Let the oud player serenade you as you dine.
REVIEW: “Kou kou kou kou”, sounds the rooster and thus the waking of a neighbourhood in the story of el halwa di (The Beautiful One), an Arabic song created by Egyptian composer Sayyid Darwish and notably performed by Lebanese singer, Fairuz.
On the huge terrace of Kamoon, a Levantine restaurant in Abu Dhabi located at Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan, a solitary oud player sings the lyrics of this popular tune, serenading diners, including us.
It’s a clear evening and moonbeams bounce of the waters of Al Bateen Bay. Waiters dart among a mainly Middle Eastern crowd, some of whom are drawing on arguile with friends, while others gather with their families for a Friday evening meal that heralds the start of the weekend.
The waiting staff are attentive and make knowledgeable recommendations. Antoine politely introduces the drinks. It’s a dry drinks’ menu and an exciting one at that, with Shakes, Organic Sparkling Fruits, Natural Smoothies, and among others, 1001 Stories Mocktails, which Antoine recommends.
Stunning eye candy, the Ana W Shadi, a mix of fresh berries muddled with lime, basil leaves, passion fruit and then topped with soda, and Leila, fresh orange muddled with physalis, rosemary, mint and topped with lemonade, go down a treat.
In terms of dishes, there’s a lot to choose from and the actual size of them clearly indicates that sharing is the way to go.
The Rainbow Hummus arrives, a trio of individual flavours – pumpkin, beetroot, chocolate. Yes, you read the last one correctly. While a seemingly highly unusual mix, chocolate and hummus pair very well and it’s a point of pride for the restaurant’s Syrian executive chef, Abu Halab who informs us that he walked away with an award for this concoction.
Fattoush salad is served, which is fresh and crisp as it should be, and Cheese Rakakat, a deep-fried dough stuffed with mint and cheese, are moreish, so much so that more are ordered.
A Turkish Adana Kebab measuring half a metre is served for mains. Beautifully presented on a superbly garnered platter, the spicey lamb is full of flavour. The Kebab with Cherry surrenders succulent meat that is both savoury and welcomingly sweet.
Portions are huge but there’s always room for desserts, isn’t there?
Ours come in the form of a rather delightful Coconut Chocolate punch and a traditional Kenafeh Nabulsiyeh, both of which hit those all-important sweet notes to end a perfect evening at Kamoon.
An enchanting ambiance complete with waterside setting makes for the perfect al fresco dining experience. Go try it!
For reservations, call 02 657 0000 or email [email protected]
