U-TURN DINER Should you stay the course or divert from this new restaurant?

new American-themed diner has opened its doors in the city. Tucked into a small building block off Muroor Road, the 1950s styled U-Turn is joining a veritable glut of restaurants in the area – including Hwy 55, another Americanaheavy eatery that’s already popular with the cool kids.

So how does one stand out from the

Acrowd, especially when competition is a stone’s throw away? By doing something slightly different.

U-turn certainly doesn’t disappoint when it comes to atmosphere. The powderblue walls feature nostalgic posters, there are checkerboard tiles as far as the eye can see and jukeboxes, too. But best of all is the large train carriage (complete with a conductor’s room with iPads to keep kids busy) featuring private dining compartments. The space certainly looked the part but did the food deliver?

Not really. Skip the unremarkable and chewy calamari but order the poutine fries, to start. Topped with just a sprinkle of gravy, the dish was moreish and just the right side of indulgent. Unfortunately these chips ended up being the highlight of the meal.

The M&C burger (short for Mac ’n’ Cheese) had enormous rounds of breaded macaroni squashed onto a beef patty for what should have been an oozy, cheesy experience but only tasted of jarred marinara sauce. The waffles chicken mounty (aka chicken and waffles) felt stodgy and was ruined by the brick-like, dry texture of the waffle.

For drinks the chocolate milkshake was nice and thick, but had a grainy texture that spoilt the taste. The strawberry lemonade, however, provided a nice amount of zing without being too sweet.

The restaurant is currently in a soft opening so a few kinks are to be expected. Having said that, the lovely ambiance couldn’t make up for the numerous issues with the food on offer.

Golden Tower, Muroor Road, Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi, daily 8am to midnight. Tel: (02) 6668060. Taxi: Near Al Mamoura. Search U-turn Diner on Facebook.