One of the most popular Mexican Nights in Abu Dhabi with exceptional food and a fantastic indoor & outdoor setting.
There is something about Mexican cuisine that always makes us salivate and when we heard about the new Mexican Street Food Night at the Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan we just had to go over and give it a try. There are not many places outside Mexico that can do justice to this cuisine, and we must say the team at Horizon definitely one of them.
The Venue
The Horizon restaurant at Khalidiya Palace is known for its exceptional food in a superb family style ambiance and its always a pleasure to visit, so off we went on Thursday night to gorge ourselves on endless tacos and guacamole.
As we walk to the restaurant, we hear Mexican music, the place is fully decked up in the style of an authentic Mexican restaurant with sombreros everywhere and the staff in traditional Mexican attire.
The place is packed with families having a great time and we are thrilled as the manager shows us around the buffet, the variety is amazing and the ambiance is absolutely buzzing.
The Food
We settle down at our table and are offered some traditional Mexican drinks, we tried the strawberry and the lychee margaritas and they were just spot on.
We head over to the buffet, the variety is huge, on one side is a full selection of salads and a nacho station where you can get your plate of nachos with all the toppings you would like. We get a plate of nachos dripping with chili and their extra hot salsa and we are off to a fantastic start.
There is a choice of two soups, a chicken and a tortilla soup, we try both and loved the flavors of the chicken soup. The tortilla soup was a standout, deep smokey flavor with some heat, just perfect.
Its off to try the salads, there are so many of them it’s hard to choose so we try the beef salad which is stellar, the Mexican coleslaw is stunning, the shrimp cocktail and the chicken taco salad also were perfect.
We discover the taco station and get a plate full of chicken and fish tacos and loved the flavours. The Chef is a delight to talk to and will rustle up some seriously hot tacos for you on request.
Right next to this is a magnificent whole smoked beef sirloin that grabs our attention, we have to try a few slices with the different sauces they had with some of the perfectly grilled corn on the cob, absolutely amazing.
Next, we head over to the quesadilla station where the chef is willing to make any combination for you, we try some with beef and cilantro rice in a chili tortilla and it was amazing with a satisfying crunch.
There is a wide array of classic Mexican dishes to try, the chicken fajitas are amazing and the meatballs are perfect, the Mexican rice with the baked Tex Mex skinny fish is another highlight that we had to go back and get seconds of.
The food is absolutely stunning, each dish is fresh, and the flavours are popping, we are absolutely stuffed, but there are still the desserts to try.
We head on to the dessert area, there is a table with a canister of fresh cream on ice and all the condiments to make a fresh crema dessert and Chef Oscar, the Executive Chef makes one for us with a flourish, the taste is exquisite.
There is a churro counter that we stop by and get a plate, the churros are crisp and delicious. We also try some of the huge variety of desserts and loved the different flavoured empanadas and the tres leche cake.
The Verdict.
This is quite possibly the best and the most popular Mexican Night in Abu Dhabi, we have never seen a place fill up to capacity so fast, just goes to show how good the food is. The family ambiance, fabulous outdoor seating and the value for money pricing also help make this the perfect place to come and enjoy a meal with your friends and family.
The Details
The Mexican Night takes place at Horizon Restaurant at the Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan every Thursday night from 6.30 PM to 10.30 PM and the price is AED 139 net per person. Children below six dine free, and children between 6 and 12 get 50% off.
For reservations, please call +971 2 657 0000
