It’s the perfect time of year to explore all the outdoor venues in Abu Dhabi. The harsh summer sun has long gone on temporary leave and in its place is cooler weather that’s far more inviting for those who want to spend time eating at al fresco spots around the city.
We might as well make the most of it before summer rears its head and we all run back inside to the cooling comforts of our A/C and with beautiful rooftop views and a chilled ambience, Brick is the perfect place to relax outdoors with a bite to eat or a quiet drink.
But this winter seems to have bitten a little harder than previous years. In fact, we can’t remember a time when we’ve needed to be wrapped up in a blanket at one of the capital’s outdoor eateries.
The restaurant occupies the outdoor area at Aloft that used to be Relax@12 (that venue still exists inside but only open at weekends) and a quick glance at the menu shows that most bases are covered, despite there not being a whole lot to choose from on the one-pager.
Brick’s USP is that everything is cooked in one of the venue’s two brick ovens. Some of the dishes are to be expected, such as pizzas and garlic breads, while others are a little more unusual (beef kofta, cedar plank salmon).
As we enjoy a couple of drinks from the small bar, we tear apart a warm sourdough loaf slathered in roasted onion butter, because who can ever say no to warm bread? Not us, anyway.
We decide to share a few bites at the table, instead of individual meals because that way you get to try more dishes and we always want to eat everything.
The gambas (oven-roasted prawns) are seriously loaded with garlic, and we love it. We tear off another hunk of bread to soak up the oil and it’s a delight.
The spicy Cajun chicken wings lack some heat and the seasoning could do with being rubbed into the skin a bit more. It’s the weakest dish we try.
Adding some welcome carbs to proceedings we also get stuck into garlic and Parmesan potato wedges. They’re fluffy in the middle, wonderfully cheesy and we try not to burn our mouths when we’re shoving them in.
We leave satisfied but without being wowed. Maybe we should have tried a pizza. We’ll be back to see what they’re like.
