Uber-chic, uber-stylish, and ultra-desirable. Starting in Paris, in 1996, Raymond Visan channelled his wanderlust experiences and unique take on the world to launch a global chill crusade. Deconstructing the traditional oriental restaurant and decanting the spirit of Asian mysticism, he rebooted the lounge concept and elevated the art of cocktail making to the science of mixology. All with a dash of nightclub glamour, the Buddha-Bar Beach might just be one of the coolest spots on the planet.

In the grounds of the St Regis Hotel on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, Buddha-Bar Beach has the soundtrack of laidback electro-ethnic rhythms and tribal sound: Arabian Nights notes from ouds, a smooth samba snatch, and dreamy chill chords from the Mediterranean. The soft-sand shores of the Arabian Gulf, where turtles hatch their eggs, could be the Caribbean, Kerala, or the Maldives. Clear blue skies melt into seas of aquamarine, cobalt, and a dozen other shades of blue strata.

Close your eyes and you can picture the history. Just decades ago, a handful of dish-dashed fishermen sailed from this beach into the blues of the Arabian Gulf. Camels grazed on scraps of frazzled bracken in the hinterland. Nowadays, Saadiyat Island is fast becoming the cultural heart of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, and perhaps the entire world. This is all while being just a few miles away from the sheikh-chic starchitecture of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, where Arabian village cubism meets star-ship engineering.

But how do you dress for a venue where leisurely lunch slips into a sunset saxophone session and where afternoon lounging slides into cocktails? How do you prepare for an evening where, courtesy of the DJ, anything can happen? What do you wear to a place where Californian cool is transcendentally woven with Eastern calm? Where laidback African vibes percolate and a Pacific Rim menu tempts?  Do you opt for a stylish but relaxed beach chic?

Buddha-Bar Beach is far too relaxed for self-conscious fashionistas. Maybe you should think of a mature George Michael looking cool on a hot day. Or, consider slotting effortlessly into a languid remake of The Great Gatsby, in dazzling white linens, flowing soft-pastels and some discrete gold jewellery. Accessorise it with a glass of something aromatic and light for lunch or something slightly stiffer after sundown.

Screened from the elegant St Regis Hotel by palms and the Garden of Eden planting, the aroma of coconut sun lotion fades as guests arrive into Buddha-Bar Beach, ascending dark wooden steps as if heading for spiritual cleansing at a sacred Japanese temple. A large central Buddha, the trademark of the chain of Buddha-Bars, establishes a Zen-like sense of inner calm. Out on the terrace, a canvas sail shelters guests from the burning heat as they look out over sun-bleached white sand and dune grasses rippling in the sea breeze.

Embossed in fine detail on the menu, an oriental styled dragon directs appetites eastwards. Just yards from the ocean, the sushi has star quality. Two immaculately sourced heavyweight prawns know that they can stand up to the King Fu kick of innocent-looking wasabi. Delicate layers of translucent ginger provide a gentler heat. Buddha-Bar Beach’s chefs specialise in crisp, zingy salads. Jaded western tastes are astounded by a rich soy sauce, with the complex layers of a vintage wine.

In the discrete service, there is a sense of Wimbledon choreographed ball boys and girls. Their crisp white shirts, fringed with black trimmings, resemble lawn tennis courts. Traditional beige aprons and gleaming black patent leather shoes recall days when service was less obtrusive, less theatre. Who needs chit chat when you have such epic coastal panoramas? It’s difficult to imagine that all this scenery is just a 10-minute drive from the petro-dollar malls and dirham-fuelled skyscrapers of the city.

Chicken Kung Poo, sounding like an Asian comic superhero, packs a punch and epitomises the spirit and tastes of the menu. Gloriously dark and sticky, delicate morsels of chicken contrast with the cashew nuts’ crunchy texture. The red of small bird’s eye chilli peppers warns of imminent heat. Served with pristine white rice and an aesthetic curl of cucumber, this is a dish presented so artfully that it ought to be on display in the Louvre’s galleries.

Not surprisingly, Buddha-Bar Beach’s East-meets-West fusion of cuisine, mixology, mysticism and music has become cosmopolitan success. The global litany of the bar’s sophisticated allure grows beyond belief – Baku, Belgrade, Caracas, Dubai, Kiev, Knightsbridge, Lyon, Manila, Marrakech, Monte Carlo, and Prague. However, nowhere else the Zen chill of the music sound any better, or the robata salmon have any greater zing, than on the perpetual summer shores of the Arabian Gulf.