TimeOut Abu Dhabi – April 24, 2019

timeoutabudhabi.com April 24 – 30 2019 31

Food

WHAT IS IT...

Bar food served out on

the outdoor terrace, or in

the busy bar area

WHY GO...

For the sharing-style

platters, nachos and

lively vibe. The happy

hour deals are good, too

Flavors Grill

O Open daily 9am-midnight. Mina Zayed (050 318 9222).

WE’VE BEEN THERE, done it and wrote

thousands of reviews in the process, but every

now and then a restaurant experience in Abu

Dhabi takes us by surprise.

Flavors Grill is a new spot that stands out

from the more traditional shops and cafés on

the portside Mina Zayed strip, the stripped-

back concrete Áoors and walls creating

a modern environment.

If it sounds inviting, it really

isn’t. In fact, you’re lucky to be

reading this at all, because

we’re told we must make

a reservation through the Flavors

Grill Instagram account, or leave.

We’re already sitting at a table in

the otherwise empty restaurant,

so we’re surprised to say the least.

We oblige, hoping the food leaves

a better taste than the service.

We start with the The Flavors salad. Despite

being a little on the soggy side, it’s fresh with

rocket, orange, strawberries and tomatoes.

Next up is the Superman (a cheeseburger

topped with grilled mushrooms, onions and

peppers). It doesn’t have the usual rich Áavour

you’d expect from wagyu and would beneÀt

from being served with a side and sauce.

The rib-eye steak is too oily

for us, and the salad it sits on is

completely soaked with juices

from the meat. It could do with

being rested before serving. It’s

without the FG potatoes that are

listed on the menu, but after

asking, they arrive and are the

highlight of the meal.

Overall, is the food worth the

grilling we get when we arrive?

At Dhs220, perhaps not.

WHAT IS IT...

A good-looking grill

spot at Mina Zayed port

WHY GO...

To see if you can get

a table without

booking through

Instagram

IT’S HAPPY HOUR when we arrive at Yas

Island’s Y Bar, and the place is packed out.

It’s a nice evening, so we sit out on the

pleasant terrace where there are high tables,

comfortable sofas and even a few second-

hand books to browse. It’s a lovely place to

sit and chill for a few hours, and the menu

contains all the usual pub-grub classics such

as pies, burgers, curries and steak and chips.

We take our time over a few drinks before

ordering a couple of bar bites to share.

The nachos sounds good, but instead of

coming with cheese sauce, we ask for a side

of grated cheese on the side. That doesn’t

quite happen, but the big bowl of cheese

sauce is welcome. All is not lost, though. It’s

saved by the tasty sour cream, guacamole

Y Bar

O Open daily noon-2am. Licensed. Yas Island Rotana, Yas Island (02 656 4155).

and salsa, and we thoroughly enjoy munching

through the very sizeable portion.

We also try the Central Park sharing platter,

which features all the best meat-free fried

foods. It probably didn’t take too much skill to

make, but we’re thrilled by the combination

of stuffed mushrooms, spring rolls, cheese

jalapeño bites and onion rings.

However, the C4 shrimps are a big let down.

Each piece is covered in a huge casing of

mushy batter, and although the shellÀsh itself

is pleasant enough underneath, it’s not really

worth the faff of digging them out.

We certainly wouldn’t order the shrimps

again, but for good-value pub food in a relaxed

environment, Y Bar does most things right,

especially if you have a few hours to spare.

Roberto’s

We’re excited by the prospect of

an all-day breakfast brunch every

Friday afternoon.

O Fri noon-4pm. Rosewood Abu Dhabi,Al

Maryah Island (02 627 9009).

Villa Toscana

The Italian’s seafood festival is

still running for a few more days.

O Frices vary. Until Apr 27, 7pm-11pm.

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, Nation Towers,

West Corniche (02 694 4553).

FOOD NEWS

What we’ve

learned this week

The Foundry

The steakhouse’s new business

lunch menu for May will have you

in and out in under an hour.

O Dhs67. Daily noon-3pm. Southern Sun

Abu Dhabi, Al Zahiyah (02 818 4888).

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