With its contemporary take on traditional Japanese cuisine, the Koi brand can boast culinary success stories in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and Bangkok, and now the famous American outlet is here in Abu Dhabi.
Finding a natural home in the impressive surroundings of The Collection at The St Regis Saadiyat Island and Resort, Koi will no doubt strike the first-time visitor as gorgeously funky, dark and decadently lit.
A dedicated sushi bar, lounge and a terrace for outdoor dining will all impress, and that’s before the food even arrives.
Nibbling on Edamame serves as a salty starter to the night, with appetisers from the salad menu to follow. The warm baby spinach and mushrooms salad (with ponzu dressing) is a solid start, even if navigating it with chopsticks proves mildly problematic. The lobster avocado salad (with shiitake mushrooms, tofu-lime dressing) however, is stunning; a genuine must-have.
To follow, the Koi signature dishes are modestly proportioned but disproportionately enjoyable by comparison, the pick of the menu, for us, being the crunch but moist lobster tacos, and the glorious spicy crunchy yellowtail tartare.
The Koi signature rolls are well worth dipping into too, with the Koi dragon roll (an amazing amalgam of shrimp tempura, eel and baked crab) and the Rok N’Roll (a marvellous mash-up of soft shell crab, spicy tuna and baked crab topped with toro and gold leaves) stand-out delights.
Maintaining the sophisticated portion-sizes but incredible presentation and taste, the mains consisted of grilled Sea Bass with a honey balsamic glaze, which came with shiso-pea coulis, and Kobe-style filet mignon toban-yaki, with asparagus and mushrooms. The sea bass was flakey and flavoursome, but the filet mignon was, in the opinion of both diners, the most succulent and delicious plate of the evening. A real masterpiece.
Desserts were excellent, but paled in comparison with what came before. We’d recommend the Flourless Molten Chocolate Cake (with vanilla ice cream, butterscotch sauce and fresh berries) and the Koi Sundae (vanilla and chocolate ice cream, warm Brownie and fresh banana).
Overall, the Koi experience is a guarantee of exceptional food, faultless service, and sophisticated atmosphere. Highly recommended.
Details
What? Koi
Where? The Collection at The St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort
We Say: An exceptional experience
Cost: Salads from AED 44, Signature dishes from AED 72, signature rolls from AED 44, mains from AED 83 and desserts from AED 25
Contact: 02 678 3334
