From desserts that are nothing short of a chocolate-lover’s dream (and a calorie counter’s nightmare) to biryanis that rip up the rule book, comfort food favourites gone grown-up and dishes dusted with gold (what else), the capital has it all.
When you’re in the mood to blow the budget or the diet (or both), these utterly indulgent savoury eats and sweet treats will ensure you do so in delicious, decidedly lavish style.
Caviar galore at Catch
It doesn’t get much more premium than caviar and any plate decorated with those gleaming little orbs is likely to be memorable. When the main focus of the dish is the fish roe themselves, as it is in this aperitif at swanky seafood restaurant Catch, you know you’re in special-occasion, bank-account-clearing territory. There are four different varieties of caviar to choose from here and the rare and exquisitely flavoured (notes of butter in the aftertaste, or so we’re told) Beluga Imperial – Beluga Sturgeon is the most expensive of the lot, commanding a price tag of Dhs2,200 for 30g. Gulp. As you might expect, or indeed demand, the dish is presented in impressive fashion and served Russian-style with homemade blinis and sour cream.
Dhs2,200 for 30g Caviar Beluga Imperial – Beluga Sturgeon. Nation Riviera Beach Club, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi (02 611 0909).
Delicious desserts at Chocomelt
Quivering cakes that once pierced with a spoon reveal rivets of molten chocolate sauce within. Elaborate cocoa-based desserts presented amid plumes of dry ice. Cheesecake spheres filled with strawberry sauce, rolled in golden, crunchy kunafa and served drenched with Speculoos sauce. A smooth, milk chocolate-covered sponge filled with popcorn, decorated with yet more of the sweet popped stuff and finished with Oreo crumbs (just in case it wasn’t extra enough already). The signature selection of treats on the drool-inducing menu at Chocomelt is nothing short of epic. If you want to get knee-deep in the sweet stuff and are ready for a sugar rush, head here.
From Dhs42. Yas Mall, Yas Island (02 566 6235).
Peking Duck goes seriously gourmet at Hakkasan
When a meal begins with a crisp skinned, whole duck being presented tableside for your approval, before being whisked away, carved for your eating pleasure and later returned alongside gossamer thin pancakes and a rich plum sauce that’s lick-the-spoon delicious, things already feel rather decadent.If you really want to up the ante though, and who knows, if you’re going to push the boat out and treat yourself it might as well be here, you can request for said duck to be served adorned with 30g of glistening Beluga caviar.
Dhs1,988. Emirates Palace, Corniche West (02 690 7739).
A menu dusted with gold at Le Café
No roundup of fancy-pants food and drinks offerings in the capital would be complete without mention of the most luxurious destination of them all: Emirates Palace. Gold is the name of the game at this seriously sumptuous spot: the domes are gilded, the ceilings shimmer and there’s a machine that dispenses gold bars in the lobby (but you knew that already). The glittery, golden theme weaves itself not-so-subtly into the menu at French patisserie-inspired Le Café, where the gold-flake dusted Palace Cappuccino boasts legendary status, and you’ll see more of the precious metal on the Sweet Temptations menu than at the average jewellery shop (almost). From pistachio milk cake decorated with rose petals and edible gold dust to a Palace Cake made from 23K gold chocolate and finished with salted gold caramel, not forgetting the social media favourite that is the gold-topped camel milk ice cream, this is a lesson in exceptionally extravagant eating that we’re more than happy to sit through.
Dhs75 Palace Cappuccino, Dhs72 Milky Cake, Dhs92 Palace Cake, Dhs40 camel milk ice cream with gold dust. Emirates Palace, West Corniche (02 690 7999).
Mac ’n’ cheese gets the luxe treatment at Nolu’s Downtown
Nolu’s feel-good menu features plenty of healthy, wholesome eats and Cali-inspired bright bites, but they’re certainly not afraid to serve up a side of indulgence too (because, balance). Taking comfort food to a whole new level, the really rather glorious truffle mac ’n’ cheese is a case in point; there’s a double cheese dose (umami-rich Parmesan and milky, nutty gran crudo), cream sauce, tender pasta and crispy, crunchy panko breadcrumbs, all brought together with the heady, earthy taste of truffle. And if that’s not enough, on its day this decadent, deep dish delight will gift you an Instagram-worthy cheese pull to boot.
Dhs84. The Galleria, Al Maryah Island (02 644 1516).
The pastry to end all pastries at Sola Restaurant & Café
A chic-gourmet spot after our own hearts, we’ve waxed lyrical about Sola before and you know what, we’ll happily do so again – when a place looks this pretty and serves food this tasty, it deserves a shout out – or three. No slacker when it comes to dreamy dishes, the must indulgent option on the menu takes two European favourites that are pretty treat-worthy in their own right (here’s looking at you butter-rich croissant and cream-laden carbonara) and brings them together in a breakfast dish featuring a flaky homemade pastry filled with veal ham, smooth, thick béchamel sauce and a scattering of seasonal truffle. Order. Enjoy. Don’t plan anything for the rest of the day.
Dhs48. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Park, Al Khalidiya, solacafe.com (02 546 3558).
The king of burgers at Oak Room
Well on the way to making a mockery of all other burgers that have the audacity to label themselves gourmet, the bells and whistles number served at top-class steakhouse Oak Room is all that and then some. This surf and turf-lover’s dream features a riot of indulgent ingredients; we’re talking juicy wagyu beef patty, battered (yes, battered) lobster claw meat, thick slices of smoked cheddar, griddled onions, piquant apple chutney and a home-made mayo featuring ‘all the herbs’ (of course). This is a burger that demands you throw any thoughts of restraint out the window and get stuck in. Quite right, too.
Dhs250. The Abu Dhabi Edition, Al Bateen Marina, oakroomabudhabi.com (02 208 0000).
A biryani like no other at Tamba
The clue is in the not-so subtle name with this bad boy. The Billionaire Biryani served up at high-end, uber-stylish Indian-fusion restaurant Tamba offers an innovative and rather luxe take on one of the world’s most popular rice dishes. While the presentation might look familiar – the dish is served in a clay pot with a sealed, slightly domed dough lid and accompanied by raita, the ingredients in the biryani themselves are anything but. Nestled among that fragrant, lightly spiced rice there’s morsels of tender lobster meat, perfectly cooked firm and flaky, ever-so trendy Chilean sea bass and plump prawns. Not exactly Friday night takeaway fare.
Dhs112. The Hub at The Mall at World Trade Center (02 672 8888).
Seriously fancy steak at Zuma
How do you make the most prized beef in the world – you know, the beef that’s produced from cattle that have been treated to massages on tap, serenaded with soothing music and regularly supped a glass or two of hops (all in the name of reducing stress levels) – more sumptuous? Why, you put it on the menu at Japanese hotspot Zuma, flag that there’s limited availability on the dish and serve it with a truffle sauce, of course. If that appeals, then prepare to dust off your wallet: a 200g serving of intensely marbled, melt-in-the-mouth, hand-carved Japanese wagyu loin will set you back almost Dhs900. Best start saving up.
Dhs893. The Galleria, Al Maryah (02 401 5900).
