On the beach
There are lots of reasons why we love the new Beach House restaurant at the Park Hyatt on Saadiyat, but perhaps the most obvious is the incredible view we’re able to enjoy of the island’s rugged white sand beach from its terrace. It takes our breath away on every visit.
Whether the weather permits or not, even sat inside, you still have an unrestricted view of the blue ocean and white sand, that’s if you can tear your eyes away from the dessert buffet – we certainly had trouble. More of that later …
The Beach House Barbecue is a relaxed affair from the get-go. There’s no need to worry about high heels here; you’d be just as at home in shorts and a beach hat. The emphasis isn’t on grand surroundings, rather on the textures and flavours of the food.
The wonderfully fresh collection of salads, breads and homemade dips is testament to this fact. We opted for a warm handmade focaccia and some freshly mixed tomato and chili relish to start, with some crunchy fattoush and quinoa salad while our partner dove into the lentil and Caesar salads – prepared fresh in front of you.
With a stiff sea breeze blowing through your hair and a freshly squeezed strawberry mocktail in hand, there’s nothing better than a plate of these flavour-fuelled nibbles to get you started. We were certainly building an appetite for the barbecue – the smells of which were constantly wafting along the terrace.
Again, we started with some grilled vegetables – crisp corn, crunchy peppers and crispy potatoes – and fresh seafood. We can thoroughly recommend the cuttlefish, as it literally melts in your mouth (and goes perfectly with a dollop of the aforementioned tomato and chili relish). Our partner went for the grilled mackerel and huge tiger prawns, which we have to admit helping with.
It’s also worth mentioning here though that you absolutely MUST save room for dessert. The Beach House selection of after-dinner naughties can only be described as epic. We just couldn’t decide between berry cheesecake, lemon meringue, fruit crumble or the homemade ice cream and sweeties so we had a little of everything. Following our lead, our guest enjoyed a panna cotta, chocolate fondant, some Umm Ali and some more ice cream (and sweeties).
Fit to burst we were left to roll into some comfy chairs on the terrace to enjoy more fruity libations and the wonderful views. The perfect end to a perfect lunch.
What? Beach House BBQ
Where: Beach House, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas
When: Fridays from 12.30pm to 4pm
Cost: AED 300++ per person with soft drinks and AED 390++ with soft drinks and house beverages
We say: A fabulously fulfilling and relaxing afternoon
Contact: 02 407 1234
