If you are looking to visit just one iftar buffet this year, you would do well to choose the Ritz Carlton spread in Abu Dhabi.
The iftar is almost unrivalled in its choice of offerings, and the quality of the food is definitely something to write home about. What’s more, the multitude of live cooking stations ensures that dishes are served hot and fresh, truly adding to the taste.
I heard a lot about the buffet and the friendly staff, and expected only good things as I entered the hotel’s Giornotte Restaurant. The venue was beautifully lit, and I was given a tour of all the live stations on the way to my seat. What really caught my eye was a section where I was told that women would be whipping up traditional Emirati sweets, including my favourite, the date syrup-drenched dumpling, lugaimat.
To start off, I spent quite a bit of time selecting my dates, especially as labels indicated the name and level of sweetness of each variety. At the lovely drinks station, I had to try the refreshing karkade juice, made from sweetened hibiscus, as it was a departure from the usual Ramadan drinks.
The baked buns were a nice start to my meal, and I followed it with a tasty beef tongue salad, some delicious kebbe and a little smoked salmon. My companion was impressed too with the pide, a Turkish flatbread garnished with tomato sauce, meats and vegetables, and by the fresh shawarmas made just for him.
I did not, however, dare to go for the camel biryani, and stuck to my lamb ouzi for the mains, along with a creamy seafood gratin and a warm chicken broth-based curry. I wanted to try the quesadillas from the Mexican station, but was instead side-tracked by the roasted meagre fish. Sampling it, I went back for seconds and then thirds: it was that good.
After a short and much-needed break, I settled on some delicious kunafeh and fresh lugaimat for dessert. But if I’d had some more room, I would have loved to try the date-flavoured camel milk ice cream, which my companion could not stop singing praises of. In fact, there were a range of camel milk ice creams to try, but feeling quite full, I decided to call it a day.
The details
Where: Giornotte restaurant The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi
Price: Dh185 per person, Dh90 for children aged 6-12 years
Timings: Sunset until 9.30pm.
