Some Venues just ooze class from the second you walk in and are bursting with character.
Right at the top of that list is Butcher and Still and no matter how many times we’ve visited we still get blown away by the place.}
Styled to resemble a 1920s speakeasy, you can picture the zoot suits, pinstripes and slicked back hair, the flapper girls, the lounge music and the vibe of a venue that could travel back a century and still be on trend.
The venue, a short walk from the lobby of the Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, has it all going on. It’s art deco at its finest with leather seating, brass finishings, old suitcases stacked on shelves, bullet cases in the lining of the tiles in the bathroom, it’s a masterstroke in design.
Then there’s that view over the water to downtown Abu Dhabi but enough about the venue – this isn’t a review of interior design.
Since opening the steakhouse has had a reputation for delivering excellent food and on our visits it’s never disappointed. Out to see what the weekend brunch has on offer we’re excited to see if it can live up to it’s own high standards. Judging by the number of people dotted around the room we’d say they’re on to a good thing and they know it.
To start a range of appetisers arrive at the table including meatballs and mashed potato, fresh oysters and shrimp, chicken wings, cold cuts and some truffle bread.
It all hits the spot, with the juicy meat balls and tender chicken wings standing out. But that’s not to say that the fresh seafood, cooked simply and presented elegantly on ice doesn’t equally impress.
We clear the lot, to the last crumb, and look forward to stuffing more food into our faces when the mains arrive.
In between we take advantage of the fast service and quality of mixed drinks that keep flowing all afternoon.
The mains consist of fried chicken on a pancake, steak cooked medium, eggs Benedict, sausage, mac ’n’ cheese and French toast. It’s a blend of breakfast and lunch, it’s American as baseball and we absolutely love it.
The steak is close to perfect, the fried chicken better than any chain you can name and the sausages are no slouches either. Stuffed already we swerve the French toast and take a stab at the yolk-tastic eggs Benny.
We leave room for dessert and we’re glad we do. Everyone gets their own chocolate cake, Yule log, carrot cake and cheesecake, with the latter is winner.
Everything we’re served is delicious, the setting is great and the drinks keep coming.
We’re not sure if all the dishes are necessary – there’s a lot of food to get through – but that aside it’s a brilliant brunch and Butcher and Still remains one of the best in the city.
Dhs250 (soft drinks), Dhs333 (house beverages). Fri 1pm-4pm. Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, Al Maryah Island (02 333 2444).
