Restaurant review: Abu Dhabi retro diner Fly Hotdog

This American-style diner in Khalidiya delivers on its burgers and hot dogs.

The American-style diner Fly Hotdog Restaurant in Khalidiyah. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

Stepping into Fly Hotdog, a home-grown diner in Khalidiya, feels like a refreshing alternative to the many shawarma restaurants that fill the maze of streets in this Abu Dhabi neighbourhood. The interior has a 1950s American theme – white brick walls and retro red, black and white furnishings, all reflected in chrome and mirrors. The walls are laden with pictures of Elvis Presley, The Beatles and vintage Coca-Cola signs and small models of classic American cars. There are four booths and two high-top tables for small groups. There’s a line of stools at the counter where guests can watch chefs whip up their orders over an open-flame grill and griddle. And sitting in a corner is a jukebox to which diners can connect their iPods.

The menu is focused and simple: hot dogs, burgers, fries, nachos and a loaded baked potato called Burning Love, named after one of Presley’s greatest hits.

On my first visit, I chose the Fly burger with red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheese, pickles and the restaurant’s special sauce (a delicious, creamy, garlic mayonnaise that it should pour over everything on the menu). For the burgers, the cooks roll a chunk of Australian Angus into a neat ball, place it carefully on a scorching hot griddle and then smash it down. This is important – flattening it puts more of the meat in contact with the griddle so there’s more charring. The result is a flavour-packed, crusty exterior encasing a juicy, perfectly cooked centre.

On another visit (I’ve been back four times) I opted for the King Elvis burger – a giant two-patty burger loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, fiery jalapeños, sweet, caramelised onions, red peppers, cheese and pickles. This meaty mess is loaded with flavour and will require more napkins than you’ll find at the table. The only thing missing from it is peanut butter (which Presley allegedly loved).

As the name suggests, there’s more to Fly Hotdog than the burgers. The hot dogs come with a heap of ingredients: tomatoes, onions, lettuce, olives, pickles, crumbled nachos, cheese and that secret sauce, again. They’re grilled over an open flame, which lends a crispy texture and slightly smoky flavour to the meat.

With my burger quota for the month almost up, I sampled the rest of the menu on my most recent visit, but unfortunately nothing else stood out. The chicken burgers are grilled over an open flame and, although mine had excellent flavour from the sweet, charred exterior, the meat was overdone and rubbery. The signature sauce lured me into eating the whole thing, but the chefs would do well to take the chicken off the flames a few minutes sooner.

The ostrich egg-sized Burning Love baked potato was smothered in sour cream, sweetcorn, black olives, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup and spring onions. It was creamy and sweet, buttery and filling, but it also came topped with an unpleasantly tart Russian salad that overpowered the rest of the ingredients. Sadly, both potatoes we ordered desperately needed more time under the heat lamp.

Our nachos came with what appeared to be canned cheese sauce and canned salsa. There was minced beef and sour cream, too, but the end result was too much like cinema-style nachos. Instead, opt for the chocolate milkshake. The ice cream may not be homemade but the shake is the perfect balance of creamy and sweet; likewise the vanilla Flyboy Float, which is served in a giant mug.

After a lot of (soul) searching, I think I’ve finally found my favourite burger joint. And the best news is a second location is soon coming to Mohammed bin Zayed City.

• A meal for two at Fly Hotdog (Khalidiya, behind Corniche Tower, next to La Brioche) costs Dh150. Reviewed meals are paid for by The National and conducted incognito