Great roast dinners in Abu Dhabi
What’s On lists the best roast dinners in Abu Dhabi, including Rhodes 44, Scott’s, Captain’s Arms, Cooper’s, The Grille, PJ O’Reilly’s.
Most famous for battered fish and chips and fried breakfasts (neither of which we’re averse to here at What’s On), traditional British fare is often regarded as an underdog in the world of international cuisine. But even the most adamant food snob would struggle to turn down a good old-fashioned roast dinner. We’ve rounded up some of the best that Abu Dhabi has to offer, so the next time you find yourself yearning for beef and Yorkshire puddings, you’ll know just where to go…
Scott’s
Although seafood is the star of the show at Scott’s, if you look beyond the lobster and langoustines on the menu at this London import – and What’s On Award-winner 2013 – you’ll find some pretty tasty roasted meats on offer too. A plate of lamb, chicken or venison will soon satisfy those roast cravings – especially if you order the old-school Bakewell pudding for dessert.
Etihad Towers, Corniche W Street, Abu Dhabi, daily noon to 3pm, 7pm to 11pm. Tel: (02) 8115666. Taxi: Etihad Towers. scotts-restaurant.ae
Captain’s Arms
You can pretend you really are in Blighty when you tuck into a roast at the Captain’s Arms in the Tourist Club Area. Every Friday the English-style pub lays on roast beef dinners with two house beverages for just Dhs99. We like the outdoor dining area and the fact you can round off your roast with a classic dessert like apple pie or sticky toffee pudding.
Le Méridien Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area, Abu Dhabi, Fri noon to 4pm, Dhs99. Tel: (02) 6440348. Taxi: Le Méridien Abu Dhabi. captainsarms-abudhabi.com
Cooper’s
Our only beef (sorry) with a roast dinner is that the best bits are often gone too soon. Nothing irks us more than being presented with heaps of meat and veg accompanied by a single lonely Yorkshire pudding. Avoid such culinary catastrophes by heading to the Friday roast brunch at Cooper’s in the Park Rotana. This is an all-you-can-eat roast, so no need to resort to poaching your friends’ puds when their backs are turned.
Park Rotana, Eastern Ring Road, Abu Dhabi, Fri noon to 4pm, Dhs125. Tel: (02) 6573333. Taxi: Park Rotana Abu Dhabi. rotana.com/parkrotana
PJ O’Reily’s
For a twist on tradition, visit this Irish pub in Le Royal Méridien. Not only do roasts feature on the daily menu, spit-roast lamb and chicken are the centrepiece of the pub’s Friday brunch. There are enough dessert options to make your leisurely afternoon one of truly belt-busting proportions.
Le Royal Méridien, Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi, Dhs150, Fri 1pm to 4pm. Tel: (02) 6742020. Taxi: Le Royal Méridien. leroyalmeridienabudhabi.com
The Grille
For a roast dinner with great views to boot, this restaurant at Abu Dhabi Golf Club is a good bet. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the fairways, offering a welcome dose of green for desert dwellers. Saturday is roast dinner day at The Grille, where Dhs75 gets you access to a buffet laden with roast meats and all the trimmings.
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Sas Al Nakhl, Abu Dhabi, Mon to Sat 6pm to 10pm. Dhs75. Tel: (02) 5588990. Taxi: Abu Dhabi Golf Club. adgolfclub.com
Flavours
Beef, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, Yorkshire puddings – all the usual suspects can be found at the Fizzy Friday brunch at Flavours. The weekly brunch at the restaurant in the Sheraton hotel also features a children’s corner, making it a popular choice for families.
Sheraton Abu Dhabi, Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi, Fri 12.30pm to 3.30pm, Dhs249. Tel: (02) 6773333. Taxi: Sheraton Abu Dhabi. sheratonabudhabihotel.com
Silk Route Café
Why not play a little game of roast roulette at the Silk Route Café’s Friday brunch? Depending on which day you go, you could be treated to striploin of beef nestling invitingly in a giant Yorkshire pudding, a Christmassy turkey crown with cranberry and chestnut stuffing, or a leg of lamb with mint sauce. Roast potatoes galore are guaranteed.
Holiday Inn, 2nd Street, Abu Dhabi, Fri 12.30pm to 3pm, Dhs139. Tel: (02) 6574888. Taxi: Holiday Inn. holidayinn.com/abudhabi
Rhodes 44
Traditionalists take note: you won’t get mash and gravy with your roast chicken at the Rhodes 44 Friday brunch – think rocket leaves, barbecue sauce, and lime sour cream instead. But it’s well worth venturing outside of your roast comfort zone to experience celeb chef Gary Rhodes’ quirky takes on British classics. Plus, who could fail to be won over by a make-your-own Eton mess station?
St Regis Abu Dhabi, Nation Towers, Abu Dhabi, Fri noon to 3pm, Dhs270. Tel: (02) 6944553. Taxi: St Regis Abu Dhabi. rhodes44.com
Carl Tichart, Chef de Cuisine at Scott’s Abu Dhabi, on the traditional British roas
What are the essential components of a great roast dinner? A great roast diner must consist of the best quality meat you can find. If you’re using beef you have to have Yorkshire pudding, potatoes roasted in duck fat that are crispy on the outside and floury in the centre, roasted seasonal vegetables, gravy made from the roasting tray and horseradish cream.
If you were ordering a roast, which meat would you go for? Traditionally a slow-roasted rib-eye of beef on the bone is the classic British meal.
What advice would you give somebody attempting to cook their first roast dinner? Start with good quality beef and roast it as slowly as possible on a rack above a roasting tray so that you catch the juices. Use seasonal vegetables – blanch them and keep them tender. Serve the Yorkshire puddings straight from the oven, don’t allow them to cool down.
Do you have any tips for achieving perfect roast potatoes? Put duck fat in a roasting tray in the oven to get hot, then add the potatoes and let them roast evenly all over.
How about good gravy? Put caramelised onion, carrot, garlic and thyme in the roasting tray under the beef, so that when the juices escape during the roasting process it enhances the gravy.
What’s the best roast dinner you’ve ever eaten? It would have to be the one cooked by my mum!