Looking for a whole new experience of steak we decide to head to Entrecote Café de Paris for what we’ve heard is a unique take on the ubiquitous dish.
The décor inside is elegantly traditional. White tablecloths and dark wood furniture are everywhere, and at the centre of the dining room is a bar, equipped with suitably genteel barman. The look may be a little dated, but if so it’s a good thing because not only is the layout still understatedly chic, it’s also a refreshing change to a lot of the other restaurants we isit across the city.
The one thing you won’t get at Entrecote Café de Paris, perhaps uniquely in Abu Dhabi, is any variety on the restaurant’s menu. Too often have we visited eateries where the menu is longer than the latest bestseller. Here, on the other hand, your first two courses are non-optional.
We’re introduced to our dining experience with a simple green salad, which is fresh and light and is served with a tangy, cutting dressing. We wolf the salad down and expectantly wait for the main event, an entrecôte steak served in signature Café de Paris sauce, to arrive. And we’re not forced to wait long, because the service here is first rate. The staff are attentive without being fussy, and right on queue a heater is placed in the middle of our table followed by the succulent looking steak.
Again in contrast to other steakhouses in the capital, Entrecote Café de Paris doesn’t offer a selection of side dishes to accompany your steak, but instead offers only one: unlimited fries. These thin-cut chips aren’t the best in Abu Dhabi by a long way, but they don’t need to be, they are very much the sidekick to the star of the show, the sauce-coated meat.
There are three cuts of meat, a New Zealand beef, an Australian Angus or a Japanese Wagyu to choose from. We opt for the Australian Angus, and aren’t disappointed with our selection. The meat is well-priced, juicy and cooked to perfection, allowing each mouthful to melt away in our mouths.
The Café de Paris sauce is unlike any other condiment we have ever sampled. Thick, rich and unbelievably dense, this is the most fabulously decadent of sauces. Creamy, buttery and full of flavour, it is a perfect addition to the meat, although health considerations prevent us from spooning more than a couple of ladlefuls onto our plate.
Just when we thought our afternoon of foodie opulence was coming to an end we’re handed the dessert menu. Feeling full, but unable to say no, we’re happy to wait the 15 minutes for a chocolate fondant to share with our guest. The soft chocolate cake appears in eight minutes and is gone in two as we fight for the last morsel of this heavenly sweet. The middle is perfectly runny and brings an intense chocolate flavour that we can’t resist lapping up.
Stuffed fit to burst, but incredibly satisfied, we leave this restaurant up to the eyeballs in calories but with smiles on our faces. Entrecote Café de Paris is a rich food-lovers paradise, just make sure you don’t have plans that involve physical exertion for the few days after visiting.
The bill (for two)
Australian Angus x2 Dhs405
Chocolate fondant Dhs40
Total (excluding service) Dhs445
