Move over weekend because we have a new favorite day to go out and have fun. If you guessed Wednesday, then you were absolutely correct. Partly because it is the true gateway to the weekend, and more importantly because we love heading to The Radisson Blu Hotel for their famous BBQ Wednesday at the Al Bustan restaurant. From the unconventional yet exciting selection of bbq options to the ambiance, it is a favorite for all the right reasons.
The live cooking stations are Al Bustan’s signature at BBQ Wednesdays. There are so many exciting outdoor options to choose from in the terrace area. We always favor an outdoor table, but you can opt to stay inside on colder nights. What can we say, we just love enjoying the fresh air and being under the starry sky.
Enjoying a buffet is a fine art, before you begin you need to check everything out. Which is exactly where we always start. We love food and we love planning our meal in advance because we want to make sure that we’re not missing anything delicious.
After settling in at our table and ordering our drinks, we headed to the appetizer section. We loaded up on exotic cheeses, international and oriental salads, fresh bread and we even snuck in some delicious maki rolls. We love how everything is displayed so artfully at Al Bustan. Every station is unique and is designed to entice and delight all your senses. The chef’s are artists painting a beautiful landscape with delicious delights.
Radisson Blu nails hospitality down at every turn. Their gracious and kind staff members are always present and eager to help you and offer intelligent and thoughtful advice about selections and choices.
After appetizers we like exploring the soup station, there’s always lentil soup which is the king of soup and a soup du jour to choose from. Our carb-loving friends will appreciate the pasta and pizza stations. Create your own pasta masterpiece by choosing between ravioli, penne, spaghetti, tagliatelle or fusilli and your choice of sauces and garnishes. The fresh-from-the-oven pizza is always a crowd pleaser.
If you’re trying to map it out in your head, we can help. There are seven main BBQ live stations. Head to the Carving Station to enjoy quality meats, cooked to exquisiteness, perfectly done and tender. Whether you are eyeing the whole lamb roast, the roasted prime beef rib or roasted short loin, you will not be disappointed. Seafood lovers will appreciate the roasted salmon fillets. We also fell in love with the whole chickens cooked Mediterranean style with roasted veggies and always dream of one day being able to replicate the recipe at home. Take your pick of sides from mashed or roast potatoes to level it all up.
Al Bustan’s BBQ Wednesday is not just about the food. It is a vibe. The weather is always pleasant, the music selection sets the tone (and tunes) and the decor is welcoming and friendly. It is the perfect destination for couples and groups of all kinds. Families with smaller kids enjoy it while older adults have fun, it’s a night designed to make everyone happy. It’s also an experience. Watching your food being cooked right in front of you is exciting and the chefs manning the stations are experts at delivering a fantastic show every single time.
Everyone loves the shawarma and falafel station. You’ll always notice people gravitating towards it, especially kids. It’s like a choose-your-own-adventure, but with a delicious and juicy wrap at the end. Our hack is to ask for the chili mabooj if you can handle the heat. Another hit with the kids (and the young at heart) is the Burger station. Load it up how you want it and dig right in.
For even more fanfare, head to the Tempura station to watch the experts turn veggies into magical delights. They also make super crunchy but light calamari and shrimp tempura which are perfectly paired with sweet chili sauce, tartar sauce and chili mayo.
Seafood lovers are called to the live Fish Market on Grill and Charcoal station as if they can hear the sirens. Enjoy the freshest catch of the day being grilled and cooked right before your eyes. You will find hamour, salmon, red snapper, king fish, fresh shrimps, calamari, tuna, sea bass, supreme Lobster, fresh crabs, shum, sheri, Sultan Ibrahim, mackerel and even sardine. Just let the chef know how you prefer your choice and they will whip it up in no time, exactly the way you want it.
The star of the show is always the live meat station on charcoal and clay oven. Mostly because of the mind-boggling variety available. You can find classics like shish tawouk, shish kebab, seekh kabab, beef kabab, sirloin steak, Tandoori chicken, beef tenderloin, chicken legs and chicken sausages being fired up. Or you can also try something different like Thai chicken, Kubedhe, jojo kebab, Malai kebab or hariyali tikka. Or perhaps, sample everything because it’s all delicious.
Speaking of something different, we always love the Mongolian Station. It is such an interesting cuisine with rich herbs and spices. Choose between beef, chicken and seafood to go with noodles and vegetables.
You can also find the condiment station which is home to delicious steamed rice, biriyani, vegetable korma butter chicken, Thai curry, fried rice seafood hot and sour, coconut rice, avocado salsa and a variety of cold sauces which can be added to complete your dish.
There is only one real challenge on a Wednesday BBQ night. Saving enough room for dessert. And while you might think that nothing could top off all the previous delectableness, you are wrong. The Dessert stations are a true goldmine of sweet goodies. Have your pick from a variety of over fifty sweets from all over the world. Or, head straight to the chocolate fountain. There’s something magical about melted chocolate that never pauses. You can enjoy it with a selection of freshly cut fruit and other delights.
Once we’re done, we start waiting for next Wednesday all over again and planning next week’s meal and outing because it’s just that perfect.
Al Bustan Restaurant is located in the Radisson Blu Hotel. For reservations call 2567 3410, visit the website or follow @radissonblukuwait on Instagram for more information. The famous BBQ starts from 6:30pm on Wednesdays, so make sure to come early!
