Liz O’Reilly finds new dishes and a great atmosphere at Western-themed eatery Howdy

The last time I was at Howdy, which was just after its opening, the menu was distinctly Western-style – very much created with cowboys and girls in mind. So, I was in for a pleasant surprise on my latest visit to find a new chef and lots of welcome variety.

While the steaks and wings are still very much in evidence, we were treated to some fresh and inventive dishes. Visiting on a Wednesday evening, we were lucky enough to tune into the weekly salsa class, watching as the dancers spun across the floor. Later an all-girl Latina band provided the vibes as the dancers freestyled, putting their newfound moves to good use. The upstairs lounge area, where we chose to dine, is dimly-lit with walls bearing décor reminiscent of the Wild West and a wellstocked bar. The atmosphere is intimate and cosy and the servers, in their Western-style dress, attentive and helpful.

After supplying us with drinks, our food started to arrive and I was curious to see what was on the menu. First up was Cobb Salad, which is available with various meats and comes in a bowl teaming with crispy bacon, black olives, lettuce, boiled eggs, blue cheese and avocado. A veritable riot of textures and flavours, the meat combining beautifully with the blue cheese, and a portion more than large enough to serve as a main course.

Our Halloumi Salad came with wild rocket, cherry tomatoes, radish and blue cheese dressing. The cheese was presented in coated sticks, its salty tanginess, when dipped in the dressing, the perfect foil to the sweetness of the tiny tomatoes and the bite of the thinly sliced radish.

The salads were accompanied by what was, for me, the absolute standout dish of the evening. Risotto with prawns and caviar, which was really creamy and super tasty with the caviar adding that telltale popping sensation into the otherwise gooey forkfuls. My taste buds honestly believed I had died and gone to heaven and, contrary to my own food-tasting rule of having just a little of each dish, this had me going back for more until the plate was empty.

With a little breather to rest our tums, we were soon ready for the lamb chops with grilled eggplant. I am a huge fan of this yummy vegetable in all its many forms and was particularly taken by this version by chef Penam which featured a flavoursome mix of garlic, onion, paprika and Asian spice. The lamb was soft, delicate and pink while the eggplant mix really brought out the taste of the meat and also went extremely well with the generous side serving of mashed potatoes. More mains followed including salmon with veggies and mash – the salmon perfectly cooked and coated in a lemon and garlic sauce that added a delicious piquancy to the fish. Penne pasta with a creamy parmesan sauce lifted by the addition of bell peppers, came with crunchy garlic bread. And Honey Orange Wings offered a tasty alternative to the usual barbecue sauce, which I often find overdone and overpowering. These, in fact, were succulent, juicy and with a tender flavour that went perfectly with the rest of the dishes we tried.

Last but not least was Rib-Eye steak with mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce. This really was quite an achievement – the outer was crusty from the pan but the interior was a uniform pink throughout. I usually go for medium rare and, from the outside, was expecting this to be both chewy and overcooked for my preference but, to the contrary, it was juicy, tasty and so flavoursome and well-seasoned that no additions were necessary. The mushroom sauce was quite unusual in that it was chunky, rather than smooth, and added a quirky contrast to the potatoes – I ate it separate from the meat, not wanting to affect the flavour of the flesh in any way.

Howdy has a great selection of desserts, of which the Pistachio Pear Tartlet is a firm favourite. However, on this occasion, neither myself nor my dining companion had room for another morsel, so we have a good reason to go back.

Howdy is known both for its mid-week specials and its Friday brunch, so get yourself down to Adliya to check out the latest dishes on the menu. You won’t be disappointed. ✤

GO: CALL 3924 5028 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION.