Abu Dhabi: The newly opened Caramel Restaurant and Lounge at The Collection, St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort is a sweeping compliment to the lifestyle destination it has chose to be in. And it works the other way around too.
The eatery’s brand of American style cuisine caters to a niche audience that covets fine dining and lounging in a chic and sophisticated ambience.
The Abu Dhabi Caramel is a replica of its hugely popular branch located at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). It has a sprawling dining space and a spacious lounge bar – both refined and opulent in taste and décor. The terrace overlooks a children’s play area offering an alfresco experience.
good start
The menu offers an amazing selection of starters under the ‘Shared for Table’ section. Seared Kobe Beef Carpaccio, King Crab Tacos, Mac and Cheese, Crispy Eggplant – each dish looked appetising. We settled for TNT Shrimp and Signature Chicken Lollipops to start with.
The lightly battered shrimp smeared with spicy, hot mayo lived up to its famed credentials as a hot Caramel favourite.
The shrimp was soft and succulent, and the thin coat of batter gave it a crispy bite without leaving any trace of oil.
Next to arrive at our table was Chinese Chicken Salad. This is a must-have dish said the waiter. Tasty and healthy, the salad was a delectable mix of clementine, cashew and honey mustard dressing over thin strips of chicken. The dish came as a cohesive mountain of vegetables and chicken in a plate and it was flattened out it no time.
A short break later, we were ready for Kobe Beef Sliders and Pomme Frittes glaced with garlic and parmesan cheese. The dish comprises three mini-burgers and is served with fluffy and buttery brioche bread. The beef burger was grilled according to my dining partner’s preference — medium rare. The caramelised onions and cheddar cheese improve the flavour of the dish. Another interesting dish is Crab Louis ‘ice’ dish as it is served inside a large ice cube.
With the chill in the air growing tenacious by night, we decided to order some hot dishes. After pondering the prospects of indulging in a big Surf Lobster – a 1.5 kg Maine lobster stuffed with King Crab and Ritz Cracke – we decided to go easy on our cravings and went for Truffled Penne Pasta with a Parmigiano-Reggiano sauce. It was a good choice and I have to say that it is one of the best pastas I’ve had. Neither sticky nor under-cooked, the penne was packed with flavours. The sweet green peas also went well with it.
A warm chocolate fondant with brownies and chocolate ice cream and a Cream Brulee completed a wonderful dining experience at the Caramel. Another menu item was Baked Alaska — a sponge cake with strawberries and ice cream.
A relative newcomer at Saadiyat Island, it looks like this restaurant will be bringing in big crowds in no time.
Details:
Meal for two: Dh500
Location: St Regis Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
Timings: Daily from 7pm-2am; Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 11am to 3pm
Contact: 02-678 3344
