Simply Abu Dhabi VI

6 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Seamless transitions In a lot of other places, our evening – sumptuous as it was – would have ended there. But here, it was only just beginning. Even as we were making our way here, we were discussing how intrigued we were by the concept of this place: combining a club with a restaurant and lounge. It’s a deceptively simple idea but one that can really have a big impact on your experience. Forget traipsing across town to find a place to party. Here you can sit down to a meal, and then whenever you fancy, either head to the dance floor or opt to chill out in exquisite surroundings. And the great thing is that the three parts are still all part of the same unit: the venue has been designed to ensure that one experience flows into another as the surroundings are subtly transformed. We went through to the lounge area, where we had dessert: slices of exotic fruit and a selection of ice creams and sorbet. The lounge actually has its own menu, including sushi, platters and light dishes, as well as a fabulous selection of non-alcoholic cocktails. Jordana ordered a Cinderella – fresh pineapple and passion fruit balanced with apple juice and cinnamon sugar – which looked absolutely fantastic. I was really tempted to go for the Camellino: fresh locally sourced camel’s milk, pineapple and wild honey. But eventually I chose a Yellow Star. The combination of fresh mango and passion fruit – blended together with milk, orange and banana purée – was incredibly refreshing, and just the thing to get me in the mood for a dance. An ambitious and talented team I’m glad to say that Pragma Group, which owns the Cavalli Club, Restaurant and Lounge, has plans to expand its concept. It will be launching a cafe in Beirut later this year, and another club, restaurant and lounge combination in Istanbul, and is known to be in talks to open an outlet in Abu Dhabi. We can’t wait to see what they will do in future, because this venue has already put on some great events. There have been parties for the summer andNew Year’s Eve, a vampire-themedHalloween, and some really fantastic seasons where they have focused on particular luxury foods. Recently there was an absolutely sumptuous caviar and oyster menu where you could sample the delicacy by the tin (10g, 30g and 50g) along with typical Russian-style condiments including chopped onion, sour cream, egg and capers, and blinis. Highly rated chef Richard Stratton is sure to continue to take things forward and introduce more exciting special events. In general, they certainly seem to have got the right team in place, and we will be on the lookout for what else the venue has in the pipeline. But as we headed from the lounge to the dance floor to hear what one of the venue’s internationally renowned DJs had in store, we were just content to have had a great evening: molto grazie, Roberto! For more information on the Cavalli Restaurant please visit: http://www.cavalliclubdubai.com Find Cavalli Restaurant on facebook at : https://www.facebook.com/CavalliClub In the venue launched in collaboration with world famous designer Roberto Cavalli, you don’t even need to leave the staggeringly luxurious premises to combine top quality food with a vibrant nightlife and a cool lounge area. W orld-famous Italian designer Roberto Cavalli is renowned for his extravagant tastes: he is certainly not a man to do things by halves. So when the Cavalli Club, Restaurant and Bar launched in collaboration with the designer a few years ago in Dubai’s Fairmont Hotel, we knew we could expect something really lavish. But even though Jordana and I came here with high expectations, actually seeing the place still took our breath away. As soon as we entered we were struck by an almost overwhelming visual spectacle. Taking in the array of twinkling Swarovski crystal chandeliers and the shiny black quartz flooring, we couldn’t help but feel that we had entered an arena of absolute opulence: clearly no expense had been spared at all in the pursuit of the utmost luxury. Cavalli is famous for many things – for one thing, he invented the ‘sand-blasted’ effect for jeans that is now used pretty much everywhere - but above all, it’s animal prints - like leopard spots and zebra stripe patterns - that are his signature. And if you’re a fan of these, you certainly won’t be disappointed: the distinctive images are everywhere from the chairs at the restaurant tables to the uniforms of the staff – and they really help to infuse this establishment with Cavalli’s unique sense of fun. Mouth-watering choices It’s also a real delight just to look through the menu and try to decide on which mouth-watering dishes – there’s a blend of Italian and international fusion food - to go for. In surroundings like these, the presence of caviar - surely one of the most luxurious of all foods - among the starters was certainly very appealing, so Jordana straight away decided to go for the beef fillet topped with marinated grilled capsicum and 5g of Asetra caviar. There was a whole host of other attractive options - the aged black angus carpaccio with red radicchio, rocket leaves and white truffle oil was particularly tempting – but as I scanned the menu, one item stood out: zebra print ravioli, filled with butternut squash and walnut, in a sage butter. Even the food bears Cavalli’s imprint! It’s such a cute idea that I simply had to order it - and after doing so, I’m happy to reveal that it was pretty tasty too. When you think about it, it’s not surprising that the food here is of such a high standard: the restaurant’s Executive Chef, Francsesco Brocca, has gained a Michelin star for his previous work at the renowned Caruso restaurant in Amsterdam. He also worked at the famous “Il Ponte Restaurant” in the Seoul Hilton, during which time the restaurant achieved numerous accolades. And with Cavalli Club staff recently nominated to the exclusive Chaine Des Rottiseurs organisation, the restaurant's passion and commitment to quality is clear. We were equally delighted with our main courses: Jordana chose a linguine vongole – with Italian clams, anchovies, and Roma tomato – while I just had to go for the opulence of the lobster thermidor Parmigiana, which came accompanied with delicately sautéed samphire and pomme gaufrette.

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