A SERIOUS SUNSET SELECTION AT SAHHA!
Iftar at Sahha | Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi
Highlights: live cooking stations, lamb ouzi, desserts
Sahha is putting on a great spread of dishes this Ramadan! Their iftar offering ranged from classic Arabic sweets, mezze, curries, grilled meats, fish cooked in a tandoor, stuffed vine leaves, fresh fruit, and of course, slow-roasted lamb ouzi.
The food was laid out across multiple stations which had a mix of freshly prepared dishes and live cooking. After making my way around the stations, I followed my nose outdoors to the terrace where the chefs were grilling meat skewers over burning hot coals. Outside there was also a live saj station, with an array of ingredients, ready to custom make your saj wrap.
I opted to start with a freshly made saj with zataar, tomato, labneh, cucumber, and halloumi. It was light and fresh and a great companion to the lentil soup, seasoned with just the right amount of cumin. At the cold starter station, you can choose from a mix of traditional spreads and dips, mezze, create-your-own salad, and pre-tossed salads. There must have been no fewer than fifteen prepared hot items to graze over, not including the dishes coming out of the tandoor. There were wok-fried veggies, yellow prawn curry, noodles with tofu, sauteed green beans, chicken tagine, stuffed vine leaves with lamb, meat kibbeh with yogurt, and on and on! The lamb ouzi, marinated in Emirati spices, was served with saffron rice, onion, and chickpeas. The fish tikka was excellent. The whitefish easily flaked apart and the outside was generously kissed with char from the smokey tandoor. I slathered mine in a minty green chutney, pickled onions, and wrapped it in a hot piece of buttery naan. This was probably my favourite bite of the night. Another lap around the buffet and I found myself at the BBQ’d meats. The skewers were juicy, well-cooked, with a nice flavor imparted from the hot coals.
The desserts were yum yum yummmmm! I enjoyed the simplicity of the rice pudding, which in my opinion, is a hugely underrated dessert. It was creamy, not too sweet with nibs of pistachio and a quenelle of lightly whipped cream. The mini creme caramel took me by surprise. The texture and flavour were perfect. The shaabiyat was flllllllaky; I loved every bite. I had to head back to the dessert station for seconds. There was also a big cheese station for those looking to indulge in a pre-dessert savoury plate and a large selection of fresh fruits.
Daily | Sunset until 9pm
AED210 per person including Ramadan juices
Bookings: 050 106 4738
