Eating Out

Special combinations a hit

July 1- 7, 2015
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Gulf Weekly Special combinations a hit

Gulf Weekly Mai Al Khatib-Camille
By Mai Al Khatib-Camille

Friends have been ranting and raving about their Iftars while my father, husband and I sulk at home as the key ingredient to our Ramadan happiness is missing … my mother.

This wonderful woman has made every Ramadan more enjoyable than the other with her tasty creations and now she has abandoned us to visit her sister in Canada, leaving us to fend for ourselves in something called a ‘kitchen’.

As my hubby Sam so eloquently put it in a recent text to my mother: “How could you leave me behind with the king of salads (my father) and the chai karak (a milky tea) queen (namely, me) who can’t cook?”

Alas, we have not been very cheery and that’s perhaps because we are starving. However, it’s as though the Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre Hotel somehow heard of our angst and decided to wrap us up in a blanket of Arabic culinary comfort at its Baharat Restaurant.

Baharat, which means spice, is truly full of it in more ways than one, offering those fasting throughout the kingdom an eclectic array of Middle Eastern dishes with a twist during the holy month.

According to the hotel manager, Daniel Van Der Heijden, the aim is to ‘celebrate culture and tradition’ and focus on the ‘quality of food’, and thanks to Syrian Chef De Cuisine Raafat Nemeh the restaurant has managed to do just that … and brilliantly well, I must add.

The spirit of Ramadan is very much alive and kicking with flavours at the dramatically-lit venue, which seats 165 people comfortably, with its sand-coloured ceiling lamps, marble flooring and strategically-placed colourful lanterns.

Mini red and black rugs, Bahraini baskets and wooden boxes add authentic touches to the buffet tables while men dressed in traditional Arabic attire greet guests with a hospitable welcome before showing them to their tables.

On our visit we watched bakers and chefs working away to prepare an assortment of fluffy warm breads, delicious zaatar and labneh sajj alongside marinated and tender tandoori chicken.

Other sous chefs whizzed around behind the scenes to ensure that the shawarmas, grills, samosas and kebabs were also ready in time.

The marvellous mains and selection of appetisers, including hot and cold mezze, are the brainchild of Chef Raafat and his team. His Syrian touches and special food combinations brought smiles to diners’ faces, especially to Sam’s.
 
There were 15 Arabic-inspired main courses with a few international dishes available too. Bahraini favourite harees are always on offer along with a second local dish which changes daily, as well as a different style of ghouzi. There was a live cooking pasta station, as well as a sajj and mixed grill area with a tandoori oven.

For dessert, the chef prepared delectable and super sweet treats that will keep guests in a welcomed sugar coma. According to the chef, the Ghabga features a smaller menu with lighter options and is a la carte.

Everything looked so amazing that my family and I couldn’t wait to finally indulge in the feast before us. While we waited, friendly servers brought us a selection of beverages to choose from and the food and beverage manager, Martin Foltin, entertained us with his funny anecdotes.

We started with a chicken freekeh soup, an Egyptian delicacy which warmed our hearts. My father was always one step ahead feasting first on the baba ghanoush and hummus, the labneh with olives and the sajj.

The sajj was scrumptious and I should know as I had six of them. I would have had more but I wanted to keep room for the chicken and plum salad in vinaigrette dressing which Sam insisted I try. I also loved the tomato green bean salad which tasted just like my mama’s.

Once we licked our plates clean of the salads we made our way to the mains and were surprised to find a chicken ghouzi in spinach rice. It was not like any ghouzi we had ever seen at a Ramadan Iftar. After receiving a thumbs up from my dad, we plated up and were extremely pleased we did.

The chicken was flavourful and juicy and the spinach sauce was creamy and delicious combined with the rice. Although this dish stole the show, it was accompanied by yummy vegetable and potato gratin, tasty harees, a spicy chicken red curry, a sumptuous chicken breast in mustard sauce and more.

Our taste buds were tickled by every bite and just when we thought we were full, we realised that we could not pass up the dessert table. The chef advised us to sample the cheese kunafa and a sweet Lebanese-style cheese roll, as well as the flat version of it called madlouka that will have you craving for more. Both desserts did not disappoint and neither did my dad’s favourite, the milky pudding called mouhalabieh.

What truly surprised us was the crème caramel which I usually avoid at buffets because I do detest the eggy-taste and nothing compares to my auntie Salwa’s family-favourite offering. However, this was pretty close and no egg flavour!

It was hard not to fall in love with Baharat and what a deal for BD16++. Children under six eat for free and meals for older children are priced at 50 per cent.
 
While I may miss my mother’s cooking, I am more than happy to make Baharat my new home until she returns. As Sam put it, this is by far the best Iftar he has had at a hotel restaurant.

Thank you for reaffirming our faith in eating out Iftars and for making my dad smile with the chef’s take on one of my mum’s specialities, the malfouf (cabbage roll).

For details, contact 17171000 or visit Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.







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