Overlooking the Yas Viceroy, Yas Marina Circuit, and the marina’s shiny boat collection, Iris’s terrace is arguably the most agreeable spot in this corner of Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. There are plenty of tables packed into the space, although it’s a rare night that Iris isn’t at least bustling – Sundays, the evening for this regular Japanese-food-themed night, seem to be no exception.
It’s a sophisticated hubbub at Iris, with a DJ keeping the off-kilter house and assorted restrained dance-music tunes coming. The crowd is, as per Iris’s usual clientele, full of a few showy peacocks, particularly for a Sunday night, but generally speaking, everybody here is in fairly self-contained groups or couples, leaving guests to enjoy the food without interruption.
The open set menu includes soups and salads, maki rolls, sushi and gunkan, plus a dessert of mochi ice cream. On this occasion, diners were brought a generous tray of maki, sushi and gunkan – the highlights of which are rock shrimp tempura maki and some juicy summer mango rolls (stuffed with crab, cucumber, Japanese mayo, and tobiko – flying-fish roe). The service could be a little more responsive, but considering the bar is busy and all the waiters seem to be scurrying around frantically, at least it’s not due to a lack of effort.
Party people on the lookout for a pre-night-out meal that won’t send them to sleep, and couples who want to sample the glamour of Yas Marina without worrying their bank managers are easily found here.
One will be hard pressed to get this much Japanese food for the money elsewhere in Abu Dhabi – it’s excellent value, but without skimping on quality.
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PHOTO: Sticks & Soy at Iris Yas Island, Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi / Courtesy of Iris
