Abu Dhabi Week fills up at 18 Oz
With a name as simple and to the point as 18 Oz, we’re in no doubt that we’re in for a meat feast when we visit the steak restaurant at The One to One Hotel.
18 Oz is one of five restaurants at the hotel, and it might just be our new favourite. With swish, dark furnishings and a cosy feel, the venue has a large window which allows in enough light to make it ideal for casual lunching or private dining in the evening.
Anyone who frequents the hotel will tell you that detail is what One to One does best, from the playful bull-rings on the leather menus to the scattered animal-skin style rugs on the floor. A
cowboy hat may not be on the dress code but we’re definitely feeling the urge to ‘yee-haw’ at the menu options and are resisting the urge to ‘howdy’ the staff.
Deciding what to eat from the oversized menu is a rather interesting affair. We’re intrigued by the original starters and opt for a warm green salad with chicken liver and pomegranate – it’s clear there’s a creative and passionate chef at work in the kitchen. The dish itself is a pleasure to start with. The bed of warm salad reveals fresh, zingy rocket and just-the-right-side-of-al-dente asparagus, while the chicken liver comes in a deep sauce with a slight peppery kick – all softened by the sweetness of pomegranate.
Despite the richness of the flavours, the dish isn’t too overpowering and sets up the palate for our meaty main course.
18 Oz is famed for – you’ve guessed it – an 18oz steak meal. This is the Cowboy Steak, a whopping 504 grams of pure Angus beef, and it should come with a certificate if you finish it. The dish is huge: ideal if you fancy sharing, or order for one if you fancy a challenge. Though we would probably recommend stretchy pants if you attempt to polish it off in one sitting.
We’re not quite so brave, so we decide on a more manageable main dish – the 8oz tenderloin. There’s a choice of eight complementary sauces and we’re recommended to try the BBQ variety; apparently it took the chef some time to get it to this standard of perfection. The result is a warm blend of hickory and spices with a sweet chilli tone. Finally we round up our order with some freshly tossed spinach, mashed potato with cilantro and garlic, and a serving of panfried sweet potato wedges.
The tenderloin arrives medium-rare (just how we like it) and is exactly as it’s described – beautifully tender. The knife glides through the meat and we mop up the juices with the sweet potato (giant chips with a crispy outside and a soft, creamy centre). The BBQ sauce is definitely not to be overlooked either – we’re particularly partial to our sauces –and this one ticks all the right boxes.
The whole meal could have been overwhelming but wasn’t. Instead it’s a sizable and enjoyable array of flavours that are simple, fuss-free and wellrounded. The light, airy yet intimate ambience, along with well informed and attentive staff – and of course the delightful dishes make the whole experience the pleasure that eating out should be.
Now we just need to work up a big enough appetite for that Cowboy Steak ...
What? 18 Oz
Where? The One to One Hotel
How much? AED 240 per person including drinks
Why? Real, honest good food, cooked with care and a creative manner
Why not? You might as well order the extra-wide trousers now, especially if you can polish off the 18 Oz
Rated: 9/10
Contact: 02 495 2000
[Writer] Charlie Kennedy
[Originally published in Abu Dhabi Week vol 2 issue 21]
