Let Zali Abu Dhabi introduces you to fresh Lebanese cuisine
Abu Dhabi is not short on excellent Lebanese restaurants.
But Zali, the new hotspot located on the waterfront promenade of bustling Marsa Al Bateen, brings something refreshingly new and different to the scene.
Proudly family owned – with grandmother Liza Maalouf at the helm and her daughter manning the kitchen – Zali already has two successful branches in Bali, and its Abu Dhabi location marks its first expansion overseas.
Offering all your favourite Lebanese specialties – including mezze, shawarma, mixed grills, and more – alongside Mediterranean and Armenian recipes like manti dumplings and soubereg cheese pastries, the expansive menu is an exotic explosion of vibrant flavours and ingredients, and everything is lovingly homemade from scratch, too.
As we settle into the cosy venue, the first thing we notice is that so many of the dishes can be adapted to be vegan or gluten-free. Opening traditional Lebanese and Armenian cuisine up to a whole new audience, we are impressed at how innovative and creative the menu is, and the enormous array of delicious-sounding options.
Eager to try as much as possible, we start with the mezze platter and mini sarg plate. Pleasantly shareable and sociable, the unique cauli moutabel is the clear highlight of all our starters.
Unique to Zali, it’s something that we’ve never tried before. Light yet creamy and filled with nutty texture, we’re forced to admit that it’s possibly even better than our
usual go-to aubergine variety. The fresh baba ghanoush is equally amazing, while the crispy rolled breads add an extra fun and quirky twist.
While the mini sajs are less dainty than we anticipated, this is by no means a negative. Piled with sensational fillings like premium quality beef, perfectly roasted cauliflower, and succulent chicken, hey’re all absolutely superb. Setting a new standard for shawarma in Abu Dhabi, our leftovers the next day are relished with possibly even more gusto.
For the main course, we can’t resist trying the classic mixed grill with sides of hand-cut fries, hummus, and more extraordinary homemade saj.
The meat is wonderfully tender, and the very portion is generous and easily enough for two with a couple of starters.
However, it’s the kafta and batata that completely steals the show. Another new dish for both of us, we adore the combination of beef, juicy tomato, and soft potato, served with piles of silky soft vermicelli rice.
On any normal day, we would leave it there and conclude we’re too full to desert, but the brownies with tahini ice cream sound too incredible to miss.
Sure enough, the mammoth-sized dessert is a true masterpiece, and yet another brilliant recipe that we have never seen or tried anywhere else. Blending indulgent swirls of tahini with rich dark chocolate, it’s a truly magnificent combination, and the accompanying coffee is excellent, too.
The service is flawless throughout, and even on a Monday night the pretty restaurant welcomes a steady flow of people.
In a nod to its Indonesian roots, the decor is very ‘Bali vibes’. Completed with plants, wicker furniture, and beautiful handcrafted art, the restaurant front can also be opened up during cooler months.
Set against views of the yachts and blue waters of the harbour, and completed with a warm and friendly feel that is missing from some of the city’s larger restaurants, Zali Abu Dhabi delivers a welcome dose of home, and nourishing comfort food that is much needed.
If you’re looking for a modern, healthy, and meat-free friendly version of Lebanese cuisine, it doesn’t get any better than this wholesome hotspot.
Zali, Marsa Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi. Instagram: @zali.inuae.
