Sumptuous experience

In a desert of fast food chains where Middle Eastern restaurants are a dime a dozen, a calm and comforting spot is a rare find, but the Gilgamesh Ballroom at the Golden Tulip Bahrain is one of the best getaways for an oasis of tranquillity this Ramadan.

With a truly impressive atmosphere, the ballroom has been transformed into an extravegant dining area designed with a traditional Arabian theme.

The bright lantern-style lighting and the draped fabric give a tent-like setting while, of course, the vast number of Arabic dishes provided the perfect setting to break my fast.

The food here is as impressive as the surroundings. And, not only did the food impress, but the service was excellent. Waiters never failed to refresh my glass of water and the kitchen team was always ready to offer a basket of fluffy, house-baked naan bread.

The restaurant boasts a sumptuous buffet, with several cooking stations, namely falafel, kunaafa (cheese pastry soaked in sweet syrup), shawarma and naan bread – where you can eat your fill of mezzah, grills and rice dishes, as well as choose from an array of tasty desserts.

The live shawarma station could quite possibly serve the best shawarma in town, in my opinion. The chicken is fresh, the salad is crisp, the pickles are extra sour and have just enough tahini (sesame seed paste) to give it the tenderness required. Be warned: don’t try it when you’re almost full ... you can’t just stop at one bite.

Leading the men at the cooking stations was senior demi chef from Sri Lanka, Chaminda Abeykoon. Chef Abeykoon, 36, has been working for the Golden Tulip Bahrain for almost three years, but before moving to the country in 2010, he already had 11 years of experience under his belt.

He said: “We are providing a lot more this Ramadan than we have previously. We have different live cooking stations and I am confident people will like the alterations we have made.

“Our main courses change on a regular basis giving customers a variety of dishes to pick from including lasagne, chicken biryani and even harees, a ground wheat with meat dish.

“But the main and favourite dish we are serving is ghouzi (lamb with rice) because so many of our customers love it … and we make a big portion to make sure there’s enough to go around!”

The homespun lamb ghouzi highlight, prepared by Chef Hussein Al Basri, was as appealingly fresh as promised. His palette of flavours was mouth-watering and simple.

It left a smile on my face as I was reminded of my grandmother’s home cooking. It was perfect and I insisted that he share his recipe with GulfWeekly readers.

The Golden Tulip Bahrain Iftar buffet is a ‘must-try’ this Ramadan. The buffet costs BD10.500 per person.