Kahraman, Southern Sun Abu Dhabi, UAE
Last week my hubby and I enjoyed a wonderful sushi night out at Kahraman in Southern Sun Abu Dhabi. For 149++ you could enjoy an unlimited spread of sushi, sashimi, international buffet and desserts every Monday and Wednesday evening. Oh, and did I mention its on Entertainer for Buy 1 Get 1 until the end of October!
Ambience
From the moment we walked in, the restaurant was set up so beautifully with mood lighting at each of the tables. I love how lighting can transform a restaurant from day to night. Off to the side has two huge square shaped tables which could each fit 8 or more guests comfortably. I find that these are the best ones for larger groups as everyone can see each other at the dinner table. We opted to sit in a quiet table at the back. There were many groups that opted for these tables in the back as well but I did not find it to be too crowded. The décor gave out fine-dining feel as white linens were draped over all the tables combined with the fine silverware set up. As we were dining I kept looking at the large unique caged structures in the middle of the seating area which resembled a modern plant to me. Their seats were sleek lounge chairs – welcoming and comfy enough to sit for hours. It was quite a surprise to me to learn that Kahraman is actually an Arabic restaurant to begin with. As the sushi nights became more and more popular, many began to assume this to be their Japanese restaurant. I even made the mistake of inquiring where their Japanese restaurant was when I arrived. 😛
Service
We were greeted by Mr. Issa, the restaurant manager who had checked up on us throughout the night. Although we were seated in the back, our servers always took away our empty dishes as we were ready and refilled our drinks. During the time there, I was impressed with a particular server who was going through each of the offerings they had with a guest, I assume she had a few allergies. We were also informed that the sushi chef could customize a few orders according to preferences/allergies. Although no one made any specific recommendations, the sushi chef was behind the counter the entire night to assist with any questions and refill the sushi buffet.
Food
Sushi
The main event, of course the sushi! You won’t miss it as their bar is loaded from end to end with sushi, maki, special rolls, hand rolls, sashimi, you name it! I was impressed with their variety as I have been to a few sushi nights that did not offer sashimi. Here you can have it all, and even ask the sushi chef to customize a few orders if you did not eat a particular kind of fish or vegetable. They had my favorites – salmon maki (I know, I am a simple girl!) The chef here makes these into beautiful flower pedals! It is so pretty and tasty! My other go to favorites are of course nigiris and sashimi. I totally loaded up on it, no shame because after all it is a buffet! The sushi and raw fish was fresh and I appreciated having the sashimi plated on a bed of ice to keep it cold throughout the night. The chef was attentive to keep filling up the sashimi plates as guests devoured these. I really also enjoyed the special rolls he had available – salmon avocado, deep fried rolls, California and a few more that were quite unique and new to me completely!
Other Options
During their sushi night, they also have an international buffet open for their guests. I was really surprised they offered this as well since they already have such a large selection of sushi. I did not frequent their international buffet options but I did peruse that corner and saw that they had different meats, noodles and rice available as well as a large Arabic salad/hummus/vegetable station. Their tempura station was also a favorite of mine. Be sure to also get a filling of miso soup!
On top of that, they also have a dessert table! Filled with all sorts of cakes, puddings, mouses and sweets! To be honest, I was already super full on sushi so I was not able to try all the wonderful things on that table this time.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Kahraman, and will be back for more! Without a doubt their Monday and Wednesday sushi nights will continue to be popular among the guests and residents in Abu Dhabi. I recommend you all to give it a try, especially with the entertainer voucher available it’s quite a deal!
DOT on her way was invited by Southern Sun Hotel.
Although the meal was fully complimentary, all views and opinions are of her own.
