Flame of flavours at Al Mayass

Abu Dhabi: Diners with a fetish for Middle Eastern cuisine are in for a treat at the Sheraton Hotel in the Abu Dhabi Corniche.

The Lebanese-Armenian restaurant Al Mayass, which opened last year, is a complete joyride, especially if you are a fan (like me) of herbs, vegetables and yoghurt.

As we settle in, a variety of starters – Salata Armaniyeh (Dh36), Mutabbal Al Mayass (Dh28) Batenjan Bi Zeit Maa Laban (Dh37) and a Hummus Snobar (Dh34) – comes to the table, followed by some hot khubz (Arabic bread). Must say the service is rather quick.

The Salata Armaniyeh (Armenian salad) is made of finely chopped lettuce, cucumber, tomato, lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, hot chilli powder, dry mint leaves and it’s easy to finish the entire bowl.

The Batenjan Bi Zeit Maa Laban – stuffed eggplant in oil topped with yoghurt – is another interesting starter that goes well with the bread. The stuffing is delicious and the yoghurt topping makes it a soothing affair.

While the Hummus Snobar – a chickpeas spread with lemon flavoured sesame paste topped - is just about okay, the purple-coloured Mutabbal Al Mayaas (grilled eggplant spread with lemon flavoured sesame paste, hot chili powder and fresh beetroot) is something to die for. It’s a lip-smacking dish with the beetroot flavour coming out really strong.

Soon it’s time to start welcoming the main course. While I am totally stuffed with all the starters, my colleague takes a dig at the Manti (Dh64) and Sujuk Meshwi Aw Flambe (Dh45).

Some Batata Harra (Dh36) – spicy fried potato cubes with garlic and parsley – come along too.

Manti is a meat-filled pasta with yoghurt and a dash of pepper added in the end. As the restaurant manager brings us the dish, he pours a thick yoghurt on it.

He also adds a dash of pepper, mixes it well, before serving it to my colleague.

“The pepper adds a lot of flavour to this,” he says.

Meanwhile, Sujuk Meshwi Aw Flambe – Armenian beef sausage – makes a grand entry.

Cubes of beef sausage are skewed on three skewers and cooked over an open flame. Once done they are served with lemon and khubz.

“It’s crispy and crunchy and very tasty,” says my colleague.

But it’s the Kabab Be Karaz (finely ground beef meat on skewers in sweet and sour cherry sauce) that he enjoys the most. The manager who serves the dish cuts the kabab length-wise and stuffs the cherry sauce in it. My colleague who tries it says the dish is simply remarkable.

“I love it because it is sweet and sour at the same time. The cherry brings a lot of acidity to the dish which would otherwise look like any other plain kebab,” he says.

With no space for any dessert we end the meal – not on a sour note – but a sweet one.

Details:

Meal for two: Dh150-Dh200

Location: Sheraton Hotel, Corniche

Timing: Noon–11.30pm

Mobile: 050-232 2444