Distrikt Social: Relaxed Saadiyat Hangouts For People & Pets!

THE TEAM & THE START

It wouldn't have been possible to produce a menu that works to this extent without the buy-in and expertise of Executive Chef Rene (Mexico), F&B Director Pia (Peru) and GM Marwa (Egypt).

Each of these players bring a passion and a belief in their products that shows on every dish lucky enough to make it onto the menu.

Standards are high, creativity is peak and skill and execution on point. Everything is (if I must use this word!) intentional: everything on a plate has a reason for being there, a purpose, and in fact the absolutely deliciously smooth leather menu is your perfect introduction to the Distrikt Social story.

BREAKFAST

The menu has a couple of clear stand-outs that made us want to try absolutely every dish.

Start your day with an avo on toast that makes a statement. The avocado is smoothed onto the beautifully (more importantly properly!) toasted sourdough with its crackly crust and soft chewy centre with big air pockets. There is no better avocado in the world than Mexican avocado with its high oil content and this creamy deliciousness is the star of the show, as it should be. It comes with a couple of eggs and is drizzled with a beautiful corinader chermoula that freshens it up and makes it so much more dishy than others around.

But for anyone with a sweet tooth who loves dessert for breakfast, the Hokkaido honey toast is absolutely sublime. it comes looking good, a big slab of toasted bread, reminiscent of bougie French toast but cut into it and the real beauty is revealed. In what must be one of the universe's best cross-sections, the matcha custard is revealed. Not a fan of matcha? Nor am I! But this is delicate and has been treated properly - no dusty chalky aftertaste here! It's an incredible way to start (or maybe finish!) the day.

Breakfast items are between AED30 and AED52.

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LUNCH OR DINNER

The menu isn't huge (not a bad thing!) and has something to attract pretty much everyone.

There's a good salad section, a burger that's a must-try and a club sandwich. There are great meat options too, for anyone needing a good old protein fix.

The bagel was really good - we built our own and filled it with more of the creamy avo and some soft, juicy chicken slices - absolutely epic.

I think what I was most happy to see were the tacos, loving to see Chef Rene leaning into his Mexican-ness. Anyone from a taco-loving community needs to get themselves here to try - t's my feeling the Baja tacos are going to be a crowd favourite.

Resting on a corn tortilla, the tempura seabass is freshened up with cabbage, pickles, onion and a warm habanero mayo. This is more piquant than spicy and the creamy habanero only adds to the bite. These are the real deal - and a must try on Taco Tuesday!

Mains start at AED95, salads from AED45.

DESSERTS

I love that they haven't just whacked these on as an afterthought and the two we tried were so good, we're already telling people about them.

The first is a gluten free brownie with a semifreddo top. The fudgy brownie and the creamy semifreddo makes this an amazing mouthful that's not too sweet.

Distrikt's claim to fame might just be their Basque cheesecake. We're not usually fans of these given that they can be overcooked, dense and unappealing - this version is the exact opposite and we think it's the best Basque cheesecake in Abu Dhabi. It's incredibly smooth, silky inside and comes with a silky passionfruit caramel sauce - you don't really need it because the cheesecake carries itself, but wow, what a flavour bomb it creates once drizzled over!

Desserts start at AED40

THE BAR

The Bar Bites are exciting. We absolutely loved the long, crispy shards of plantain onto which you deposit your salmon crudo, avocado and orange. It's fresh, it's light and it's so beautifully balanced - this is a bar snack on five star steroids!

Equally as impressive is the ribeye kushiyaki, two gloriously sticky skewers of ribeye, enough to take the edge off and perfect with a beer or a fabulous cocktail.

And speaking of drinks ...

The bar menu is extensive with every spirit known to humans, a wine list reflecting the Pan-Pacific bent of the menu, Kirin, Birra Moretti and Heineken on draught and an astounding range of cocktails that can come without alcohol (AED50/40). The zero Aperol really caught our attention!

Of course, there are frappes that can be served dairy free, every kind of coffee, protein shakes and smoothies as well as a good range of lemonades.

As an indication of pricing, wine starts at AED30 for a glass, cocktails are AED50 and mocktails AED40. And for those who love it, Minuty rose is AED50 a glass!

AND FOR THE FURRY FRIENDS?

The whole hotel is a masterclass in how to be pet friendly but not make it unpleasant for others. There are pet-only floors and the rooms are kitted out with pet bets and blankets, food and the ability to order food. There's a pet-friendly lift that sports all the paraphernalia needed to sort any accidents that may occur. Wait in the lobby on a pet-friendly seat and dine in Distrikt with your pets in a designated pet area - yes, they're allowed on the chairs!

Finally, your pets are totally safe here: all the staff have been trained in pet care and pet first aid - could they have done it any better!

REMOTE WORKING

There are tables for one (that are the right height for a good stint on your laptop and have enough room for a plate of food), a large table that would fit 8-9 and tons more areas for chatting. From here you can either access the menu or get something from the Grab N Go counter - fresh sandwiches and small sweet offerings, perfect for lunch or dinner on the go.

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CULTURE

Appealingly, there's also a small shop where you can pick up Emirati handcrafts and goods - the first of its kind in the city and well worth a browse for gifts.

We'll be back to Distrikt Social. The food is genuinely very, very good and better still, well priced. You could potentially pay a lot more for less exciting food almost anywhere else in Abu Dhabi, but especially on Saadiyat Island.

It's absolutely perfect for anyone doing a school run with a dog, a family's weekend breakfast, a working lunch, a casual date night - and to make it all even better, there's 20% off your bill with BBPlus.

Head there any weekday for Brain Break Business Lunch: AED70

Taco Tuesdays: AED150

Burger & Brew: AED99

Get all the details on the Best Bites app!