Our waiter had an instinctive sense of timing, knowing when to offer another drink or clear a dish, mere minutes separating the disappearance of my salad and the arrival of our mains. My companion opted for the Phad Thai with slices of Barbary duck. The crimson meat was leaner and richer in taste than its brethren, and the perfect accoutrement – it didn’t add excess grease, but the full bodied flavour earned the dish its place on a competitive menu. While he dove into his food without a second thought, I spent a few seconds staring in awe at my tempura, two golden orbs filled with pumpkin and feta. Breaking the crispy shell open with my fork, bits of cheese and gourd tumbled into a pool of beurre blanc sauce. It was tangy and sweet, soft and crunchy, and close to perfect.

Offsetting the richness was a scoop of miso rice and tomato confit, a simple finale to a meal that achieved decadence without going overboard. Such toeing the line seemed the norm at the Yacht Club though, exemplified by my desert – a trio of brulees. I couldn’t get enough of the chocolate and chili, its gentle burn urging me to scrape up every last bit with pieces of almond biscotti. I spent the better part of the week reminiscing about my meal, desiring another bite of roulade or sliver of duck, but also imagining what I’ll have on the next visit, which had better come soon.

The bill (for two)
Salmon gravlax Dhs45
Phad Thai Dhs50
Tempura Dhs45
Brulees Dhs30
White Wine Dhs40
Total Dhs210

Time Out Abu Dhabi 1 March 2009