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THE DILLY is back dishing up the treats as a new executive chef makes his mark and woos back customers in droves with some traditional helpings of fine fare and a touch of teamwork.
Mark Rowe’s three-month stint at the helm of the kitchen at one of the most popular expat clubs on the island has seen a remarkable change in fortune with seat numbers doubling for the fabulous Friday brunch experience and a growing demand for outside catering.
The 40-year-old South African first made an impression on the island as head chef at La Terrase 10 years ago. He then enjoyed a seven-year spell with Gulf Air and took over the reins at the Dilmun Club in February after a short spell with BMMI Catering.
“The experience so far has been satisfying and challenging,” said Mark, who travels each day from his home in Floating City on Amwaj Islands to the Saar club. “The past three months have been about regaining confidence – with the staff and our members – as well as attracting new members to a thriving club offering first class meals at affordable prices.
“The food is now at a consistently high level and we’re receiving a lot of compliments on a daily basis. We’re back in business and we’re fired up for more!
“There is a great bunch of guys at the club and the positive thing is that they all want to learn and broaden their experience.
“Catering is a passion and what you put into it is what you get out of it. I loved cooking from day one, took it up as a profession and still enjoy every minute of it.”
Special theme nights are proving popular, for example the ‘dinner-for-two’, a four-course meal which allows the executive chef to create a new culinary masterpiece every Sunday evening in Candles Restaurant such as poached salmon colcannon, an Irish speciality featuring Chinese cabbage. Apricot Chicken – a dish which ‘brings a smile to your face and is so-so tasty’ – is another house speciality.
A Wednesday buffet to compliment the popular quiz night includes a variety of fare including steak pie and grilled chops and Thursday’s char-grilled steak night comes with a home-made secret basting developed by Mark.
The team of 12 chefs in the kitchen has been working flat out to impress and the new boss is full of praise for the pride and passion they have been displaying.
“There will always be firm favourites but I’m also eager for them to try out new things. They might have a special dish, recipe or sauce they think could be successful and I encourage them to give it a try – the people here love their curries!”
Mark has exciting plans to develop the cuisine with additional fusion offerings and The Bistro may become an upmarket, fine-dining experience. Put that alongside the gastro-pub fare in the Bull’s Head and Sports Bar and moves to make Amigos Restaurant a new-style family diner and the choice of eating out experiences available will be impressive.
Already, the refurbished Poolside Bar and its Friday afternoon BBQ is proving popular and the big-screen outside projector will offer a party atmosphere for the forthcoming FA Cup Final and South Africa Day rugby special when mighty England plan to batter their hosts on June 9 as guests tuck into traditional Braai.
But Friday brunch, priced BD7, is the real test. On his first weekend at the helm Mark welcomed a miserly 82 guests and in recent weeks the renaissance has continued with a headcount close to 180.
The Szecowka family popped in recently for the first time in several months and when I mentioned the sensational smell of the roast, Mark quickly replied: “It tastes even better!”
I like the man’s style. And he was right. The roast beef last Friday was cooked to perfection and the old English ‘Sunday roast’ plate-pleasers were available in abundance such as home-cooked Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, steamed veg and a fully, flavoursome gravy.
The traditional roast may be too much for some as the summer heat kicks in but as well as a full English breakfast, soup (the roasted pumpkin and carrot soup was divine), salads, beef stroganoff, chicken bhuna, seafood stir fry, lamb tagine and chops were amongst the alternative choices.
The sweets are also showing a marked improvement with old-time favourites such as apple crumble and custard being joined by a rich variety of home-baked cakes and puddings too numerous to mention.
Service in the main Candles restaurant is always prompt and polite and nothing has changed on that front fortunately. Satish Palayat, the F&B service manager, offers his usual front-of-house warm welcome with efficiency as affable general manager Chris Friel conducts his new fully-tuned orchestra with Scottish panache.
But without question, Mark has made his mark at just the right time as Saar battles back to attract expats to the many surrounding compounds blighted by recent unrest which has seen many families packing their bags and heading for the peace and security of Amwaj.
Nice to see someone making the opposite journey and bringing the faithful back to a fine facility.
