Simply Abu Dhabi II

Exotic fish dishes Located on the ground floor with breathtakingly spectacular views of the beach and the marina with both indoor and outdoor seating, the interior boasts colours reminiscent of the Arabian Gulf and to be perfectly honest, a hint of Avatar meets Tron but believe us, this is not a bad thing. Sayad is almost prematurely too cool for school. Whilst outside the glistening blue waters provide the perfect backdrop for a fine dining experience. We passed the tanks of lobster displaying our potential dinner – you can select your own and it will be prepared to your individual taste – and so our anticipation was fully heightened simply by entering the restaurant. We chose to sit inside to take advantage of the stunning ambience created by the cleverly perceived decor. Three private dining rooms are also available that can accommodate up to eight guests. For a casual dinner with friends it provided the perfect setting, but we could also appreciate how the couples around us were lapping up the romantic atmosphere. Fine furniture and impeccably dressed staff add to the serene sophistication of Sayad’s sea food scene. The sea world ambience was truly fitting to a menu of divine seafood with an Asian influence. The menu has a new contemporary twist thanks to the vision of new Chef de Cuisine Shaun Anthony. His 3 Michelin Star training certainly shines through and we felt honoured to have the opportunity to dine in such a distinguished restaurant, amongst discerning diners. More so, as we got an opportunity to chat with Shaun Anthony, who was surprisingly laid back and relaxed considering the restaurant was unsurprisingly at capacity. We think the fact that he is perfectly complimented by the incredible, Mr Zsombor Mehesz, a refined and distinguished Restaurant Manager, who executes and delivers sheer perfection in terms of service and customer communication. Guests from all over the world gather to be served by friendly and courteous white gloved waiting staff. As we surveyed the menu, creative dishes produced with superb finesse passed our table and tantalised our taste buds so we couldn’t wait for our own meal to be served. And when the food arrived it was well worth the short wait. We couldn’t fault the service as generous portions were served by highly attentive staff. Plates of seafood that took visual presentation to a whole new level were set before us feeding the eyes before we even took a taste. We both went for the Champagne Degustation, which is a unforgettable 7 course set menu accompanied by 3 Champagnes - a delectable feast that was truly satisfying and provided more than enough for four!!!. The starter – otherwise known as Amuse Bouche – was Tuna with avocado-tomato salad, purple shiso and togarashi. Then came the Foi Gra with strawberry, rhubarb on a French toast. To break things up we were served with a Sweet corn sup, with king crab and curried popcorn. The starters were accompanied with a generous glass of Laurent Perrier Rose. For the main we had a choice of Lemon Sole with fine herbs or Wagyu Striploin served with oyster blade, wild mushroom pumpernickel and celery root. J went for the beef while I opted for the fish. I have no idea how we managed to get through the starters, let alone the main. All I knew was that the return journey on Etihad would incur extra cost due to excess weight and it wasn’t our luggage that would be taken into consideration. Desserts were ridiculously ravishing, although I think two desserts per person is way too much. We were greeted with a Lemon tart, with hazelnut, manuka honey and mascarpone followed by a Chocolate Explosion. We don’t think the chocolate explosion needs any explanation – just think of every kids’ dream come true! The cooling Jasmine scented towel was the perfect finishing touch to an elegant dining experience. The perfect catch With so many delicious scents filling the air, Sayad is a place well worth a return visit. There is a five-course set menu offering everything from sublime sushi to the day’s catch. Meat dishes are also available should you desire them including a tempting Wagyu Sirloin and Lamb3. But with such delicious fish dishes such as Halibut with artichokes and succulent Ocean Trout in salt and honey to choose from, your loyalties may be divided and you, like us, may decide more than one visit is in order to taste all the fine fare on offer. An extravagant dining delight awaits visitors from 6.30am to 11.30pm. A&J would like to thank Zsombor Mehesz and Chef Shaun Anthony and all the devoted staff at Sayad for their warm welcome and for providing us with a deep sea culinary experience to savour. Working with the best sustainable produce available in season to provide an extensive menu of seafood that matches the opulence of the Emirates Palace, we thoroughly enjoyed our Lavish Arabic dinner. When it comes to stunning fresh seafood, Sayad is certainly the catch of the day. For further information please visit www.emiratespalace.com or www.simplyabudhabi.com SAYAD we like to be, under the sea 51 SIMPLY ABU DHABI

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