water and glasses are shared among table-mates. For those not accustomed to the sub-continental 'greasy spoon' style of eating, the whole experience will come as a surprise (perhaps not pleasantly for some). That said, my kids absolutely love going there and look forward to the weekend trip for the chicken biriyani... more so than trips to most 'conventional' eateries in the area.
Jafari Restaurant is worn in and worn down, and cleanliness is not high on the list of priorities for the management, but the food is authentic, cheap, and served in heaping portions. There is no menu - ordering mainly involves pointing at someone else's food, or going for standard dishes. Grilled fish/chicken/mutton/etc are on display above the tandoori ovens by the door if you like grilled meats. Most dishes are less than 10 Dhs.
Note: During Eid, they offer a very wide (and cheap) selection of arabic/subcontinent sweets, sold by the kilo.
Arab Udupi (Indian)
Nestled just behind the Novatel on Hamdan Street, this is one of the city's gems of cheap Indian eats. They have a wide selection of veg and non-veg dishes ranging from mild to nuclear meltdown, and can custom-spice most of their dishes to your preference.
The ambiance of the place is nothing short of ghastly (the paint is orange), but it's a great spot to drop in after a night out on the town. The upstairs area is for bachelors, so I'd recommend the basement 'family' area where re-runs of Indian Idol and Bollywood films play on the big-screen in the background. Service is efficient and friendly, although you may have to go through one or two waiters to get someone who can clearly explain what the contents of the different dishes are and/or make good recommendations.
Most main course meat dishes hover around 20 Dhs and veg dishes around 15 Dhs. Delivery is free (usually 30 mins), PHONE 02-6720685. Note: They get insanely busy after 8 pm, so order beforehand for delivery.
Recommended dishes for the newbie: buttered chicken (or the veg alternative paneer makhanwala, both on the mild side), with their tandoori paneer (dry) to accompany. Naan NOT rice! ;-)
Wasabi
Location: Al Diar Mina Hotel (Corniche and Al Salam, next to the Corniche Hospital)
Telephone: 02-6778415
Sometimes, you just have to have sushi. And a quick Google search of "sushi abu dhabi", Wasabi popped up as the best sushi restaurant in Abu Dhabi. So, away we went. Located on the ground floor of the Al Diar Mina Hotel, it is a little tricky to get to due construction on the Al Salam St. tunnel. It is a small restaurant, and we sat a cute little table for two in a booth with a sliding door. The menu is quite extensive - in addition to sushi and sashimi it has Japanese curries, BBQ (yakitori), rice triangles (onigiri), cutlets (katsu), omelettes (okonomiyaki). However it is pricey. We split the piece Mix Sushi (12 pieces for 93 AED!) and the Miso Black Cod (83 AED). The Black Cod comes with a bowl of rice on the side, a good miso soup, and a small salad with a nice soy sauce vinaigrette dressing. It was a nice big piece of black code, and the miso sauce wasn't too salty as it often is, and was almost worth the price. Not so for the sushi. Don't get me wrong,
the sushi was very good and fresh - but it was not the best I've ever had (for those familiar with Greenwich Village NY, the quality was not as good as Marumi but close). The 12 pieces were a good size, but not 93 AED worth.
Verdict - good food, but not worth the price. Next time we are craving sushi, we'll try the sushi from the Carrefour at Marina Mall.
Telephone: 02-6778415
Sometimes, you just have to have sushi. And a quick Google search of "sushi abu dhabi", Wasabi popped up as the best sushi restaurant in Abu Dhabi. So, away we went. Located on the ground floor of the Al Diar Mina Hotel, it is a little tricky to get to due construction on the Al Salam St. tunnel. It is a small restaurant, and we sat a cute little table for two in a booth with a sliding door. The menu is quite extensive - in addition to sushi and sashimi it has Japanese curries, BBQ (yakitori), rice triangles (onigiri), cutlets (katsu), omelettes (okonomiyaki). However it is pricey. We split the piece Mix Sushi (12 pieces for 93 AED!) and the Miso Black Cod (83 AED). The Black Cod comes with a bowl of rice on the side, a good miso soup, and a small salad with a nice soy sauce vinaigrette dressing. It was a nice big piece of black code, and the miso sauce wasn't too salty as it often is, and was almost worth the price. Not so for the sushi. Don't get me wrong,
the sushi was very good and fresh - but it was not the best I've ever had (for those familiar with Greenwich Village NY, the quality was not as good as Marumi but close). The 12 pieces were a good size, but not 93 AED worth.
Verdict - good food, but not worth the price. Next time we are craving sushi, we'll try the sushi from the Carrefour at Marina Mall.
26 August 2010
Beijing Restaurant
Location: One row behind the Madinat Zayed Gold Center next to the Shoe Mart
Telephone: 02-6210708
My wife and I like Chinese food. Not "Chamerican" food - General So-and-so chicken, random fruit (lemon, orange, etc.) beef. Real Chinese food - whether it is soup dumplings from Shanghai or numb-inducing spicy shrimp from Sichuan or cumin dusted lamb burger from Xian. Probably the two NYC neighborhoods I culinarily enjoy the most are Chinatown in Manhattan and Flushing in Queens. So, when we heard there was good Chinese food behind the Madinat Zayed, we were intrigued. Some walking around yielded three restaurants of interest, with Beijing Restaurant earning the first place we tried since when we walked by it was full of Chinese people - always a good sign.
So, how was the food? Beijing Restaurant has an extensive menu, over 100 items, the vast majority sounding fairly authentic. We got two main courses: the Braised Lamb in Clay Pot (#86 on the restaurant menu and #88 on the Take-out menu - 48 AED) and Sizzling Prawn with Chili, Garlic, and Fish Sauce (#99 on both - 48 AED on both), and one vegetable: Wok-Fried Kangkung (Watercress, #138 on both - 18 AED). The portions were very reasonable, we were quite full and brought back some leftovers. Both main dishes were very tasty - the prawns were sweet, not overcooked, and in the thick gravy you could distinctly taste chili, garlic, and fish sauce. The braised lamb pieces were bony, so you essentially had to eat them with your hands, but the meat was tasty and came off fairly easily. The sauce was delicious, soy sauce based with large pieces of garlic and ginger with a good amount of heat. The wok-friend kangkung was very refreshing - crunchy, with a slight bitterness and strong garlic flavor, a nice counterpoint to the spiceness of the other two dishes. Finally, clean interior and bathroom.
All in all, a very satisfying meal. Not the cheapest place around, but very tasty and well worth it. Definitely interested in going back to try more items on their menu.
Telephone: 02-6210708
My wife and I like Chinese food. Not "Chamerican" food - General So-and-so chicken, random fruit (lemon, orange, etc.) beef. Real Chinese food - whether it is soup dumplings from Shanghai or numb-inducing spicy shrimp from Sichuan or cumin dusted lamb burger from Xian. Probably the two NYC neighborhoods I culinarily enjoy the most are Chinatown in Manhattan and Flushing in Queens. So, when we heard there was good Chinese food behind the Madinat Zayed, we were intrigued. Some walking around yielded three restaurants of interest, with Beijing Restaurant earning the first place we tried since when we walked by it was full of Chinese people - always a good sign.
So, how was the food? Beijing Restaurant has an extensive menu, over 100 items, the vast majority sounding fairly authentic. We got two main courses: the Braised Lamb in Clay Pot (#86 on the restaurant menu and #88 on the Take-out menu - 48 AED) and Sizzling Prawn with Chili, Garlic, and Fish Sauce (#99 on both - 48 AED on both), and one vegetable: Wok-Fried Kangkung (Watercress, #138 on both - 18 AED). The portions were very reasonable, we were quite full and brought back some leftovers. Both main dishes were very tasty - the prawns were sweet, not overcooked, and in the thick gravy you could distinctly taste chili, garlic, and fish sauce. The braised lamb pieces were bony, so you essentially had to eat them with your hands, but the meat was tasty and came off fairly easily. The sauce was delicious, soy sauce based with large pieces of garlic and ginger with a good amount of heat. The wok-friend kangkung was very refreshing - crunchy, with a slight bitterness and strong garlic flavor, a nice counterpoint to the spiceness of the other two dishes. Finally, clean interior and bathroom.
All in all, a very satisfying meal. Not the cheapest place around, but very tasty and well worth it. Definitely interested in going back to try more items on their menu.
25 August 2010
Madinat Zayed Fruit and Vegetable Market
Location: Behind the Gold Center next to the Madinat Zayed Shopping Center
While much smaller than the Fruit and Vegetable Market in Al Mina, it had a similar selection (though fewer vendors) and is a lot more convenient for us. It might not be the cleanest by Western standards, but an impressive array of fresh fruits and vegetables, considerably cheaper and tastier than what we've seen so far from the local supermarkets and grocery stores. The big Carrefour in Marina Mall and the Lulu Hypermarket in Al Wahda mall have a similar selection at reasonably similar prices (I didn't do a close comparison) but lack the ambiance of a true fruit market.
Yesterday we got an extremely sweet watermelon for 2.50 AED / kg, some tangerines which were a little sour, and some great Wasana (sp?) dates at the store in the back corner for 30 AED / kg (they have cheaper dates there of course, but that variety is very sweet). As we try more items, I'll post reviews and prices, but let me know what you think.
PS. The fish market had unfortunately closed by the time we got there (21:30), but we are looking forward to trying that soon.
While much smaller than the Fruit and Vegetable Market in Al Mina, it had a similar selection (though fewer vendors) and is a lot more convenient for us. It might not be the cleanest by Western standards, but an impressive array of fresh fruits and vegetables, considerably cheaper and tastier than what we've seen so far from the local supermarkets and grocery stores. The big Carrefour in Marina Mall and the Lulu Hypermarket in Al Wahda mall have a similar selection at reasonably similar prices (I didn't do a close comparison) but lack the ambiance of a true fruit market.
Yesterday we got an extremely sweet watermelon for 2.50 AED / kg, some tangerines which were a little sour, and some great Wasana (sp?) dates at the store in the back corner for 30 AED / kg (they have cheaper dates there of course, but that variety is very sweet). As we try more items, I'll post reviews and prices, but let me know what you think.
PS. The fish market had unfortunately closed by the time we got there (21:30), but we are looking forward to trying that soon.
Spice Market?
Any one know of a good, inexpensive place to get fresh whole spices (e.g. cinammon sticks, cardamon, etc.)? I've seen some at the local supermarkets (Abu Dhabi Coop, Al Safah, etc.) but was wondering if there is any place which is better - please leave suggestions below. Thanks.
24 August 2010
Tandoori Inn
Location: Marina Mall Food Court
Yes, it is mall Indian food. But having recently moved to Abu Dhabi from the US, it is ten times more flavorful than any mall Indian food you can find there. Their current buffet special of 35 DHS for small salad + 2 curries + rice + naan + small dessert + small soda provides for a filling meal. I especially liked the mutton rogan josh, with a nice spiceness and heat as well as pronounced goat flavor. Tasty, and certainly more appealing then yet-another-Sbarro's.
Yes, it is mall Indian food. But having recently moved to Abu Dhabi from the US, it is ten times more flavorful than any mall Indian food you can find there. Their current buffet special of 35 DHS for small salad + 2 curries + rice + naan + small dessert + small soda provides for a filling meal. I especially liked the mutton rogan josh, with a nice spiceness and heat as well as pronounced goat flavor. Tasty, and certainly more appealing then yet-another-Sbarro's.
23 August 2010
Shakespeare & Co.
Location: Central Souq
A nice, new little cafe in the Central Souq, Shakespeare & Co. has a very ornate Victorian decoration, with lots of plush large chair to relax in. While it has a full food menu to chose from, what drove us there were the delightful frozen desserts, cakes, and pastries in their display cases - most excitingly lemon sorbet in a lemon, and tangerine sorbet in a tangerine (12 DHS each). Both were extremely tasty - the lemon sorbet very sour and refreshing, while the tangerine sorbet tasted like the concentrate juice of a sweet tangerine (NOT like concentrated orange juice in a can, which I don't like). Very clean cafe, with extremely attentive service. While admittedly little pricey (the Central Souq looks like it will be a high-end shopping mall when finished), the sorbets were a decent size and a very refreshing and tasty experience.
A nice, new little cafe in the Central Souq, Shakespeare & Co. has a very ornate Victorian decoration, with lots of plush large chair to relax in. While it has a full food menu to chose from, what drove us there were the delightful frozen desserts, cakes, and pastries in their display cases - most excitingly lemon sorbet in a lemon, and tangerine sorbet in a tangerine (12 DHS each). Both were extremely tasty - the lemon sorbet very sour and refreshing, while the tangerine sorbet tasted like the concentrate juice of a sweet tangerine (NOT like concentrated orange juice in a can, which I don't like). Very clean cafe, with extremely attentive service. While admittedly little pricey (the Central Souq looks like it will be a high-end shopping mall when finished), the sorbets were a decent size and a very refreshing and tasty experience.
22 August 2010
Tarbouche
Location: Across Hamdan Street from the Home Centre at the Liwa Centre
Telephone: 6260700 / 6260701
I know, Middle Eastern fare (kebabs, falafel, shwarma) is almost a dime a dozen here, but passing by a large window which features large spits of chicken and lamb rotating on a skewer is very difficult when hungry and thirsty from walking in the humid and hot sun. This is a small two story restaurant, with a take-out counter on the bottom floor and seating on the top floor. The standard bowl of pickled items (cucumbers, chili peppers, carrots) were tasty and nicely sour, and the provided pita was fresh and very thin. We split the Hummus w/ Shawarma plate (25 DHS) and the Kabab Kofta (22 DHS). Both we quite large, and could easily feed 1.5 hungry people. The hummus was tasty, without any spice dominating the others, and both the chicken and lamb shawarma were quite moist though not heavily spiced. The Kabab Kofta plate has five long rolls of grilled ground lamb, and came with grilled tomatoes, grilled small onions, and a side plate of greens, raw lemon, and raw tomato. The Kababs were also moist, with nice char marks, though I would have preferred them a little more heavily spiced, and the condiments were nice as well. Service was fast and friendly, the A/C was very refreshing after walking in the heat, and the restaurant was fairly clean. All in all, a satisfying meal, and a lot of food for a very reasonable price.
Telephone: 6260700 / 6260701
I know, Middle Eastern fare (kebabs, falafel, shwarma) is almost a dime a dozen here, but passing by a large window which features large spits of chicken and lamb rotating on a skewer is very difficult when hungry and thirsty from walking in the humid and hot sun. This is a small two story restaurant, with a take-out counter on the bottom floor and seating on the top floor. The standard bowl of pickled items (cucumbers, chili peppers, carrots) were tasty and nicely sour, and the provided pita was fresh and very thin. We split the Hummus w/ Shawarma plate (25 DHS) and the Kabab Kofta (22 DHS). Both we quite large, and could easily feed 1.5 hungry people. The hummus was tasty, without any spice dominating the others, and both the chicken and lamb shawarma were quite moist though not heavily spiced. The Kabab Kofta plate has five long rolls of grilled ground lamb, and came with grilled tomatoes, grilled small onions, and a side plate of greens, raw lemon, and raw tomato. The Kababs were also moist, with nice char marks, though I would have preferred them a little more heavily spiced, and the condiments were nice as well. Service was fast and friendly, the A/C was very refreshing after walking in the heat, and the restaurant was fairly clean. All in all, a satisfying meal, and a lot of food for a very reasonable price.
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