we have been hearing whispers about the lavish new brunch at the recently refurbished grills @ chill’o at the sofitel abu dhabi corniche so we had to go and we are delighted to say it was definitely worth the visit.
the venue has been completely transformed with two new decks, one in the style of a covered terrace overlooking the pool and on top is the magnificent open deck with mesmerizing views of the corniche and the gulf.
soft music plays adding a lively vibe to the well-appointed lounge where we are soon seated with drinks in hand admiring the views and soaking in the stylish new look, full marks for the makeover.
the food
themed as ‘your social grill’, the brunch offers 8 unique culinary stations borders the poolside offering a mouth-watering diverse range. from elegantly crafted foie gras, fresh seafood selection on ice, delicious set of sushi, delicacies from asia, juicy carvery, vibrant desserts to the signature grills.
we start from the bar where we order some mojitos and grab a few of the refreshing salads exquisitely presented in individual servings paired with exotic freshly baked bread that are fresh and delightfully fluffy.
further up a selection of fresh seafood salads and sushi are waiting with a cheerful lady who insists we get one of each and come back for more of the ones we like, sure why not!
then we see the mountain of fresh oysters and we stopped dead on our track, how many would you like sir? the taste was fresh like they came out of the gulf and straight on our plate.
the cheese station
on the way back we stumbled on the cheese section, a huge selection of the finest cheeses from around the world awaits with a selection of crackers and fruits, we ask for a small selection which is expertly put together and sent to our table.
the grills
the fresh grills are the highlight of the brunch, spread in two sections one seafood and the other for the meats the expert chefs are waiting for your choice.
the freshest seafood awaits your grilling instruction, huge lobster tails, fish ousters, the juiciest gulf shrimp along with a myriad of fresh fish all set up in neat wooden pails, the variety is simply amazing.
next to this is a full array of chicken and beef kebabs, tenderloin steaks and all sorts of marinated cuts waiting to be grilled.
the foie gras station
as we are round the curve of the pool we came across something we have never seen at any brunch in abu dhabi, the foie gras station expert manned by chef saad, now drop all the rest and drool over this.
chef saad prepared a plate of the most delectable pan seared foie gras on a sliver of brioche and paired it with his braised beef cheek, a classic french combination that perfectly complimented each other.
the foie gras was rich, decadent and buttery, just melted in our mouths, the beef cheek was stunning, tender and juicy offering a perfect balance to the richness of the foie gras.
this is the best kept secret of the chill’o brunch and we would have gladly dropped our plates and just gorged ourselves on this alone, not to say we didn’t visit a few times!
the curry station
the sofitel doesn’t do anything in half measures, there was an extensive curry station with the most delectable prawn biryani fragrant with saffron and spices along with a creamy butter chicken and a host of other delectable asian curries to choose from.
the carvery
we move on to the carvery that featured a whole roast turkey and a huge chunk of prime roast beef with roast veggies and some delightful sauces to enhance the flavors, the beef was medium rare and full of flavor.
as we settled in to tuck into the salads our order of lobster tails arrived with a bowl of lemon butter, the sweetness of the lobster meat was perfectly complemented with the lemon butter and soon we were scraping thru the shells looking for scraps to dip in the butter.
our mixed grill arrived soon after with a selection of classic arabic grills topped with fresh cut onions sprinkled with sumac and wedges of lime, the meats were perfectly grilled each with its own distinct flavor.
we keep trying to pace ourselves but the variety is too extensive and the tastes so exquisite that we can’t resist trying everything on offer leaving hardly any space for the exotic dessert section.
the dessert section
after a suitable pause we braved it to the dessert section, a huge table heaved with a myriad of colorful dessert bites from the classics to some unusual creations we have never tried before. the tiramisu and the chocolate mousse were simply divine not to mention the colorful fruit tarts and the decadent eclairs. they definitely know how to satisfy a sweet tooth.
the verdict
we are glad to say we are completely blown away by the sheer variety of food on offer and the exquisite taste, the guys at the sofitel definitely know their food and left no stone unturned to make it a memorable affair.
the staff is friendly with attentive service that doesn’t intrude but anticipates your needs in perfect time. there was never a need to search or call for any assistance.