From Time Out Abu Dhabi Eating Out 2010
A small, smoky downtown café, Chillax is to be found among the concrete canyons of Khalidiya. An open window wouldn’t go amiss, but for those who aren’t fresh air fans, this fragrant shisha café offers a hearty dose of local flavor – at least judging by its firm Emirati following. After less than an hour you might feel like a smoked kipper, but there are plenty of comfy sofas and rattan armchairs upon which to recuperate. The television is always on loud and the décor is at best a touch eclectic, but the menu offers some decent light snacks, albeit largely Lebanese mezze, salads and sandwiches, most of which are quite acceptable.
The mixed grill is a typically odd assortment: tough old steak, a slab of rubbery chicken, and an incinerated lamb chop, all covered in a strange salsa. Nevertheless, service is good and they are always eager to please, and despite the fug – or maybe because of it – the place is usually fairly busy. It may have a truly irritating name, but if you don’t mind the smoke, it’s an interesting break from the norm.
