From Time Out Abu Dhabi Eating Out 2010
A pocket Pinoy bar with a flair for the eccentric, Tambayan is never less than colourful, although the main source of illumination seems to emanate from a solitary lava lamp behind the bar. Its luminous orange magma casts an atmospheric glow across its walls, tattooed as they are with a lively cartoon montage of Manilla life. But the major draw for the (largely Filipino) punters is of course the all-day karaoke. Certainly, the atmosphere, moreso than the food, is the main attraction. Largely Filipino cuisine, ribs and the occasional cheap pizza make up the bulk of a menu heavy on grease, bones and calories. Appetisers such the adobong manok, a bowl of bony chicken smothered in a rich, brown anonymous gravy, are a hearty, artery-testing affair.
This is simple food that makes you work for it, but shelling prawns and picking meat from chicken bones is a testing experience for little reward. Filipino staples such as tapsilog – an all-day breakfast-lunch-dinner mash-up of fried meat, rice and egg that is satisfying but hardly slimming – make a welcome appearance, and of course, being Al Ain Palace, pork features quite prominently on the menu. However, be warned, if you don’t like your belly fat, stay clear of the otherwise tasty pancet noodles. Tambayan isn’t exactly gourmet and, surprisingly, nor is it cheap – it is small wonder then that the karaoke machine is busier than the kitchen. But if you’re prepared to sing for your supper, it makes a gloriously eccentric night out.
