SimplyAbuDhabi VII

2 9 1 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Sublime With a class act like this running the show, it’s small wonder that our meal was sublime. Jordana’s starter was as mouthwatering as mine: a selection of grilled seasonal vegetables that were again cooked to the height of perfection. And as well as these antipasti, we shared some cured beef with oil and lemon. The blend of flavours worked really well, and it was polished off in no time at all! We then shared a dish from the Primi Platti menu – a wonderfully fresh seafood Carbonara Linguini – before attending to our main courses. Everything had been truly excellent so far, but these were the real stars of the show. I chose the pan-fried calf’s liver, whose delicate and sophisticated flavour was expertly enriched with an indulgent accompaniment of butter and sage. Jordana’s choice – a grilled sea bream fillet – was a masterpiece in its elegant understatement. As with our other dishes, the simple presentation underlined the sheer quality of the ingredients. We rounded off our meal with some delicious Italian coffee, and some unbelievably refreshing water. I was drinking still water, while Jordana opted for sparkling. Both were excellent: extremely crisp-flavoured and refreshing. Some people might tell you that water is the same everywhere you go. But what lovers of luxury know is that it’s the details that count. It’s no surprise at all that with food of this class, Novikov has become a favoured haunt of some of the world’s most high profile celebrities. Talented singer Rihanna and Prince Harry are among those to have attended. The endorsement of these well- known faces only adds to the appeal of Mayfair and Knightsbridge – which are strengthening their already superb reputation as some of London’s most glamorous addresses. I think it’s fair to say that we’ll be returning here again! Visit the Novikov website via http://www.novikovrestaurant.co.uk