Buenos Martes at El Sur, The Westin Hotel
Buenos Martes, or "Good Tuesday" as it is directly translated in Spanish, is a fairly new concept for Tuesday evenings at the Westin, which is (in)famous for its ladies nights on this day of the week. El Sur, allows Spanish food lovers to indulge on an unlimited supply of Beer, Wine and Sangria, served up alongside a selection of Tapas from a set menu. This evening has long been on our radar, so we were both particularly excited when a Tuesday evening had finally freed up and presented us with the opportunity to visit. The seemingly perfect combination of tapas, a modern Spanish setting overlooking the Beach at Mina Seyahi and free flowing Spanish beverages sounded like a perfect combination…would it live up to its billing?
Food
We were welcomed by our very polite and authentically Spanish waitress and informed that we could order 6 tapas items each from the list of 14 selected menu items, not six between us as we had initially thought. (Bonus!) So glancing over at the menu, we both selected our dishes like kids at a pic ‘n' mix selection and then played a quick game of comparison to ensure that we hadn't chosen any of the same. This was so that, in true acquisitive Mr and Mrs Brunch style we could sample near enough everything on the menu (Genius!)
Our waitress helpfully suggested that we order 3 or 4 dishes to begin with, and then make further choices based on how we felt after that. We could then either order more of the same if we liked what we just had, or stick with our initial game plan to sample from a wider range. We started off with a very predictable bowl of Spanish Marinated Olives (Olivas Gordal Alinadas de El Sur) and Manchego Cheese Marinated in Olive Oil (Queso Manchego Marinadoen Aciee de Oliva), both of which were exquisitely salty and exactly what we had required to complement our first crisp taste of wine. We then opted for the Green Salad with Tomatoes (Ensalada de Hojas Verdes y Tomates), The Russian Salad with Tuna (Ensalada Rusa con Atun) and the Chilled Creamy Tomato Soup (Salmorejo Cordobles). Three simple dishes whose flavours worked well when enjoyed as a trio, if a little characterless to stand up on their own if they were to be served in isolation.
We then moved onto a couple of dishes with a tad more substance to them in the Calamari a "la Romana" (Calamares a la Romana con Alioli) and the Broken Eggs with Chorizo (Heuvos Rotos con Chorizo). Both dishes were seasoned to perfection and were the first items we marked down in our imaginary notepad to remember to order again, especially the glutinous mix of the Chorizo, the Potatoes and runny Egg Yolk. Then we were brought over two longer looking dishes, one featuring Padron Green Peppers (Pimentos del Padron) and the other a beautifully presented Fish Tiradito with Coriander (Tiradito de Pescada con Cilantro). The peppers were charred just on the right side of being burnt and released an amazing crunch that coupled with a dusting of rock salt kept you diving back in for more. The fish with coriander was not what we had expected as it was a cold dish, almost akin to a Japanese sashimi but never the less was very tasty. Even Mrs B who cannot usually stand the taste of coriander was pleasantly surprised and happily tucked in to the refreshing dish (this is a compliment indeed!)
By this point we were beginning to feel a little full and had lost count with how many dishes we still had to go, but with some help fro our waitress and a last gargantuan effort, the dish that we had most been looking forward to arrived, the Garlic & Chilli Prawns (Gambas al Ajilo y Guindilla). The dish was very agreeable in that those 3 ingredients are always going to work well together, however due to the perhaps unfair level of expectation we had placed upon it, we felt it came up just short in terms of the predicted explosion of flavours we had so badly craved. Then came another slightly disappointing dish, the Beef Stew with Tomato Sauce (Carne de Terneraen Salsa de Tomate.) We felt the dish was resembled a very "English" take on a beef stew and not what we were expecting from a modern, contemporary spin on a classic Spanish dish from the chef…
Thankfully, the disappointment of the last 2 dishes was quickly erased with the arrival of the Marinated Chicken Skewers (Pincho Moruno de Pollo). These were definitely the unexpected and standout dish of the entire evening. The smoky flavour and texture of the chicken was sublime, and we enjoyed them so much that we forgot our full stomachs and ordered them for a second time! There are also 2 deserts which we did not save enough room for, but included a traditional Catalana Cream (Crema Catalana) and a Milky Rice Pudding which is served all over Spain with a hint of cinnamon (Arroz con Leche).
The Drinks
Quite simply stated, an uncomplicated selection of either Beer, White or Red wine (Buitenverwachting from SA), or White or Red sangria, attentively recommended and served at regular intervals by the watchful staff.
The Atmosphere
Upon entry to El Sur, you are guided through an impressive, clean cut, contemporary space with various modern works of art and even an impressive steel wire statue of a bull fighter. We continued through the dimly lit bar area where groups of smartly dressed fashionistas, casual post work revelers and a couple of groups out on a ladies night cradled glasses of wine and various nibbles of tapas on high wooden tables before making our way through to the terrace outside.
Although stylishly laid out and surprisingly cool for the time of year, we were slightly disappointed by the enclosed, almost encircled feeling you got from being on the terrace and its large brick trellises. Rather than the liberating exhilaration one should feel when faced with the sprawling views of the sea, unless you craned your neck, or stood up completely, the height of the brick walls meant that you could not actually see the beautiful view. The hotel, with its picturesque location and stunning views of the Sea should be making much better use of its outdoor viewing areas, although this is more a structural critique of the Westin Hotel itself, rather than El Sur. In spite of this minor design flaw, the overall atmosphere created by the dim lighting, authentic and attentive Spanish staff, the modern-day edge to the décor and the background music all contribute to an inviting and exciting Bodega-styled experience.
Overall
The overall concept of this evening brunch is great for those who want to sample a variety of non-filling dishes, those who cannot make up their minds on what to order, and those who simply want to break up a long week at work in a relaxed and social setting. The selected menu unfortunately did not encompass the entire Tapas menu at El Sur which is itself very extensive, so watching dishes come out to other tables, knowing you could not order them did give us the slight feeling of food envy. However, putting this all into perspective, the deal we were on represents fantastic value and the selection covers enough bases to keep you more than fulfilled and intrigued enough to want to come back to sample those main menu items .The eclectic mix of people shows the concept has a very wide ranging and adaptable appeal, from a big party of work colleagues, to smaller groups of friends having a casual drink and some nibbles and couples out on "date night," the non-pretentious atmosphere allows everyone to feel equally at ease.
In spite of the restricted view from the terrace, the limited selection on offer, and the aforementioned dishes above which we felt did not quite carry the same culinary or contemporary punch as the others, we would definitely recommend El Sur as a Muy Bueno option for a wallet friendly Tuesday night Brunch. (Ole!)
El Sur Tapas Tuesdays
6 Tapas items from a selected menu and unlimited wine, beer and sangria.
AED 195 per person
7:00 to 10:00pm
+971 4 399 7700 +971 50 944 9440 reservations@elsurdubai.com
