All aboard the Soy Express
Living just outside the city has its benefits – cheaper rent, no trouble finding parking spaces and lots of peace and quiet. However, sometimes after a long day at work we find ourselves hankering for a quick and easy food fix and this is where we run into trouble – Al Reef is not exactly over-endowed with take-away restaurants that will deliver this far out. So when we discovered Soy Express in the nearby Etihad Plaza, we just had to give it a go.
This cramped, slightly scruffy and well-hidden restaurant above Abela is well worth a try if you’re after some cheap and tasty Chinese or Thai cuisine. The main focus of the restaurant is tasty take-away food although there are a few stools and a bar jostling for space opposite the counter if you fancy eating in.
On our first visit we decide to sample a selection of their fare fresh from the kitchen. Perching on a stool, the first thing that strikes us is that the décor is minimal but the menu is extensive – there’s a comprehensive selection of appetisers, soups, Dim Sum, wok dishes, Thai curries, noodles, rice and vegetarian options. It’s clear that the main focus of attention is the food and it shows.
We decide to start with some crispy honey chicken and we’re not disappointed – sprinkled with sesame seeds, the sweetly succulent chicken has just the right amount of crunch and sticky sauce to make it decidely moreish. Next up is the assorted Dim Sum basket – a selection of beautifully presented steaming dumplings just bursting with flavour. We particularly liked the BBQ chicken parcels and the prawn Sui Mai.
Starting to feel nicely full, we take a little break before moving on to our mains, which are equally impressive. The Beijing style crispy lamb is a taste sensation, while the Thai red chicken curry is as good as anything we’ve tasted in Abu Dhabi.
Loosening our belts a couple of notches, we finish with a healthy (at least that’s what we tell ourselves) helping of honey glazed noodles and ice cream – the perfect way to finish any meal.
A couple of days later, once we’d fully recovered, we decided to give the take-away service a go and have to report that the experience was just as good. The food arrived in little over 30 minutes, still piping hot and with little discernible difference in quality.
And with another branch just open in Dalma Mall, now even more people can enjoy the full Soy Express experience.
So why not grab some friends, jump aboard the Soy Express and fill your face for a bargain price.
What? Soy Express
Where? Etihad Plaza
Cost: Very reasonable – AED 50 should get you two courses and a drink
We say: Tasty take-out tucker
Contact: 02 557 4759
Jon Muller
