With plenty of suhours offering large and cavernous surroundings, it is refreshing to see the Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal scale things down a little. However, the notion shouldn’t be misconstrued as a lack of ambition. For this year’s suhour tent, located in the courtyard near the swimming pool, the hotel elected to jettison the razzle dazzle of previous years to instead focus on delivering a service based on comfort and intimacy.
The style
For such a large property, the size of the suhour tent is surprisingly modest. However, the wisdom of it all lies in the consistency of the vibe, which is comfortably low-key. White couches are well placed across the tent. Each booth has its own table decorated with regional nuts and dates. Numerous televisions - including a mammoth screen - are spread evenly, allowing visitors to watch the big Euro Cup matches from all angles. It’s more suitable for a small group friends coming for a hearty chat rather than a rowdy game of cards.
The food
Casual yet stylish. With suhour mostly viewed as catch up session with friends, the menu is full of Middle Eastern dishes to share. The taboulleh (Dh35) was zesty and fresh, while the hummus was seriously smooth. A set back was the arayes (Dh80), a Lebanese with toasted pitta bread, which came across as rather dry and the bread not adequately seasoned. The lamb chops (Dh135) was the winner hands down - it was perfectly cooked and served on top of a bed of seasoned onions and salad.
The verdict
Calm and relaxed, suhour at the Ritz Abu Dhabi Grand Canal is fine option for those looking for a chilled time out with friends. The venue is also a fine choice to catch the football without the added tensions of hundreds of screaming fans.
The National was guest of the venue.
• Suhour at the Ritz Carton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal, in Al Maqta, runs from 7.00pm to 2am. Minimum spend is Dh85 from Saturday to Wednesday and Dh100 on Thursday and Friday (excluding shisha and taxes). For details call 02 818 8888
sasaeed@thenational.ae
