Hidden Gem
The touchpaper to the weekend is truly set alight at The Warehouse, Pearl Rotana Capital Centre in the very heart of Abu Dhabi’s business district
It is Thursday evening and The Warehouse is abuzz with the sound of the crowd. Low-lighting and funky tunes permeate the industrial-style interior design of this stylish wine bar and tapas venue, where function merges with elegance. The hip vibe effortlessly gets the party started. Intimate booths, low-slung Chesterfields and an assortment of different size dining tables are filled with those looking for a good time, great bites and a wide-range drink offering - nobody is disappointed, including Team Yalla.
The windows are street-facing, but the black venetian blinds are closed, leaving the day-to-day world far behind – this could easily be a hip wine bar in Europe, but it is not, it is here in Abu Dhabi and is truly a hidden gem.
The Warehouse team are brilliant – they help, guide, serve yet are never intrusive. Listening, they answer any questions you may have concerning the menu and advise accordingly. A special mention must go to the outlet’s manager, Jether Sweetman. A true gentleman - knowledgeable, stylish, humorous – who helped the evening along in all manners of ways, and no, Team Yalla was not getting special treatment; it was clear that each guest was party to such impeccable service.
The Warehouse is best visited with a group of friends, which the Pick & Share menu perfectly reflects. There is lots to choose from and we guarantee you will want it all, but do save space for the mains.
Starting with Edamame coated in Himalayan salt and smoked Maldon salt, the Beef Tartare - a delectable mix of mustard mayo, gherkins and shallots, served with papadum and crispy garlic bread, which was perfect for dipping – quickly followed by BBQ Short Rib served with country bread, we also picked a truffle dip, which, apart from tasting delicious with the truffle shining through, was a helping generous enough to see us through the entire evening.
Jether walked us through the mains – could we really tuck into a half-metre-long Lamb Meruge Sausage? Apparently so! The succulent, slightly spicy offering served with gherkins, onion marmalade, mustard and BBQ sauce is certainly a showstopper and went down extremely well! We also chose a cheeseboard filled Camembert, Brie, Taleggio Goat Cheese, Roquefort, almonds, honey, grapes and dates – there was more than ample, and would be enough for a party of four.
Now what to pair it with. No strangers to grape we immediately thought of that Argentinian special, the perfect accompaniment for our choice of dishes, and which added an extra kick to an already spicy sausage. There are lots more to choose from of course and both Jether and the waitress gave us a thorough overview of the grape cellar before we settled on our choice.
Portions are for sharing and are ample so much so we skipped desserts but Jether managed to twist our arms – just a bit – and an African Espresso Cocktail and Peach cocktail sweetly rounded the evening off. We will certainly be back – join us!
Opening Hours 4.00 pm - 1.00 am