Sontaya: Floating Pavilions and Southeast Asian Excellence on Saadiyat Island
A Setting That Justifies Its Name
Sontaya means ‘sunset’ in Thai, and the restaurant’s extraordinary location on Saadiyat Island renders that name gloriously literal. Nestled within The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, the dining pavilions float among interconnected pools and terraces that face the pristine expanse of Saadiyat Beach and the Arabian Gulf beyond. The approach to one’s table is itself a prelude to the meal, a progression through water and landscaped gardens that sets an unmistakably romantic and celebratory tone. The design speaks to occasions of significance, yet the kitchen commands sufficient substance and sophistication that the view, however enchanting, need not shoulder the entire burden of the experience.
A Menu Rooted in Southeast Asian Mastery
The current menu traverses the breadth of Thailand and the wider Southeast Asian region, moving well beyond the conventional resort shorthand of pan Asian cuisine. Green chicken curry and yellow prawn curry sit alongside a King Massaman beef curry, a substantial creation built around braised short rib, sweet potato and cashew nuts in harmonious balance. Seafood occupies an equally prominent place within the kitchen’s repertoire: ginger lotus sea bass emerges roasted with galangal, lemongrass and shrimp paste, whilst the menu embraces miso glazed black cod, tiger prawns and whole lobster. Pad Thai, nasi goreng and crab ginger fried rice extend the canvas without diluting the precision of the core offerings. Each dish reflects a kitchen confident in its craft and its understanding of Southeast Asian culinary tradition.
An Evening at Water’s Edge
Sontaya rewards those who approach it as a complete evening rather than a conventional dinner reservation. Arrive whilst natural light still graces the pools and pavilions, beginning with something fresh and spicily invigorating, then progress into the deeper registers of curry or the luxurious textures of seafood as the resort’s night time ambiance unfolds. Dinner service runs from six in the evening until midnight throughout the week, with lunch available on Fridays through Sundays from one until four in the afternoon. The restaurant welcomes reservations through The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort directly, ensuring that your evening is orchestrated with the refinement and attention to detail the setting so gracefully demands.
On Simply Luxury: St. Regis