SimplyAbuDhabi VII

2 5 1 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I A nyone who spends any time in the UAE – especially someone who visits the two Emirates which many believe are its ‘leading lights’, Dubai and Abu Dhabi – will sense that this is a place where things are happening. A powerful sense of energy and purpose is communicated through the constant development of new buildings, new projects, and new dreams – many of which represent the very height of luxury. The Ivy restaurant in London has long been known for providing top class brasserie-style food to discerning guests. Booking a table at the Ivy can be tricky. It’s known as a top haunt for celebrities, including Kate Moss, Mick Jagger, Siena Miller and Brad Pitt. But despite the endorsement of such sophisticated clientele, the reasons for the Ivy’s popularity are at root very simple: a brilliant atmosphere, superb surroundings and incredibly good food. When we heard that the world-famous Ivy was coming to Dubai, we were thrilled and tried to book ourselves a table as soon as we could. The competition for tables here is certainly as tough as it is in the exquisite London location. But we were ecstatic that we secured one, and we arrived at the restaurant expecting one of the best meals of our lives. Beautifully decorated We were not disappointed. From the moment that we walked into the beautifully decorated interior, and were shown to our smart, stylish table by a charming waiter, we knew that this would be an evening to remember. The design of the Dubai Ivy has followed the superb example of the London venue extremely closely. There’s sumptuous wood panelling, amazing green leather chairs, and – perhaps best of all – glorious stained-glass windows in a pretty grid pattern. However, this venue has also been given a UAE twist: the brilliant work of local artists has been hung on the walls, providing a captivating backdrop and a fascinating topic of conversation. For us, it was an example of a subtle local spin on an established class British act. It seemed to us like a winning formula – and we hadn’t even tasted anything yet! When we perused the mouthwatering menu, though, we found that the theme continued. On the list of starters, for example, we were delighted to see British classics, like smoked haddock soup, alongside the option for an Arabic meze. Both of these dishes sounded absolutely delicious, but in fact we didn’t go for either (that will have to wait until another time!). Because it was a hot day, I opted for a magnificently refreshing chilled cucumber gazpacho. The soup was absolutely delightful, and just what I was looking for. What’s more, it was accompanied by gorgeously tangy crumbled feta cheese. They went together perfectly. Meanwhile, Jordana chose dressed Dorset crab. It tasted wonderfully fresh and vibrant – and the celeriac accompaniment was equally good. We could not believe that the main courses would be able to match starters of this quality. But as it turned out, they were even better. I ordered that British traditional classic, a shepherd’s pie. This has a reputation as a signature Ivy dish, and having tasted it, I can see why. This was truly perfection in simplicity: wonderfully flavoursome meat, a rich, earthy sauce, and a potato topping that was both light and filling. Jordana ordered roast monkfish – and by now we were not surprised that this was equally delicious. The fish was of the very highest quality, cooked to perfection, and came with amazingly tasty accompaniments of lobster potato and mussels. Alongside our main courses, we shared an aromatic duck salad. We intended the salad to be a lovely addition to our meal, but when it came, it was so good that it threatened to steal the limelight altogether! The bird’s meat was tender and juicy, and watermelon and spicy chilli cashew nuts partnered it exquisitely. Brilliantly refreshing We were now feeling full after such a brilliant succession of dishes, but when the food was of this standard, there was simply no way that we were going to pass on dessert. I could not resist ordering the blueberry pie, and when it arrived, I certainly did not regret my choice. It was full of opulent flavour, and a crème fraîche sorbet made an accompaniment of the very highest class: I was in heaven. The apricot sorbet that Jordana chose was also brilliantly refreshing – and I must admit that a little controversy emerged for the first time in our superb meal, as after tasting each other’s, we could not agree whose sorbet was the best! But still, if that was the only cause for concern then we can safely say our meal was a good one – and that it certainly was. We were genuinely sad when it was over. And although with standards like this it is not going to get any easier to book a table here, we will certainly do our best to return. The great thing is that there are so many different options for having a meal here: as well as the classic evening meals, there’s a business lunch menu offering either two or three courses. It runs from Sunday to Thursday, and I have no doubt that it will be a hit with both residents of, and visitors to, Dubai. You can’t get the business lunch menu on Fridays, but arguably there’s something even better. One of the things that we find really tempting is the Ivy’s weekly Friday brunch. Running from noon until four pm, this aims to transport the atmosphere of a relaxed London weekend to the Emirates. Freshly baked bread, mini muffins, and coffee are all provided. And that’s before you move on to the really substantial dishes like eggs benedict, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, or the Ivy’s renowned salmon fishcakes (served with delicious sautéed spinach and sorrel sauce). For dessert, there’s a choice of mouth-watering dishes including elderflower jelly with jam ripple ice cream, and apple and toffee crumble with custard. And what’s more, there’s a separate children’s menu. It certainly sounds like something worth getting up late for! The Ivy has other superb features – including a private dining room that can seat up to 18 people, a magnificent terrace that can seat up to 80 people beneath a beautiful Ivy canopy, and fabulous live music evenings. On their own, these features, like the delicious meals we ate, are touches of brilliance. Put them together, and they add up to sheer class.