witsandnuts

Like hungry guests, a sitting audience looks,
Plays are like suppers; poets are the cooks.
The founder’s you; the table is this place,
The carves we; the prologue is the grace.
Each act a course, each scene, a different dish.*

No, that poem is not from me. But that may sum up our dining experience in the funky-awesome Teatro restaurant. I will tell you why.

The volcano roll is a hit. What I read from the reviews is true, that they are one of the best sources of sushi in the UAE.

While we have tried the other restaurants in Park Rotana, our visit post-UAE National day was a first in Teatro. As we were ushered in, we quietly asked, “why Teatro?”. Not too long, the place presented itself. The interiors beamed with pride, the curtains resemble those in the theaters, the masks, and all the gimmickry well placed. Find the cat!

Aside from the interiors, one of the magnets to Teatro is its efficacy to offer Japanese, Italian, Indian, Oriental and other European dishes. Hence, decision making especially for a group is made easy(ier). Particularly to those who either have a flurry or sway of cravings.

It is funny though that because I was torn with so many alluring choices, I hardly made up my mind if I will go for the steaks or try an Indian dish. I remember the scene from Thor wherein Natalie Portman was just looking at the menu and kept mumbling “sea bass, sea bass”.

Surprise, surprise! I have tasted the best sea bass in this decade.

I liked that it was crunchy and soft in between.  The Chilean sea bass was marinated with a secret mix (of course!), which I presume had little alcohol in it. It also had crispy potato and flourished by balsamic glaze.

The Pecking duck according to one of our dining companions will be a repeat order on the next visit. The discussions surrounding food during this dinner (accompanied by the sterling music/ playlist) which traversed into world history and mythologies was interesting (e.g. why it is called a Pecking duck, the similarities of desserts and dishes from one region to the other).

That is witsandnuts over there. I am more than pleased that most of the photos in my recent entries were supplied by Little J (a minor, a photography and film enthusiast, an essayist-writer and wears different hats at a tender age), including this post and those in the future.

Just like trying creme brûlée in different restaurants, comparing Pad Thai versions is fascinating. It is an acquired taste and each one will have his or her own preference. What I am sure of is that every bite of Pad Thai can take back any Asian or even non-Asians (if you are a fan of history) to its importance in the history of Thailand (i.e. in World War II, one of the strategies to control the exports of rice in the past).

“Each scene a different dish.” As the poem says.

I like how this photo turned out without any edits (just like the other photos in this post). The camera was pointed to the ceiling as we were scrutinizing the desserts menu.

The viewable cooking station is another attraction. “The poets are the cooks.”

We had chocolate pudding, banana cigars (which were like a glorified turon from the Philippines), and creme brûlée. Any of these sweets are safe choices. But I would be interested to find out next time their signature dessert that will make diners visit and re-visit Teatro just to satisfy that sweet tooth craving.

Teatro has lived up to the expectations. In a way, this restaurant seems to be in a labyrinth hitting as the talk of town. I am sure that any  visitor will realize that it is more than the dramatic, funky, trivial interiors, and excellent sound system and playlist (you should visit to feel what I am trying to highlight!) but the dishes and service are commendable as well.

I know now where to go next time the exploratory buds will play and where to take my guests for an unorthodox yet ‘will never go wrong’ dining experience.

Teatro — Where Eastern Cooking meets Western Cuisine.

Teatro, Park Rotana, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Open from 6:00 PM to 1:00 AM
Landline: 02 657 3333, website: Teatro, email: fb.park@rotana.com

*Poem by George Farquhar, an Irish dramatist.

Note: Dinner was courtesy of Park Rotana. The content of this entry has been developed objectively and bias-free.