Named after a classic folk song native to the region of the Levant, Rozanah is a Lebanese restaurant ideally situated in Yas Marina next to Café D’Alsace with views of the yachts and the glistening Yas Viceroy just across the water.
We arrive at the packed modern terrace and wonder if the staff can squeeze another two hungry customers into the crowded area. The restaurant converts from inside to outside with fully opening ceilings and walls. There is a healthy turnout of locals equipped with shisha – presumably many had come to get a good seat for the live gig that had been set up as part of Abu Dhabi Festival just outside the restaurant’s walls by the fountains.
In order to be seated, the busy staff suggest we sit in the next door sister eatery, Café D’Alsace, but we still order from the Rozanah menu.
We’re impressed by the extensive range of salads, cold and hot appetisers, grilled options and nayeh – raw meats. To start proceedings, we jump straight in with a few mezze options to share. We opt for shankleesh (aged spiced cheese, diced tomato and onion), hummus fatet (chick peas with warm yoghurt topped with bread crisps and pine nuts), fatet djej (grilled chicken in warm yoghurt with bread crisps and peanuts) and fried kibbeh.
The appetisers arrive in good time and we’re surprised at how big the hummus fatet and fatet djej portions are – these two dishes could easily be shared between a family of four. Both dishes are superb for mopping with the warm, pillowy pittas and there is plentiful chunks of succulent chicken in the fatet djej.
For mains, we are keen to try the Rozanah platter to compare it to the numerous mixed grills we’ve tried elsewhere in the city. Other main course options form the likes of khishkhash (grilled lamb kafta with spicy tomato sauce), grilled lamb chops and half a chicken cooked on the charcoal grill. Our guest chooses the shakshoukah samak to sample some of the restaurants marine fare.
Considering the restaurant is full to capacity and we’re in the overflow area next door, our friendly and efficient waiter delivers our mains in good time. The Rozanah platter consists of a selection of grilled shish taouk (chicken cubes), lamb kafta, chicken tikka, and two lamb chops. Each kebab is cooked perfectly, the chicken is juicy and the lamb is tender – the only wastage is the bone from the chops. The platter also comes with a mound of thick-cut fries, spicy chilli bread, and a grilled tomato and red onion.
Our guest also has no complaints with the shakshoukah samak. The sizeable chunks of grilled hammour sit atop a bed of ratatouille-style vegetables, served with crispy seaweed and a lime to add a vital zesty kick. The chunks of flaky fish break apart easily, and combined with the vegetables, create a taste sensation that transports us to a Lebanese fishing village on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean.
‘Rozanah’, the classic folk song, tells a story of how the Levant people’s rosy dreams were met with dark disappointment, but in our case, dining at this Lebanese restaurant has met all of our expectations, and then some. There are no such let downs at this Rozanah.
The bill (for two)
Shankleesh Dhs32
Fried Kibbeh Dhs32
Hummus fatet Dhs30
Fatet djej Dhs34
Rozanah platter Dhs72
Shakshoukah samak Dhs62
Total (excl. service) Dhs262
