Sax in Le Royal Méridien Abu Dhabi, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi - Restaurant Reviews

Sax

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I was hesitant to dine at Sax on a Thursday night. The Abu Dhabi home of Ministry of Sound is best known for its thumping bass, loud music and dark ambience. I prefer my meals to be a little more intimate and preferably not damaging to my hearing, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But having manoeuvred our way past the large, black-clad bouncers – two particularly stern pillars of mistrust – my dining companion and I were duly seated at a cosy table for two, whereupon we discovered the atmosphere to be almost serene.

Early in the evening, a cheerful background hum of lounge music underscores the slightly odd, gothic decor, offering an experience rather like eating in Christopher Lee’s front room. But the service is top class. Our beef carpaccio and smoked salmon roll starters materialised in a matter of minutes. The former was delicate, simple, and very fresh. Likewise, the smoked salmon rolls were thick, smooth and filled with a cool, zingy cream cheese.

Our appetites were well-and-truly whetted by the time our mains came, which wasn’t long. The Scottish salmon arrived as if fresh from the loch and was cooked to perfection. Its shimmering skin was still intact and glimmered like a disco ball. It was fresh, tender and flavoursome, while my dining partner was so fascinated with his ‘no-knife-necessary’ black Angus steak that he was reluctant to share – all I could prise out of him was a roasted cherry tomato. Definitely a good sign.

In ordering our desserts, we were warned that the chocolate soufflé would take a few minutes. It was good to know. I was feeling a little sluggish after two courses of utter indulgence. My companion’s warm apple crumble pie arrived sooner. Sadly though, after a sample bite, I found it to be a little sweet and rather ordinary – besides, everyone knows that crumble needs custard, not ice cream. My soufflé was little better, not to mention lava-hot. It looked the part, but tasted like hot cocoa made with water – gritty and bland. A disappointing end to a fine meal.

As we picked at the last smudges of food on our plates, the lights dimmed and the speakers started thumping. It seems that Thursday night had finally arrived. Club-goers filed in and surrounded the two bars and dance floor. We were happy to follow suit and, like many patrons of the capital, our evening extended long into the wee small hours.

Upon reflection, Sax offers a pretty seamless transition from work to dinner to dancing – after all, you need something to work off all that heavy European fare. The food is excellent, just skip dessert and you won’t be disappointed. After that, all that’s left is to let your feet to the talking.

The bill (for two)
Beef carpaccio Dhs52
Salmon rolls Dhs64
Scottish Salmon Dhs92
Black Angus Dhs155
Chocolate souffle Dhs42
Apple crumble Dhs45
Total Dhs495