Red Castle Chinese Restaurant

This year Eid in Abu Dhabi was the dullest ever, with all my friends off on holidays of their own and my family in a stay-at-home mood all week. All my attempts at making this unexpected 5-day holiday a useful one was in vain, with every shop (from paint stores to shoe repair) closed for Eid during the day. My food buddy came to the rescue on Thursday and took me out to lunch (there really is nothing to do in Abu Dhabi other than eat and shop, and the latter is not really my forte). We planned for brunch, but ended up having an early lunch at Red Castle in Madinat Zayed instead. A casual, relaxed affair, this turned out to be one of the highlights of my week. It's not the easiest place to find - we did a bit of driving around even though I had been here before, but it was worth it. The exterior looks shabby and doesn't give one the best of first impressions, but I've learned that in Abu Dhabi, the best food is sometimes found behind the most dodgy-looking doors. Once we entered, we were ushered upstairs into a very simple, clean, neat dining area. We picked a quiet corner table, yet our waitress found us in no time and was very attentive and helpful, in spite of the language barrier. The seaweed starter that comes almost instantly to the table is the best I've ever tasted - it's mildly pickled with sliced onions, carrots and green peppers and was wiped clean by the time we finished perusing our menu and ordering our meal. I had tried the stir-fried kale the last time I was here, and it was the most simple yet delicious vegetable dish I had ever had. Unfortunately, they had run out and so we asked for alternatives and the stir-fried garlic shoot with chicken was suggested.  I had no clue what garlic shoots were, and our waitress was so patient and accommodating, she actually went down to the kitchen and brought up a bundle of garlic shoots to show us! They looked fresh and green but I was a bit wary - I expected them to be something like spring onions, and although I love garlic, I wasn't sure if I wanted the spicy zing of the garlic as my first course. We decided to be adventurous and ordered it anyway - with the recommended chicken. It was a pleasant surprise - the shoots had a definite garlic flavour, but without the bite - they were sweet, like garlic-flavored beans and they were only mildly stir-fried so they were still crunchy. 

We also ordered the steamed shrimp dumplings and they were divine - with chunky pieces of real fresh shrimp - no processed junk that is so common elsewhere! With black vinegar and soy sauce as our dipping sauce, it didn't take long for the second plate of starters to disappear. The highlight of our lunch, and also one of my standard favorites at Red Castle was the Mixed Seafood sizzler, seen in the picture below. 

This is hands-down the best seafood thirst-quencher in the city. It's cooked so simply that each piece of fish, shrimp, surimi and squid is allowed to shine. There are no overwhelming spices or flavors to drown the exquisite simplicity of the seafood and the sauce and veggies that accompany the dish are mere backup singers. But it's not just the simplicity of the sauces; it's all been cooked to the right degree - there's nothing in this dish that's rubbery or over-cooked - it's all just soft, melt-in-your-mouth seafood. The best accompaniment would have to be a bowl of their steamed white rice.

Overall, everything on the menu was reasonably priced and a visit shouldn't break the bank, however, we did decide to splurge a little this time around by ordering the priciest tea on the menu. We had heard so much about Chinese tea, and just wanted to see if it lived up to the hype. Our waitress recommended the  Puer tea as the best - at AED 50  per pot it wasn't cheap! I'm no tea connoisseur, but judging purely on taste alone, I didn't really think it was worth it. It was really good tea - don't get me wrong - it was a beautiful amber colour that kept getting darker as it brewed, but unlike the standard black teas, it didn't get bitter as time went by. It was rich and light and smooth and definitely a great accompaniment to a heavy meal - at the end of the meal, I felt as light as a butterfly although I had eaten enough for two! But 50 bucks for hot water and tea leaves?! Worth it for the experience, but I doubt I'll be splurging on this one again! My good old Jasmine green tea with it's delicate aroma will suit me just fine! 

Location: Madinat Zayed, just a little further up the side road that the large Al Ibrahimi is on.

Contact: 02-6334118

Price Range: AED 100-150 (2 persons)

~~

Till next time folks!

Food and feelings

A person very important to me recently read my blog and commented on how much she enjoyed it. It gave me a strong urge to start writing again, and I re-visited the blog this afternoon. Looking at all my old posts brought back a rush of memories and emotions connected with each posting and it made me think about the amazingly strong connection between food and feelings. There are times in life when food actually becomes a feeling, an emotion, an escape even.

It made me think about the reason I started my blog in the first place. If anyone has watched the movie Julie and Julia, that explains it. I was at a job where I felt unappreciated, unchallenged and plain bored. I had reached breaking point when my manager told me my writing needed professional help, and when a piece of my writing that I had put my heart and soul into came back from "professional" copywriters overly simplified and full of spelling and grammatical errors. For whatever reason, my manager decided to choose the writing piece with errors over mine, leaving my self-esteem at an all-time low.

It was then that a friend of mine suggested I start a blog, my own little place where I could write and publish, with unbiased criticism. But it was more than just a blog, this blog had to be something I was passionate about, something about which I could find inspiration for anytime I wanted. And I chose food - the one thing you encounter everyday of your life. And it worked! I could walk into my mundane job everyday with a smile on my face, face unjust criticism and lack of appreciation, knowing that all I had to do was go home and write about what I love, and I would feel a sense of accomplishment.

I stopped writing in July - around the same time I quit my job (it was only a matter of time!!)

I had seven free months before my next job came along, and I used that time to explore food, enjoy slow cooking, even pursue other hobbies - stop and smell the roses if you may. What still intrigues me is that although I had all that free time, I was never inspired to write. I enjoyed food just as much - it just didn't inspire me.

Today I stopped to think, and I realize why. Food for me is a feeling. It can be joy, excitement, love, adventure, comfort, even an identity. But food feelings are strongest when you're in a slump, at a time in life when you just feel generally low, in search of something better.

Today I have a job which is challenging, fun, exciting and keeps me incredibly busy. Outside of work, family and personal commitments keep me feeling happy and fulfilled without the need for food. Hence, the writing has taken a backseat.

I miss it sometimes, the passion I felt about every meal I had eaten, this itch to come and write about it, to savor every precious memory again and put it into words.

Writer's block....how to get over it? Just write about anything.....just any thought that comes in your head. Once the creative juices get flowing, it's hard to stop them.

That's what I've attempted with this post... I hope it works :)

Till next time folks!

(And let's hope it's not another 9 months!!)