I’m am a fan of the Eastern Mangroves promenade for its attractive location – and as more has gradually opened up down there since it’s opening in 2014, it’s become a lovely little spot for a bite to eat. Boa Steakhouse, though now a well known name on the Abu Dhabi steak scene was one of the very first restaurants to open at this location. The restaurant is situated around the back of the Eastern Mangroves hotel and sits elegantly above the promenade, allowing you to both people watch along the promenade, and afford views across the mangroves when sitting outside.
We were greeted by staff both elegant and sleek in appearance, perfectly matched to the simple sleek and modern interior. I actually hadn’t heard of Boa before it opened here back in 2014 and so didn’t have any preconceived ideas about what to expect, although after a little more research I discovered it is an already established brand from Los Angeles. I suppose, given its location, I was perhaps expecting something in the vein of The Meat Co. And here’s what we found:
Amuse Bouche
After ordering our steaks from the menu selection of specialty dry aged, grain fed, wagyu and kobe (we skipped the appetisers this time), we were pleasantly surprised to have an amuse bouche of beef and pineapple brought to the table. It was light and fresh and a welcome addition giving us a small taste of what was to come – both in terms of actual taste and in terms of making it clear that Boa is far from your average steak and chips place.
Petit 40 day dry aged New York strip 280g
I plumped for the Petit 40 day dry aged New York Strip with the signature J-1 sauce, and Mr. Arabian Notes chose the 28 day dry aged rib eye with the peppercorn sauce. We decided to share a side dish between us, and settled on the mashed potatoes with roasted garlic.
28 day dry aged rib eye 280g with a sneaky corner of the garlic mash behind
We found the steaks were large at 280g and were glad we hadn’t ordered any starters – there are also choices on the menu for 390g, 450g and even 670g steaks so carnivorous connoisseurs will delight.
The side was also a decent sized portion, and was certainly adequate for both of us.
The steaks were clear examples of beautiful prime cuts of beef and we found them to be perfectly cooked to our liking and both were juicy and tender. I’d definitely recommend the J-1 sauce as something to try, especially for those who like something a little different, it was a nice mix of sweet flavours without ever being too sweet – tamarind was amongst one of the ingredients that I can remember from the waiters description of the sauce. For me, it was a perfect accompaniment to a steak and something refreshingly different.
Baked Alaska
Of course it wouldn’t have been right not to road test a dessert either, and this was an easy decision to make once I heard they had baked alaska on the menu! Again, we decided to share the one dessert, and were glad we did as it was easily large enough for the both of us. A delicate layer of torched meringue covered strawberry and vanilla ice cream with a brownie style base served with caramel sauce. It was a great flavoursome balance of simple tastes – the simple ones are often the best in my experience! My only criticism of it was that the meringue was too soft (as I frequently find with meringue desserts in this region) and not torched enough on the outside to provide the crunchy texture I was hoping for.
Whilst the food and service is top notch, you’ll want to make sure you don’t leave your credit card at home. That said, when you consider the price range of many of the other steak places in the city it does sit well on the scene. And as a bonus – for those of you with an Entertainer app, you’ll also be pleased to know that there are vouchers from Boa for buy one main course, get one free! So go forth and taste, and let me know your thoughts.
Find out more at http://boaabudhabi.ae/.
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