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A new Seafood Market Lunch has been launched at La Mer, a restaurant situated magnificently on the edge of the Gulf’s lapping waves at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa.
New menus have arrived, and the food really does match the magnificent seaside views customers can enjoy through the windows of the classic restaurant upstairs, as well as over a cup of coffee outside savouring the sun and fresh air before the humid summer arrives.
So forget about a room with a view … this is food with a view.
La Mer provides a unique and certainly romantic venue to spend the evening with a loved one or simply to experience a fine meal of exquisite seafood cuisine. Lunchtime can be a family affair too and an alternative to the regular brunch experience enjoyed by so many on the island.
The lunch time offering includes a vast selection of fresh fish with restaurant guests able to make their choice or select with the expert guidance of one of La Mer’s chefs.
We were placed in the capable hands of Gari Abdel, 28, a familiar face on the island who was a part of the pre-opening team of the Capital Club in Bahrain, before joining the Sofitel team and later leaving for a stint in Dubai before being snapped up once more to take on the grand title of Sous Chef-in-Charge at La Mer.
Having worked in various locations around the Middle East, Europe and North Africa it’s fair to say that his tastes are well acquired and refined to a high degree.
Using a multitude of well-chosen, high-quality ingredients Head Chef Gari believes in providing a truly unique journey of tastes for his guests with each mouthful containing something more than a single key ingredient but rather an ‘explosive combination of ingredients’ to truly give the taste buds something to enjoy.
Chef Gari , who trained in a Michelin Star restaurant in Marseille following his university studies at one of the best French culinary schools in Rabat, Morocco, said: “To be honest the key reason for my return is the restaurant itself, I worked in La Mer seafood restaurant for two years and had great memories of working with the team.
“Something very important to me is to always ensure that my guests receive the same excellent standard of food each time they visit, our guests return to experience the very best and it’s my key goal to deliver something greater and more unique than their expectations.
“I’m truly grateful to have the opportunity to maintain a good relationship with our guests and am always pleased and delighted when they return and ask ‘Can I have Chef Gari take my order?’ - this is what has made me return to Bahrain.”
Preparation of any dish can be according to the wishes of the diner or from an a’ la carte menu featuring creations such as Sole fillet meuniere-style, with sautéed wild mushrooms, parsley and garlic creams or papullote of sea bream fillet and vegetables julienne with cream and lemon.
Chef Gari explained: “By creating our Seafood Market and lunch menus I’m looking to create a successful lunch offering on the weekends in La Mer - something unique, fused with passion and creativity for our guests to truly enjoy.
“Unlike the views of some chefs, to me being a chef is a passion, it’s much more than simply a job. I’m trying to emphasis during the lunch a certain style, by creating my own cuisine and sharing the richness of what the French natural environment has to offer, by letting the natural strength of each ingredient shine.
“My cuisine is all about the expression of being a passionate chef and that’s what I’m trying to create in the Seafood Market, a selection of truly unique, passionate and exquisite cuisine.”
The Seafood Market presentation is impressive and features a rich array from King Fish, Sole, Sea Bream, Sherry, Parrot, Hammour, Fasker, Red Mullet, Saffi, Sardines to Needle Fish.
I was tempted by the last remaining Canadian lobster in the tank but didn’t have the heart as I looked into his eyes.
As Francophiles, which is to say, lovers of most things French, the good lady wife, Kathryn and I, could not resist a bowl of moules and frites (mussels and French fries) which came with an unusual added zing of tiny slices of pepperoni, which added a clever bite to proceedings.
As Chef Gari went to town preparing a seafood platter for us to share we enjoyed delving into the impressive starter menu.
My daughter Imogen enjoyed a Seafood Salad (BD 8.600) containing sand lobster, prawns and scallops with orange, grapefruit and avocado amongst its ingredients, which she insisted was ‘the best’ she had ever tasted.
That’s probably because she hadn’t tasted my White Asparagus Spears, Alaskan King Crab, soy beans and baby spinach with a touch of garlic pesto (BD8.900).
As the last song goes on the Sofitel company CD, simply ‘magnifique’.
Hard-to-please Auntie Lou, nearing the end of her vacation in Bahrain, went for a mushroom soup starter and, probably the only woman in the world to be invited to a seafood lunch and think cow, chose a steak off the main menu and asked for it to be ‘well done’. I will not mention her name again.
My son, little Stan, kept quiet and concentrated on tucking into his favourite; battered hammour and chips.
The platter of fish arrived (various prices measured by 100g weight) and it was mouthwatering, filling and absolutely fabulous.
You name it, it was grilled, steamed, backed, fried, broiled, roasted, sautéed, papilloted, Meuniere-style, French-style, Asian-style, thermidored , mariniered, provoncel and served with a selection of seasonal vegetables and sauces.
I was particularly taken by the local fish deeply fried, just like our Bahraini friends make it, alongside choice cuts so delicately cooked they melted in the mouth.
The shellfish was also superbly selected and tasted heavenly. The new menu has quite literally been created from bottom to top and features flavours, cooking and preparation styles specially developed by the kitchen team. They did not fail to deliver.
There was just enough room to share a platter of cakes containing coconut, chocolate, apple and strawberry creations.
Well done to the team, they have achieved exactly what they set out to do.
La Mer’s lunch offering is available from 12.30pm to 3pm Thursday to Saturday.
