SimplyAbuDhabi VII

2 8 9 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I W e love Abu Dhabi. It’s a fantastically, friendly, welcoming and diverse place – and of course it’s also a global epicentre of luxury. But like many of our readers, we have a great affection for other parts of the world, too, and when we do travel away from the Emirate, we have to admit that the UK’s capital, London, is one of our absolute favourite places to go. The city has a rich history of luxury and extravagance, and today – like Abu Dhabi – it is home to some of the world’s most sophisticated individuals and venues. This year there have been several things going on in London that have increased its appeal even more, drawing us back into its fascinating embrace. Firstly, there was the incredible premiere of the newBatman film, The Dark Knight Rises, which we attended in July. And secondly, there is of course the unsurpassable spectacle of the London 2012 Olympics: a compelling and historic occasion. There was no doubt about it: we were returning to London. And to match the fabulous itinerary, we were going to be enjoying, we needed a truly exquisite place to dine – somewhere truly relaxing and welcoming that also served cuisine of the very highest class. Many Simply Abu Dhabi readers – whether they’re from Abu Dhabi itself, Dubai, or a location outside the Emirates like Qatar or Saudi Arabia – will be familiar with the gorgeous London districts of Mayfair and Knightsbridge. These areas are becoming increasingly popular with visitors from this part of the world – and when these central London districts ooze such an overpowering charm, it’s easy to see why. We too have a particular love of these districts, and that’s why we were delighted to hear that a new restaurant, Novikov, had opened in these parts. Novikov is founded by Arkady Novikov, who has attained an incredibly prestigious global reputation with a hugely successful restaurant business in Russia. Byword for sophistication Novikov was born in 1962 and, thirty years later, he opened his first restaurant – Sirena, serving seafood – with the help of a loan from a friend. His company, Novikov Restaurant Group, now employs 7,000 people inmore than 50 restaurants inMoscow. These restaurants have become a byword for sophistication and class, and have entertained a host of distinguished global leaders – including Vladimir Putin and Bill Clinton – as well as much-loved stars like Naomi Campbell. The incredibly successful Novikov has also been involved in other ventures, such as creating a 15-acre agricultural business providing delicious organic fruit and vegetables for his restaurants and other outlets. He has also demonstrated his breadth of talent by hosting the Russian version of The Apprentice, a show designed to find and encourage entrepreneurs of the future. But it’s the provision of sumptuous fine dining experiences that remain at the core of what he does – and the Mayfair Novikov is the entrepreneur’s first restaurant outside Russia. We were delighted to receive a personal invitation to dine at the Italian restaurant (there is also another restaurant in the venue serving Chinese and Pan-Asian cuisine) – and I hope it won’t spoil the suspense to reveal that the meal exceeded our highest expectations.