SimplyAbuDhabi VII

5 3 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I A feeling of inspiration strikes you as soon as you walk into Quest. This wonderful signature restaurant is on the 63rd floor of the Jumeirah at Etihad Towers hotel, and the views are nothing short of phenomenal: there’s a 360-degree panorama over Abu Dhabi, the Corniche and the Arabian Gulf. On our visit, an atmosphere of pure class was set from the very outset. Jordana and I were seated at an exquisitely laid table, with a fine white linen tablecloth, stylish crockery and lovely white flowers. On a beautifully clear evening, we could look out of the window beside us and see the bright lights of the buzzing city below. We felt as if we were sharing in Abu Dhabi’s pulsating energy, yet at the same time peacefully floating above it. It was the perfect venue for enjoying Quest’s sumptuous food. Our charming waiter explained the menu to us. Quest is a pan-Asian restaurant that brings together influences fromChina, Malaysia, and Japan. There’s a relatively small number of dishes, but that focus is deliberate. The restaurant’s philosophy ties in with the minimalist design: it’s about quality, not quantity. Superb ingredients I went for our waiter’s recommendation of the miso soup – and it turned out to be an excellent choice, both warming and refreshing. I loved the imaginative way in which the dish was served, too: the dry ingredients were brought to the table, and then the steaming broth poured over them right before us. This theatre made the soup taste even more delicious. The ingredients were all superb, but for me, the seaweed in particular stood out as belonging to the very highest class. Jordana opted for a yam pak salad of mixed fruit and vegetables. This, too, was exceptionally good – really spicy, juicy and crunchy. Star anise and soy sauce were the perfect complement to the fruit’s sweetness. Having begun our meals in such an impressive fashion, we then had a chance to sit back and examine the roommore closely. The space is dominated by the large open kitchen, with tables lining the edge of the room. There are also small private dining rooms. To us, this design was a great idea, allowing diners to experience the fabulous views at their best. Ambitions We were intrigued by the name “Quest”, and so we asked the waiter what was meant by it. He explained that it’s because people often hatch new plans and quests around a table of quality food and beverages. It’s when we get into long, engaging conversations about future possibilities with loved ones, friends or business associates that we are at our happiest, and new ambitions form. Quest’s chef, BenjaminWhatt, has said that he wants to recreate the excitement generated from those special moments in time up here on the Jumeirah’s 63rd floor. He has already gained a reputation for being able to transform the freshest ingredients of the day into contemporary Asian masterpieces. And he does this not only to provide guests with amazing gourmet experiences, but also to encourage the kind of fertile conversation that gets new projects and ideas off the ground. The staff hard at work in the kitchen can enjoy the superb location, too. This is certainly a “kitchen with a view”: in fact, it’s probably the best kitchen view in the UAE. That might seem irrelevant, but in my opinion it’s an important aspect of the restaurant. It means that the chefs preparing your food can feel the same kind of inspiration that we felt looking out over the coast. We could see that the restaurant’s cuisine and interior design, as well as the stunning views from its ideal level 63 location, were filling diners all around us with inspiration, energy and imagination. In this kind of atmosphere, it really does seem that each dish is prepared with “a salute to a future of possibilities”. The Quest restaurant on the 63rd floor of the Jumeirah at Etihad towers hotel provides guests with an utterly inspirational dining experience