Beach House: Think beach, think Mediterranean

ABU DHABI: If Saadiyat Island is Abu Dhabi’s new Shangri-La for beach goers, then the Mediterranean restaurant Beach House at the Park Hyatt Hotel is rightly a sanctuary they can retreat to.

Located on the fringes of the nine-kilometre stretch of beach on Saadiyat Island, Beach House is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the capital city. And it is just 15 minutes away.

As the saying goes, the journey was as interesting as the destination for it is worth savouring the soul-soothing ambience as you walk through the manicured greens bordered by columns of water bodies before you reach the beach-front restaurant.

The outdoor seating gives you breathtaking views of the sandy white shores lulled by the turquoise blue waters of the Gulf. But settling indoors will in no way spoil the visual treat as the roof-high windows and doors of the restaurant let every bit of the scenery in. The wooden interiors complete with bar tables and beach chairs make it a ‘chillax’ zone and, yes, you can walk in wearing your bikinis and shorts.

My companion and I took a seat outdoors unmindful of the sea breeze that was cheerfully frolicking with our locks. Soaking in the views suddenly became secondary as our focus shifted to the home-made Mediterranean menu. It offers a small but well-planned range offering a good choice of vegetarian dishes, salads, seafood and desserts.

We started off with a watermelon and feta cheese salad from the House Favourites. The crispy watermelon cubes that came with delicious feta cheese thrown in with some slightly tossed red onions is a sizzling combination to beat the heat outside. It is a great way to start your lunch as well if you are coming straight after a dip in the sea.

We paired our salad with chargrilled green asparagus tossed with some parmesan shavings and balsamic vinegar – a healthy dish that kept the calorie count in check.

After downing the watermelon salad and asparagus with some thirst quenchers we shifted gear.

We went for the Guinness-braised ox cheek. The chef explained that the cheek is chosen as it is the most flexible and softest part of the animal and, as she assured, the meat just melted in our mouth.

Deep fried prawns with chilli and garlic sauce and the King of Paella with chicken, seafood and shellfish graced our tables next.

In hindsight I thought I should have stuck to Chicken Paella as I enjoyed biting into the chicken rather than the shellfish and calamari, though my friend – a seafood fan – thought the well-cooked rice with a generous dose of Mediterranean spices was heavenly.

But our disagreement turned into thumping unanimity as we dug into the crispy fried prawns. The batter-fried prawns were soft inside and the chilli and garlic sauce just made them tantalisingly good. A chocolate ice cream and warm Pear Crumble with rubarb added a sweet note to our meal.

Beach House is definitely a place we recommend if you are looking for a holy communion between good food and nature.

DETAIL:

Meal for Two: Dh200 to 250

Timings: All day – 10am to midnight

Lunch: 12.30pm-4pm

Dinner: 6.30pm-midnight

Call:02-407 1138