Perhaps it is because the Monte-Carlo Beach Club is exclusive to members that eating at Le Deck restaurant (which is open to the public) feels like a privilege. And as beautiful as the interior of this restaurant is, you can’t pass up the chance to sit outside by the spectacular pool, where a view of the sea and a clear breeze just make things better. In our opinion, a trip to Saadiyat Island in itself feels like going away on holiday, and a visit to Monte-Carlo Beach Club is that feeling squared.

The service staff here are exceptional. They are polite, dignified, well-informed and very keen on guiding you through the menu, explaining the details of your dish, and advising you on the most effective way to have your food. They are also attentive and very helpful.

When it comes to the grub it pays to know that the seafood at Le Deck is divine while the meat dishes aren’t the best we’ve had at these prices. We found this out by ordering house smoked salmon fil;et with stracchino cheese dill mousse and the scallop with pumpkin puree and miso dressing for starters. As far as fine dining goes, these ‘taster-size’ dishes are far too good to have in such small portions. The salmon was fresh and beautifully smoked, while the scallops were tender and wonderfully complimented by the sweetness of the pumpkin and the savory tang of the miso. We nearly felt inclined to cancel our mains and order two more plates of each, and with hindsight it would have been a wise decision.

The meat at Le Deck is by no means poor. Our lamb T-bone chop was tender and particularly tasty when spiced up with the various homemade sauces and mustards, or sprinkled with a variety of the exotic salts on offer. They certainly know how to serve their meat here, it’s only a shame that said meat isn’t as mind-blowing as the price would have you expect. While the lamb was tasty enough, we can’t say the same for the tenderloin fillets. To us it was rather bland and dry on the outside, and rarer than we’d asked for on the inside. Adding to our chagrin were the lack of sides (you have to order these separately) and the portion sizes. Now we’ve partaken of fine-dining style steak before, and we are fully aware of what acceptably small is. Our fillets and chops at Le Deck, however, were not acceptably small. They were miniscule.
All in all, Le Deck is a refreshing dining option with spectacular starters. Our advice is to stick to the seafood and you’re bound to go home happy.

The bill (for two)
Smoked salmon Dhs80
Scallop Dhs95
Tenderloin Angus fillet Dhs190
Lamb T-bone chop Dhs190
Total Dhs555