The luxe touch of this authentic American steakhouse experience might just be the something special you needed this Valentine’s Day!
There are few restaurant visits that start with your ears popping. Mine did just that, at level 40 of Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers to be precise.
Travelling at six metres per second in a marble-clad elevator, we were on our way up to the upscale Ray’s Grill, a well-known and recently relaunched American steakhouse in one of Abu Dhabi’s top hotels.
The sophisticated elegance greets you right at the entrance, but things only get better from there. Ray’s Grill sits on the 63rd floor of the hotel, and whilst similarly-heightened views from any building tend to be pretty good at the best of times, there’s something majestic about the capital skyline from here.
We were seated at a corner table overlooking the Presidential Palace and Emirates Palace, the sea and inky blue Arabian night sky setting a picturesque tone for the meal. The decor at Ray’s Grill works in tandem with the intended ambience, refined with marble and wood finishes, soft lighting, and well-spaced tables in the manner of a private club. Each table offers its uniquely unparalleled view of the emirate we all know and love.
Smooth jazz fills the air, giving that laid-back, clubby atmosphere and making this an inviting option for the perfect Valentine’s date night. True to its name, Ray’s Grill is undoubtedly a meat lovers’ paradise. That being said, there are still many great alternatives if you’re not a fan of all things bovine.
We begin with crab cakes and a pickled beets salad with smoked goat cheese. While the former is soft and delicate with a subtle sweetness, the latter comprises a range of sweet, sour and sharp tones, making for a wonderfully zingy and flavoursome dish.
Being steak lovers, the main course took some deliberation given the array of options – featuring everything from the tenderloin, ribeye, tomahawk, and striploin, including a sumptuous Australian Wagyu.
Ultimately, we settled on sharing a Chateaubriand which was carved and served at our table. Accompanying the same were a myriad of sides and sauces, including the classic Bearnaise, green peppercorn, and white mushroom as well two types of parsley and white truffle-infused butter.
The Chateaubriand was fabulous and decadent, the meat mild, delicate and tender with an intense crust showing the skills of the culinary team who had ‘oiled the steak and not the pan’. In fact, the talented chef himself informed us of their basting technique using only the fat from the meat.
A meal is only as good as the last dish you eat, and the dessert trolley did not disappoint. A variety of tempting opportunities arrived including a vanilla cheesecake with minted macerated strawberries, an apple pie with crème anglaise, and a chocolate lava cake with a hot cherry centre and clotted cream, as well as cheese.
Emerging as a unanimous winner, the pecan tart with burnt orange ice cream was chosen, devoured and much enjoyed.
Happy, sated and satisfied, we decided to delay our next ear-popping trip by heading to Ray’s Bar, a quick one-level elevator journey to the 62nd floor where we finished off our night in style. Whoever Ray is, he sure knows how to entertain!
For more information and reservations, please 02 811 5666
Follow Yalla – Abu Dhabi Life for all the latest news across the capital and beyond
