Visiting the Abu Dhabi City Golf Club is like going out into the country without actually going out into the country. The vast expanses of green, the cleaner air, even the denizens that frequent the place have you feeling like you’re miles from town. So the Pavilion already has location working on its side, and the setting isn’t so bad either. This outdoor grill restaurant is breezy, fresh and casual. And if you choose your seat wisely, you’ll get a nice view of the greens and your order being grilled in the outdoor kitchen.
Unfortunately their service staff take the casual thing a step too far. It’s probably not fair to put it down to laziness. In fact, the staff attitude here feels more like disenchantment, possibly due to the weariness of dealing with difficult customers (we witnessed an unsavoury incident first-hand). We found however, that with some of them, if you’re extra nice, you might get a smile or two with your dinner.
And speaking of dinner, let’s tuck into the offerings at Pavilion. We ordered the U.S Angus rib eye steak which promised to be 350 grams of well marbled, juicy and savoury meat. We added a side of corn on the cob and jacket potato to that and watched the jovial cooks work away (they were definitely happier than the waitresses.)
Now a decent steak should always be served with a decent steak knife, in our opinion. It’s the sign of any self-respecting steak house who take their meat seriously. This did not materialize when our steak arrived however, so points lost for poor choice of cutlery. Points earned back though for a good slab of meat. Tender and cooked to medium, just as we’d ordered, the Angus rib eye was a juicy steak seasoned to a fine peppery flavor, and just as it was described on the menu. Together with the sides it proved to be a wholesome BBQ meal complimented by a beautiful night breeze. Our jacket potato could have done with a little more topping than butter, but we were too hungry to put any more effort into getting hold of a waitress at this point. Overall it’s a satisfying meal at a decent price, and if you’re in a good mood you can forgive the staff because they’re not in the least malicious.
The bill (for one)
U.S Angus rib eye steak (with sides) Dhs115
Total (excluding service) Dhs115
