Restaurant Review: Fine dining in the desert at Qasr Al Sarab
Posted on 15 March 2010 with no comments from readers
In the days of the famous British explorer Sir Wilfred Thesiger dining under the stars in the Arabian desert must have been an unforgettable experience, albeit a menu limited by the availability of natural ingredients and camp site surroundings of modest comfort.
Come to the Qasr Al Sarab 150 kilometers into the Abu Dhabi desert and you will see how things are done in modern Arabia. This is fine dining of a kind that would not be out of place in London or Paris skillfully transposed into a beautiful hotel in the middle of the desert.
Future award winners?
It was Sir Wilfred who first made these dunes a literary event with his celebrated books. But it will be the chefs of the Qasr Al Sarab who achieve similar fame in terms of cuisine.
Head straight for the signature Suhail restaurant for a la carte fine dining on a splendid terrace overlooking the desert valley below. The menu is small but offers real gourmet flourish.
Our starter of duck fois gras ravioli with sliced black truffle on top was sensational. My wife instantly dubbed it the best starter ever in the UAE.
You are also not left short of choices on the wine list, and for once the house wine is a good one and not expensive by local hotel standards. If you are feeling more adventurous there is a walk-in wine cellar with a great selection of champagnes and vintage wines.
The main course of Beef Parmentier featured Wagyu beef, flown in like the fresh seafood from some distant corner of the globe to be served where the desert explorers once sat with their dates and rice. Portions are not enormous so there is plenty of room for a desert dessert.
Again straight out of a Parisian salon the chocolate and cherry creation was something to die for. You also cannot fault the service or even the range of freshly cooked breads. Everything is exactly comme il faut. Suhail chef Nicolas Herbault is a man to watch out for as is executive chef Eric Martinet.
Other options
If you are staying longer than one night then the Al Waha buffet restaurant is an opportunity to sample the myriad of delights that come out of this hotel’s kitchen. This ranges across Arabic, Asian and European fare. Salads are especially good.
Then for a mid-day snack or late lunch by the huge pool area the Ghadeer restaurant is the place for a light nicoise salad or grilled fish with Mediterranean influences.
Years ago I met the late Sir Wilfred and we discussed his eating habits. He would not have liked the restaurants at the Qasr Al Sarab at all, but that would be very much a minority view.
