If there’s a more couple-friendly alfresco venue for a truly special occasion in the capital than Emirates Palace’s relatively slept-on BBQ Al Qasr, we’re yet to find it. On the beachside behind Emirates Palace, the grand-cabana-based restaurant has recently reopened after its annual summer sabbatical, with a completely overhauled menu.
From the four starter options, we ordered hand-dived scallops (Dh100), buried in a vegetable “garden” with truffle vinaigrette, and the “smoking bell” (Dh90), deliciously strong home-cured smoked salmon, marinated under a glass dome until the point of serving, with ginger and lemon grass blinis.
We longed to try out the bison prime ribs, but at 500 grams, and meant for two people, it felt like a bridge too far for two modest eaters. Instead, we went for one of the menu’s totally fresh concepts: a table-side mini-barbecue, with skewers cooked and served as you watch. For Dh270, you get two sizeable skewers from a selection of six meats and seafood (beef Tex-Mex, lamb rump Oriental, chicken tandoori, ostrich steak, spicy king prawn and gulf seafood). Always game for the least-standard options, we sampled the ostrich (which was heavy, gamey and succulent) and the Gulf seafood selection (which couldn’t quite meet the ostrich’s impact).
We decided not to attempt to devour a huge side of flesh for our other main: the “Mrs Filet” steak option, then, was the perfect 125-gram compromise. The steaks menu makes things brilliantly simple, with a grid of five different cuts to choose from across five different types of beef (Australian organic Angus, master Kobe, Irish John Stone, American black Angus and Australian Angus), all of them “simply grilled on charcoal”. Our top-graded master Kobe Wagyu, with a side of young spinach with garlic, was so meltingly tender that accompaniments weren’t really necessary.
The pick of the desserts was the petit fours (Dh65), a deep mini-dish of toasted marshmallow alongside raspberries and a skewer of rocky road with chocolate dip. And although there was a family with surly yet bizarrely hyperactive children seated next to us for the duration our visit, not even that could dim the enjoyment of fabulous food in a hitherto unrivalled setting.
The National was a guest at this restaurant.
• BBQ Al Qasr is open daily from 1pm to 11.30pm. For reservations, call 02 690 7999 or email restaurants@emiratespalace.ae. For more information, visit www.emiratespalace.ae
aworkman@thenational.ae