Abu Dhabi: “Wheat is not just a destination. It is a state of mind” reads the introduction on the menu of the newly opened Wheat Bakery and Bistro at the Royal Le Meridien hotel in the heart of Abu Dhabi.
An early morning breakfast, a long lazy afternoon coffee, a power lunch or an evening hangout place, Wheat caters to your state of mind.
Open from 6am to 10pm, the place offers a welcoming feel that puts you immediately at ease. The décor is modern and casual. If you go there in the morning, you will get the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting from their in-house bakery. The old Asian restaurant Soba had to give way to this chic modern eatery that fits well with the image makeover this landmark hotel has been undergoing.
The place has seats with bar tables and highchairs next to the bakery which you can use to wash down news stories, celebrity gossip and lifestyle features with your coffee. The place has an impressive collection of newspapers and magazines at your disposal.
Further down there are a few tables well spaced out between stacks of grocer’s items such as exotic pickles, date ketchups and crystal salts or cured meat.
My dining partner and I took a table close to the door that opens to the outside (you can enter Wheat through the hotel’s main lobby or from outside). Over a strawberry lemonade we breezed through the menu that had a great selection of sandwiches, easy bites, soups and desserts.
We started with a potato and leek soup that seemed a good option on a weary Saturday evening. The warm pastel green soup, served in a bright red bowl instantly re-energised me. The soup was light minus the overpowering taste of potatoes. It was neither thick, creamy or watery.
Next we ordered a roasted pumpkin and feta cheese salad. It was one of the best I’ve tasted, and I would highly recommend it. The combination of pumpkin and cheese was amazing. I liked the taste of crispy iceberg lettuce drizzled with honey and ginger oil, roasted pumpkin seeds and succulent pieces of grilled prawns.
The menu had a choice of sandwiches and we ordered the BBQ Chicken Banh Mi with coriander and cucumber and Chicken Schnitzel. But the low point with these items is they’re a tad messy to eat. For instance, BBQ sauce drips out of the Chicken Banh Mi as you bite into the bread, and the sun-dried tomatoes in the Schnitzel are forever slipping out of the sandwich. That said, who cares about propriety when pesto sauce and melted cheese do wonders to your palate.
Moving to the bakery section, there’s plenty to indulge the sweet tooth. There are pastries, muffins, doughnuts and a delectable selection of homemade ice creams. A must-try here is the carrot and ginger muffin. It tastes as good as it looks.
The Black Forest is another sweet item not to miss at the Wheat Bakery & Bistro.
Details
Meal for two: Dh150 to Dh200
Location: Royal Le Meridien, Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi
Timing: 6am to 10pm
Contact: 02-695 0450
