The interior of BOA Steakhouse in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy BOA Steakhouse
The interior of BOA Steakhouse in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy BOA Steakhouse

Restaurant review: BOA Steakhouse



If you’re on the hunt for a new steakhouse where the ambience is valued as highly as the cuts, head to BOA Steakhouse at the Eastern Mangroves Promenade in Abu Dhabi.

The American restaurant has two branches serving the celebrity set in Los Angeles and is looking for similar success in Abu Dhabi.

Situated near the water, BOA overlooks the mangroves and provides a great view of the Abu Dhabi skyline.

The interior is different from the stuffy, formal steakhouse you might expect – it is modern, edgy and with a young vibe. There’s a chrome fixture that partially divides the dining room – adding a cool, art deco feel to the space. The music is funky and louder than you’d expect, but works in this space.

We sat in a comfortable, rounded booth and were immediately greeted by our server. Our serving team made themselves readily available but bordered on being too rushed, and we had to tell them that we’d like to relax and enjoy the experience. Service slowed – and sailed smoothly after that.

We opted for the jumbo lump crab cake with Cajun remoulade and a Caesar salad to share for appetisers. The fully packed crab cake came with a tasty, but too thin, layer of remoulade. The Caesar salad was prepared table-side, a common practice at upscale steakhouses. The romaine lettuce and croutons were mixed with a dressing that had such depth of flavour – due in part to the crushed anchovies – that I wanted to order a second serving.

The list of steaks on the menu is impressive in comparison with local steak houses. Even though most of the meat is shipped from the US from a halal supplier, BOA also offers Australian beef. We chose the 28-day dry-aged bone-in rib-eye (Dh425). We also ordered the Australian Blackmore Wagyu beef strip, with a 9+ marble score (Dh395).

All cuts come with a choice of rub or sauce, but we felt steaks like this should be able to stand on their own, and they did. The Wagyu strip (180g) was tender and had a strong umami flavour, and the giant rib-eye (450g) was cooked exactly as we’d asked. We ordered two sides as well – chipotle lime corn and creamed spinach – small supporting roles to the meat, which was the star of the show.

I don’t think anything can top the steaks, but dessert comes close. My new favourite pudding is BOA’s homemade mascarpone cheesecake with fresh berries, vanilla Chantilly cream and home-made strawberry ice cream. The BOA Snickers bar, with fleur de sel and caramel ice cream, was good, too.

The vibe, the decor, the food and the service at BOA succeed at setting this restaurant apart from its competition. It is, quite simply, one of the best new restaurants in town.

• Dinner for two at BOA Steakhouse, Eastern Mangroves Promenade, Abu Dhabi, costs Dh1,280. Call 02 641 1500 for reservations. Reviewed meals are paid for by The National and conducted incognito

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Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

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Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

On sale: Now

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Tips on buying property during a pandemic

Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.

While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.

While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar. 

Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.

Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities. 

Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong. 

Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.

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