SimplyAbuDhabi X

The lighting was delicate but just enough and the music was engaging without being intrusive – all in all a perfect setting and ambience. Although the Al Qasr obviously specialises in barbequed meats, there was still a very wide choice offered in the menu, but nobody was going to steer us away from some of the world’s finest beef. But first of all we selected some appetizers. Jordana chose a small array of dips that included a powerfully flavoured olive tapenade, some creamy Greek tzatziki, a gorgeous thick hummus and a delicious babaganouch, all tasted with some freshly baked pita bread. I opted for some foie gras on toasted brioche that was accompanied by a pickled red currant, green apple and pineapple jelly cream. It was a great start and crucially not too much as we needed to leave room for the main event – our steaks! I selected a sirloin cut of the much talked about wagyu beef. The steak I chose was actually Australian wagyu beef. The cows are raised in Queensland in Australia and the particular variety I had was the world-renowned Westholme Stud, which is a highly credentialed full-blood Japanese black wagyu, and is guaranteed ‘farm to fork’ traceable, with absolutely no hormones or antibiotics and all natural, 100 per cent vegetarian fed beef. This provenance came through immediately in the taste. Cooked perfectly to my specification of medium rare, the tenderness was just right and the juices were sublime. It made you sit back and think, “So THIS is what real beef tastes like”. It has a substantial premium price due to its credentials, but wagyu beef like this just has that superlative quality. I also ordered a creamy béarnaise sauce which was really tasty, but I didn’t use very much of it as the steak itself was so packed with flavour that it didn’t require any enhancement. Jordana also decided to have beef but she opted for apple wood smoked veal spare ribs served with a chipotle honey sauce. Judging by how quickly they disappeared, the ribs were also cooked to perfection. I did actually partake of one of the ribs and it was superb. Al Qasr executes a masterful barbeque. They achieve a perfect balance between the finest meat and the savoury flavour of hardwood smoke to create a powerful and delicate harmony between the spiciness of the rubbed inmarinade and the pungency of the sauce. When these elements are in balance, you have found the perfect barbeque. BBQ Al Qasr is it. Not only is the meat well worth the visit, the side dishes are worthy of being served next to such well-cooked fare. I loved my red jewel potato gratin with candied peanuts and Jordana highly recommended the polenta with parmesan and the wild mushrooms with truffle oil. After finishing our dinner we sat back and enjoyed the scenery before deciding to sample some dessert. We were advised to do this by another guest who was leaving just as we entered the restaurant, and said, “The dessert here is great, leave some room.” So we took their advice and I elected the famous Argentinean sweet, ‘dulce de leche’ cheese cake. Literally meaning sweet milk, dulce de leche is in fact a smooth caramel that can be addictive if you’re not careful. It was served with a spiced apricot compote and florentine cookies and it was an inspired combination. Jordana chose the hazelnut tiramisu with moccacino anglaise and shaved lemon crisp. Although my dessert was the winner, this was still a beautiful recreation of the Italian classic. In summary, BBQ Al Qasr has all the ingredients for a great night out – perfectly cooked food, a warm atmosphere and a stunning location. 5 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I