What’s the concept?

A play on words, Bord Eau means water’s edge in French, and is pronounced phonetically as ‘Bordeaux’, the famous grape region. Diners can expect a thoroughly traditional French experience. The ‘water’s edge’ in this case refers to the Abu Dhabi Grand Canal which the restaurant overlooks, diners are offered fantastic picturesque views through the ceiling to floor windows.

What are the food highlights?

In traditional French fashion this restaurant appeals to meat eaters. BBC Good Food Middle East tried the five-course chef’s degustation menu. The stand out dish of the meal was the perfectly cooked beef wagyu, with potato cake and shallots candied with pesto argulla.

How’s the service?

The waiters were attentive without being overbearing and offered great advice about grape pairing. The chef also came out of the kitchen and chatted to several tables in the restaurant, which was a nice touch.

What is the atmosphere like?

The white-clothed tables, chandeliers and Degas-styled paintings makes the venue feel as though you’ve stepped into a fine dining restaurant in central Paris. On the evening BBC Good Food Middle East visited, the restaurant was half full, mainly with French holidaymakers and expats.

The 5-course chef’s dégustation menu costs AED450 per person without grape pairing. Address: Bord Eau, level three, Shangri-La hotel, Qaryat al Beri, Abu Dhabi UAE. For more information email bordeau.slad@shangri-la.com or call 971 2 509 8555.