Gin O'Clock at Hidden Bar | Rosewood Abu Dhabi

“The ultimate spot for a private tipple.” Hidden Bar

If you love free-flowing gin look no further than Gin O’Clock, the weekend promotion at the Hidden Bar located at the Rosewood Abu Dhabi. The hotel’s well stocked gin bar offers a three-hour brunch style experience every Friday between noon – 9pm.

The dining experience offers a three-course set menu served to share at the table paired with unlimited gin infused cocktails, wine and beer. Starters include a selection of bruschetta, salads, sushi & sashimi, seafood including lobster, scallops and oysters and the much talked about gooey cheese tart. The mains have a distinctly British vibe with beef wellington served with roasted vegetables and a paper bag filled with yorkshire puddings, fish and chips, pigs in blankets and a random dish of shepard’s pie.

I had heard good things about this brunch so my expectations were high but as a vegetarian it was sadly underwhelming. Even though my dietary requirement had been mentioned when booking the staff were unaware so all the courses were delayed and the vegetarian options appeared to be cobbled together. The strong flavoured cheese tart may not be the most photogenic but it was tasty and oozing which made up for my main course which was a plate of mismatched veggie options.

The ‘surprise dessert’ was also disappointing, a strange concoction that even my sweet tooth didn’t enjoy. The sharing dessert resembled a baked Alaska but was actually a gin infused strawberry and chocolate ensemble topped with meringue and an oversized blob of candyfloss. It both looked and tasted peculiar and only two of us managed a mouthful, luckily the accompanying fruit platters were fresh and tasty.

Gin O’clock is a low key, laid back affair held at the hotel’s elegant Hidden Bar, choose a table in the lounge bar or on the outside terrace with its waterfront vista. Although my experience as a vegetarian was not great my fellow diners enjoyed the majority of dishes and definitely the juniper based drinks. Once the three hours are up you are not permitted to order more drinks so I would recommend decamping to Glo bar by the rooftop pool with its amazing views and ambiance.

Gin O’Clock

Location: Hidden Bar, Rosewood Abu Dhabi, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi

Telephone: 02 813 5550

Website: www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/abu-dhabi/dining/hidden-bar

Gin O’Clock: Every Friday from 12pm – 9pm (book any 3 hours between these times)

Cost: AED 265 per person

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