If I spun around blindfolded and swaggered off in any direction in the UAE, I'd stumble across a beach club faster than it takes to scream: “Who put this on my face?”
Maybe I’m pushing the limits of hyperbole, but there is certainly no shortage. And why should there be? From the premium, such as Nobu by the Beach, to the everyday greats, such as Barasti, there are endless options dotted along the country’s coastline.
However, only one comes with the option to conquer the world’s highest man-made wave. It’s Ilios Restaurant and Beach Club, which is part of the recently opened Surf Abu Dhabi complex. And I am always ready to ride the wave of new openings in the capital.
Where to sit and what to expect
Al Hudayariat Island’s mazy roads and dead ends take a little bit of navigating. It’s best to follow Waze after crossing the Bridge to Nowhere, as it was once known colloquially before the area started opening cycle centres, running tracks and beaches.
However, once there, the enormous venue looms into view. The surf centre is like a mini ocean, with the ability to whip up waves at the wag of a finger. Forgoing the chance to work up an appetite like my colleague Evelyn Lau, I skip the surfing and head straight to Ilios instead.
The venue has two levels: upstairs is Euphoria Lounge with a balcony overlooking the surfing action, plus a private dining room. On the ground floor, there is the indoor-outdoor Meraki restaurant with a glorious terrace that faces the wave pool and is lined with loungers and cabanas. There is also the Apollo pool bar.
It’s all-natural meets neutral palettes, earthy textures meet clean lines and lashings of boho chic.
The menu
Executive chef Denis Placereani’s menu is a journey across Greece – which thankfully doesn’t end with gimmicky plate-smashing that an increasing number of restaurants lean on for “authenticity”.
It means there is plenty of feta, filo, tzatziki, tomatoes, olive oil and oysters et al. There are cold and hot starters, salads, octopus, shellfish, a fresh fish counter and mains of steaks, lamb chops and pasta. There is a Far East nod found in the “Japanese corner” of the menu, which consists of sushi.
We put our faith in the cheery waiting staff’s recommendations. From the fresh fish counter, we nod along to suggestions of sea bass (“One our best!”). Minutes later, when our extremely attentive and welcoming waitress returns to ask – clearly having run our order past the chefs – if we’d be interested in the Dover sole instead, we say we’ll stick with the original. That’s our first mistake. Ever diligent, she nods, refills our waters and leaves.
Before I’ve had the chance to properly poke around the elegant dining terrace, which really hums at golden hour, our dishes are being served.
There’s no place to hide in a Greek salad. I eat a self-made one several times a week. But not like this, sadly. The feta, imported from Greece says the chef, is saltier than a caper though about as creamy as burrata. It’s served with a doorstopper-sized hunk of homely bread, which is baked on-site. We finish it, with extra dollops of garlicky oil. That’s our second mistake.
Florinis, I learn, are a plate of the marinated red pepper traditionally grown in northern Greece, again imported. It’s lick-the-plate-clean good. Simple and quality ingredients, handled with care and served under sunshine – that's the Mediterranean way. But more on them later.
The grilled octopus starter is elevated with little hits of pickled onion and the fritto misto (fried seafood platter) is a portal into holidays on the Med, eating deep-fried squid and prawns with a cold drink at sunset.
As staff clear the plates, I find myself in that familiar part of a meal. Smiling gormlessly, reliving the starters with lip smacks and belly pats, bopping along to the DJ and asking myself: “What was it I ordered for mains again? Hope it’s light because I am stuffed. Oh, yes, it was fish. Clever me.” That’s the third mistake.
Before I even finish the thought, the kitchen doors – both of them – swing open. And on a silver platter sits the fish, which would've made Bruce Bogtrotter’s gargantuan chocolate cake look like a Rolo.
“We’re never going to finish that,” my wife hisses at me. “We should’ve had the sole like she said.” She then does the classic approving nod that hides all horror and says: “Delightfully sized, I thought it would be this big. I’ve saved loads of room.”
To complete her dread as a waiter debones the beast, sides of tree-sized asparagus and a small mountain of Padron peppers arrive. “Well, I’m not a fisherman. I didn’t know how big a full sea bass was,” I say, imitating her nod.
Mercifully, the fish is, like the rest of the meal, delicious. It’s grilled over coals, zhuzhed up with a bit of seasoning and lemon and served as is. When food is this good, finding room for it is just about doable. Just go surfing before you make the same mistake as me, or at least stand-up and look at the fish counter.
Stand-out dish
Florina peppers take their name from the region they're grown in. They're delicious. Sweet, moreish and utterly delightful drizzled in oil. Chef Placereani adds a creative twist with spheres of aged balsamic and crispy confit garlic lumps, which are crispy, slightly sugary and could easily dethrone Doritos if sold in bags.
A chat with the chef
Italian chef Placereani fell in love with cooking while working at his family’s restaurant. He left his home country more than 15 years ago and travelled the world, cooking as he went and taking inspiration for his style, which he describes as “uncomplicated, vibrant and globally inspired”.
“I don't have a single favourite ingredient; I love the thrill of culinary exploration,” he says. “I enjoy experimenting with a diverse range of ingredients, blending flavours from different cultures to create innovative and delicious dishes.”
Some of his favourites include the mushroom risotto (for vegetarians), the Wagyu rib-eye (“expertly grilled over charcoal”, for carnivores) and the trilogy of tartare for seafood fans. His best-loved pud? The citrus eclair. “It’s a perfect ending,” he says.
I’ll have to heed his advice and order the sole next time to save room for it.
Price point and contact information
Appetisers range from Dh65 to Dh195 ($17 to $53); pasta and sushi from Dh55 to Dh155; mains from Dh135 to Dh500; fish is sold by the kilo. More information, including bookings, can be found on Instagram @ilios.abudhabi
This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
