For those who are serious about steak, and like a restaurant with a bit of backstory, it’s time to meld your appetite with a meal at The Forge.
Walk beyond the airy lobby of The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal to the lower level and you’ll find this longstanding, upmarket steakhouse in a private corner.
It feels a bit like you’re being let in on a secret, even though these steaks are hardly under the radar as the eatery fills with residents and hotel guests. Inside the moody and modern restaurant, staff will take you by the open kitchen where you watch the chefs grilling steaks over flames and see cuts of meat under glass or hanging to age.
This is carnivore territory – but vegans there are mains for you, too.
Staff know their stuff, including favourite cuts and signatures. They’re ready to guide you through the menus before you even have to ask, and there’s a dedicated grape book that boasts as many options as there are cuts of meat.
The Forge may take its name from the forging of a knife, specifically a steak knife, but seafood is just as present across the menu. Prices range from reasonable to show-stopping, complete with all the gold.
Meat main courses are mostly under Dhs200. You can even go “meat flights” that allow you to sample cuts from around the world.
Sides and sauces are not sleepers, with the roasted garlic mash and crème spinach every bit as memorable as the US rib-eye with mushroom sauce.
Refresh with a strawberry and basil tartar or balance all that savouriness with a brownie Lotus sandwich, and this will likely be the start of a great relationship.
