Just when you thought the pinnacle of fine dining in Abu Dhabi had been reached, along comes one of the UAE’s most decorated restaurants to challenge the capital’s status quo.
La Petite Maison, which has landed numerous Time Out Dubai awards over the years, will open its doors to Abu Dhabi foodies on October 15.
In fact, the French-Mediterranean venue that originated in Nice, France, has set high culinary standards across the world with its simple, classic cooking.
Head chef Rory Duncan tells us to expect the same world-class food and service here, too.
“The concept and menu will remain identical to our other outlets,” he says. “That’s because we believe in consistency and want to deliver the same quality experience to all our diners.”
One classic from the venue is salt-baked sea bass with tomatoes and artichokes (pictured left). It is clean and light, yet packed with flavour.
“The sea bass is one of our signature dishes,” says chef Duncan. And while the majority of the menu changes with the season, this dish is a mainstay.
The fish is baked in a crust made of coarse sea salt, herbes de Provence and egg white. After baking, the fish is removed from the crust and topped with cherry tomatoes and courgettes that have been just warmed up. The final flourish is some fried artichoke shavings and an all-important splash of olive oil.
It’s a stunner, and it’s not alone. Every dish we’ve ever tried at La Petite Maison is excellent. One reason for that is that the restaurant only uses seasonal produce and has no freezer in the kitchen, guaranteeing only the freshest ingredients are used.
This is cooking at its best, and prices reflect that. We’re sure it’ll be worth it, though.
Dhs200. The Galleria, Al Maryah Island (02 692 9600).
