High above the hustle and bustle of downtown Abu Dhabi, diners are enjoying a unique 360 degree view of the UAE capital's impressive skyline.
As the starters arrive, some guests glance down at the shiny skyscrapers of Al Markaziyah while others peer through the night sky at the twinkling lights of Lulu Island in the Arabian Gulf.
The setting is Al Fanar restaurant in the Le Royal Meridien Hotel on Khalifa Street, which lies between the Corniche and Hamdan Street and runs from Al Salam Street to Al Ettihad Square. Khalifa Street is the ideal location for those who want to live and breathe Abu Dhabi city life. There's plenty of local culture to be found there, besides the fact that the Corniche, the jewel in the capital's crown, is only a short walk away.
Several banks have their headquarters in the area and Al Noor Hospital, one of Abu Dhabi's larger general hospitals, is also located on Khalifa Street.
Romantic setting
Towering above it all is the iconic cylindrical structure of the Al Fanar revolving restaurant. Katrina Evardone, a 23-year-old hostess at Al Fanar from the Philippines, said: "In approximately one hour and 40 minutes, diners get to see a full 360 degree view of Abu Dhabi in a very romantic setting; that is the main reason why Al Fanar differs from other restaurants in the city. "Khalifa Street is located in the heart of Abu Dhabi. It's very close to the Corniche and there are a number of malls within walking distance or just a five dirham taxi ride away. Life here is easy."
Directly behind the Le Royal Meridien is the Al Ain Palace Hotel, which is famed for its notorious bar the Ally-Pally; a favourite with British expatriates. Dozens of teenagers regularly play football in the car park across from the massive Shaikh Khalifa Energy Complex, which is home to various large corporations including Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Zadco and Takreer. Every now andthen, buses and cars are forced to swerve to avoid flying footballs from the various impromptu matches taking place in the vicinity.
Like most areas of Abu Dhabi, Khalifa Street can be transformed into one giant car park. In a bid to tackle the problem, paid parking has been recently introduced to the area. The Department of Transport introduced a parking management programme called Mawaqif as part of its strategic plan to address parking issues in the city centre. Mansour Al Hajiri, a 28-year-old traffic warden, said: "I have only been in Abu Dhabi for around four months because the Mawaqif project is quite new. It can get a bit crowded around Khalifa Street but more parking spaces have been introduced so things are beginning to get more organised. "A lot of construction work is ongoing in the area. But the overall traffic situation will improve once these obstacles are out of the way." Al Hajri paces up and down Khalifa Street for hours in the extreme heat each day. His blue and white uniform is a relatively new sight and many motorists still seem unaware about the paid parking situation.
Lekshmi Santhosh, a 33-year-old housewife from India, has lived on Khalifa Street for four years with her twin daughters Surabhi and Sarayu. She said: "It is very comfortable living here except for the parking situation. There are hospitals and grocery stores in close proximity and the public transport service is good.
"My favourite thing about living on here is that we are very close to the Corniche and there is also a park nearby where we can to relax as a family." The park is Capital Garden, which sits on the corner of Khalifa Street and Lulu Street. It boasts of numerous activities to keep young children entertained for hours including pony rides, a play park and water features.
The park is an ideal place to settle down and enjoy a pastry and coffee from the nearby La Brioche cafe, which is a huge favourite with residents and workers in downtown Abu Dhabi. The French bistro serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and also boasts an alluring display of sweets, cakes and pastries. Teresa Engco, a 27-year-old cashier from the Philippines, said: "We cater to a mixture of different nationalities at La Brioche including a number of Emirati customers and French expatriates. I have been living on Khalifa Street for around five months and I find it a very safe place to walk about, even in the early hours of the morning. "I don't think traffic is as bad on Khalifa Street as in other areas of the city. It is also very clean and there are a lot of nice buildings and coffee shops in the vicinity. I feel like everything is accessible here such as hospitals and grocery stores.
Khalifa Street lies between the Corniche and Hamdan Street and runs from Al Salam Street to Al Ettihad Square and is right in the heart of downtown Al Markaziya District. Several banks have their headquarters here and it also features hotels and restaurants which offer a variety of cuisine. The revolving tower, on top of a leading hotel, gives you a 360-degree view of the area. You can also soak in local culture and entertainment.
1 Restaurants: The revolving rooftop restaurant at Le Royal Meridien Hotel is undoubtedly the place to go for unrivalled views of the capital's skyline. La Brioche cafe is popular with residents as it serves authentic fare and boasts of a wide array of cakes and pastries.
2 Hospitals: Al Noor Hospital is a state-of-the-art medical institution with full surgical facilities. The facility was built in 1985 and has evolved from a polyclinic into a full blown hospital with advanced equipment and facilities.
3 Malls: There are several malls in and around Khalifa Street. Al Wahda Mall, just off 11th Street, boasts of some large retail chains while the Liwa Centre and Hamdan Centre are both located on Hamdan Street, which runs parallel to Khalifa Street.
4 Hotels: Several hotels are located on Khalifa Street including The Le Royal Meridien, the Millennium, the Al Rawda Rotana and The Eclipse. The Al Ain Palace hotel, the Corniche Hilton and the Sheraton are all in the nearby vicinity.
5 Grocery stores: A branch of the Abu Dhabi Cooperative Society is located on Khalifa Street. The entire street is dotted with various grocery stores, tailors, electrical shops and pharmacies.
