Set your Adrenaline pumping at Barbeque Nation RAK – Adventurous and Grillicious

Please note that this restaurant is now permanently closed in Ras Al Khaimah

The excitement arose as we neared its opening; to welcome one of Asia’s most interesting dining concept – the Do it Yourself Barbeque!

Well laid out chunks of meat and veggies to satiate the visual, gastric and emotional cravings of a grilled food lover.

So we plonked ourselves at a table opposite the main buffet layout on a working weekday afternoon – which in itself was a potential experiment.

Check #1 – Never opt to go there if you are time constrained – (read that again!), allow yourselves enough time to relish the savouries

In no time we had a dedicated attendant, who quickly filled us in about the basics of our would be dining adventure, we were told to keep the little flags raised as long as we wished for the skewers to arrive at our table and like a genie’s magic grant, food reappeared…. Every table is set in with grills for half cooked starters, meant to be roasted as per choice and brought on to a green plate for Veg lovers and a red plate if you opt for a Meaty buffet.

• The seating is a tad bit compact for comfort however with options for larger groups to be accommodated within enclosed areas; there is also a separate sit-out if preferred. Unsuitable for summer months despite the city view through the glass

Check #2 – Loosen up your waist belts and buckle-up for the flurry of skewers

As we impatiently awaited the arrival of the grills, we headed out to the salad section to sample some prawn salad with glass noodles along with the accompanying greens and mashed potatoes, soon we were given a cute platter of sauces consisting of the Arabic Hommous, a curd based paste and a refreshing tangy Mango flavoured dip which was a delight.

As I rounded up the main buffet menu with my luncheon companion – who conveniently turns vegetarian now and then, and was in a similar frame of palate that day; asked to sample the veg options as well and we were not disappointed. Welcomed with Indonesian grilled veggies, Malai Paneer Tikka and Masala Mushrooms, the assortment of Achari Fish, Murg Tikka, Mutton Seekh and Coastal prawns together effortlessly scored a 100/100.

Check #3 – Do not miss the impeccable coastal prawns if you are a foodie, to our pleasant surprise their signature ‘Crispy Corns’ was an absolute pleasure to meet, greet and eat.

• The main course buffet did have below the average options for Veg folks and you may have to do with the starters and desserts if you are choosy about your greens, the spread mainly consisting of a standard, conveniently ignorable cuisine

Interestingly, you will also find a live grill station to serve Brazillian meat cuts and lamb chops which we sparingly sampled and didn’t miss much, quirkily placed adjacent to the live nitrogen ice cream counter that dishes out a victor straight from heaven. –

Check #4 – The ice-cream is a definite winner on the taste buds added to the fact that it is edible and ‘Instagramable’ as well…

A live waffle counter, followed by the dessert zone has much to offer for the ones with a sweet tooth, the Panacote and Kunafa do deserve a generous sampling. The best however is the Kulfi station serving upto 4 varieties with Falooda that takes the honours.

Check #5 – It is reasonably impossible to eat all the confectioneries at once, we recommend spacing them out in between your meal!

As we polished off our platters in exhaustion, still soaking in the glory of our gastric accomplishment, a polite gentleman from the staff comes our way to inquire if we were content. Little did we know that this inquiry would introduce us to two other members of the BBQ Nation league. The Kunafa Shake and a refreshing lemon mint punch, both of which are basic beverages that failed to take much place in our bellies, but did take up a lot of room in our hearts

Check #6 – We recommend sampling the first of a kind Kunafa shake, only if you possess a healthy appetite, else the Kunafa dessert is always a saviour.

VERDICT

What WoW’ed us: The fabulous starters served in succession, to engage all our attention

What didn’t WoW us:  Significantly overpriced, limited buffet options in the main course for Vegetarians and the compact seating

Priced at a solid AED 99/pax for lunch buffets and AED 109/pax for the dinner buffet – we recommend one must experience this gourmet nation at least once

Would we go back is what you ask? – Well, we did and looking forward to it yet again!

The lunch had, leisurely spilt beyond our curfew time but was definitely a delicious and entertaining affair, given that we were done for the day as we exchanged pleasantries with the ‘always at your service amiable’ staff- we realised half way through that we did not Flag – Up yet!!

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