26 August 21 – September 3 2019 timeoutabudhabi.com
EVER SINCE THE departure of Toro Toro, at the
rear of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, there has
been a pan-Latin shaped hole in Abu Dhabi’s
dining scene.
But luckily, world-renowned restauranteur
Richard Sandoval has saved the day by
Àlling his former spot with VaKaVa, the latest
edition to his Latin restaurant group Richard
Sandoval Hospitality.
With 45 outlets under his belt, including
branches in California, New York, Mexico,
Dubai, Qatar, Serbia and Tokyo, his Áavour-
Àlled South American dishes and exciting
venues are renowned across the world.
We grab the bull by the horns and ask the
foodie why VaKaVa is set to be the new place
to be in the capital.
What can we expect from VaKaVa?
Vacca means cow in Latin, and the
restaurant is similar in style to Toro Toro.
It’s like the twin sister: sassy, vibrant and
young. The dining room is very tropical and
warm, and I think people will enjoy it. It’s very
representative of Latin America.
What kind of dishes are on the menu?
Like Toro Toro, the menu is also based on
churrasco grill, and we have dishes such as
ceviches, antichuchos, grills and tacos.
I always like to build menus that are very
interactive and very sharable. It’s a lighter
version of a steakhouse – not so heavy.
People can come in and share appetisers
or something from the grill. It’s a very
approachable place.
Following today’s trends for healthy eating,
we deÀnitely have at least one vegetarian
option in each category. I eat a lot more
plant-driven foods than protein or meat
now. As you get older you tend to eat more
healthily and lighter.
The menu is very exciting with lots of
things to choose from and I think people
will enjoy the bold Áavours. When you put
We speak to Richard
Sandoval, the man behind
VaKaVa, Abu Dhabi’s most
exciting new restaurant.
By Harriet Shephard
Charging
Bulls
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