Entertainment location Yas Bay Waterfront opened in Abu Dhabi in December, bringing myriad dining choices, including some first-time names to the capital. Among them is Australia’s Hunter & Barrel.
The award-winning restaurant and lounge cooks up a fresh take on the traditional steakhouse, and the menu features meat, poultry and seafood, all roasted over a coal grill.
What to expect and where to sit
Despite being barely a month old (or perhaps because of this reason), the restaurant was full the afternoon I ate there, with couples and families enjoying a late lunch at the weekend. Many had taken advantage of the outdoor seating thanks to the nice weather, as well as impressive views of the water and location on the boardwalk that makes it easy to people-watch.
There’s an option to sit indoors as well, complete with a private room that can seat up to 12. The room has its own AC and music, separate from the rest of the restaurant. There's also casual seating inside for those wanting to grab a drink.
The space inside is a bit darker, owing to the navy blue and mustard yellow colour scheme, along with brown wooden walls and tables. The earthy feel is on-brand for what the restaurant seems to be going for.
The menu
The menu is overwhelmingly, but unsurprisingly, full of meat options, although there are a couple of salad choices for vegetarians and vegans. Not all options may be available every day; for example, the lobster fettuccine was not on the day I visited.
My dining partner and I started our meal with pumpkin and cauliflower croquettes (Dh30 for four) and a three-cheese dip (Dh35). The croquettes came with a flavourful Parmesan and citrus aioli dipping sauce. The Gouda, gruyere and Edam dip came out in a cast-iron skillet, so it stayed piping hot throughout, and was enjoyable with warm pita bread.
For mains, we decided to try two vastly different dishes: the emerald dal (Dh55) and the rib-eye Wagyu (Dh280). The dal was served with basmati rice, a bit too salty for our liking, but the meat more than made up for it (more on that below).
We finished the evening with a baked chocolate cheesecake (Dh55), which came with a scoop of coconut ice cream and berry sauce. A nice choice for those who have a sweet tooth.
Standout dish
Despite our disappointment with the dal, the 350-gram rib-eye Wagyu with peppercorn sauce was a treat.
Our sides consisted of mashed potatoes with truffle sauce (Dh35) and grilled seasonal vegetable (Dh28), both perfect accompaniments to the moist and juicy steak.
A chat with the chef
Head chef Kamil Bouloot says the menu pays homage to Australia while also infusing flavours of the UAE. “The focus is on charcoal-grilled meats and vegetables, and inspired by the joy of communal feasting. We have incorporated native Australian spices and herbs, and use only the finest meats from Australia, grilled to perfection over our signature coal grill and spit rotisserie,” he says.
Bouloot recommends diners try a different meat option on each visit. “The smoky steak selection and signature charcoal roasted skewers, served with either new harvest potato wedges or house salad, provide a real meaty theatrical display. However, the standout dishes on the menu are the flank steak marble score 9+ and the Wagyu tomahawk mayora full blood."
Price point and contact information
Starters range from Dh30 to Dh150; mains will set you back from Dh55 to Dh280, with sides going for Dh25 to Dh30 and desserts from Dh25 to Dh55.
Hunter & Barrel is at Yas Bay Waterfront on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
For reservations, call 050 452 5958 or yasbay@hunterandbarrel.ae; www.hunterandbarrel.ae
This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant
TEST SQUADS
Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson and Jackson Bird.
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
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Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
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• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
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Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier
Results
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs
Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets
Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets
Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets
Semi-finals
UAE v Qatar
Bahrain v Kuwait
England squads for Test and T20 series against New Zealand
Test squad: Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Dominic Sibley, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes
T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Pat Brown, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, James Vince
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE
Price, base / as tested Dh274,000 (estimate)
Engine 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 245hp @ 4,200rpm
Torque 500Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
ANATOMY%20OF%20A%20FALL
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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2070km to run
38 days
273,600 calories consumed
28kg of fruit
40kg of vegetables
45 pairs of running shoes
1 yoga matt
1 oxygen chamber
The biog
Name: Ayisha Abdulrahman Gareb
Age: 57
From: Kalba
Occupation: Mukrema, though she washes bodies without charge
Favourite things to do: Visiting patients at the hospital and give them the support they need.
Role model: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
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