We probably don’t need to draw a diagram of what to expect from the Meat Lover’s Chef’s Table at one of Abu Dhabi’s finest steakhouses, but if we did, it would probably involve the outline of a particularly large example of Wagyu beef stock.
Wagyu was undoubtedly the word of the evening when we descended on 55&5th’s delightful private-dining room for a cheeky preview of this month’s Chef’s Table, which will be held on April 22. The Maltese/English chef Kreaton Cutajar was on hand to explain his creations between courses, serving up an array of prime cuts in imaginative guises, with a few foodie anecdotes thrown in for good measure.
We stuck our sharpened cutlery into a neatly curtailed five-course version of the seven-course leviathan that will be available next week – although after an extra Wagyu striploin crudo was delivered to the table, I was harangued into, ahem, doing the needful with the additional dish. Fortunately, it was one of the evening’s lighter dishes.
As per Cutajar’s international origins, there was a distinctly border-hopping feel to the menu, which spanned Wagyu brisket with Espelette pepper (Spain); Wagyu tenderloin with kimchi rice (Korea); and Wagyu bresaola (distinctly Italian). The bresaola was particularly remarkable for its accompaniment of walnut “dust”, a white concoction with the appearance of powdered icing sugar.
• The Meat Lover's Chef's Table is on Wednesday, April 22. The seven-course dinner costs Dh690 per person, plus taxes. For more information, call 02 498 8443 or visit www.55and5thabudhabi.com.