Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The famous Bahrain Friday dining out scene has got a new twist and has become a whole lot classier and sophisticated with the introduction of the Links a la Carte Brunch.
The Royal Golf Club restaurant has cut back on waste and is concentrating on delivering made-to-order delightful dishes to the table … and it works like an absolute treat.
I’m a great brunch fan but do find it annoying at times, especially when you’re with a party of friends who constantly break away in the middle of hearty conversation and wander off for ages to queue up for food.
Worst still, when you get to the counter your favourite bite is missing or all that is left are the last cold, dried out helpings because some greedy geezer has piled his plate full with no intention of polishing it off.
That’s never going to be a problem if Executive Chef Paul Gindra and his kitchen team – assisted in no small way by a diligent and dynamic team of waiters and waitresses – continue to deliver this unique concept with style, speed and such spectacular results.
“Eric Deladiennee, the director of F&B, and I have been planning to change our brunch concept for a while as we wanted to implement something new, fresh and trendy,” explained Chef Paul. “Our past brunch buffet concept was in place for the past four years and although very successful, we felt that we could improve on the overall quality and save on food wastage which is the social responsibility of everyone.
“The new menu now offers freshly-prepared dishes served straight to your table and ensures a consistent high quality meal. Whether you arrive at noon or 2pm you will get the same high standard and freshness as every dish is cooked to order.”
Seeing is believing and I want to highlight straight away the main course of grilled beef tenderloin, served with crispy root vegetables, beetroot puree, truffle oil and beef jus. It’s an absolute sensation … but it comes with a warning.
It was so magnificently presented that I made the error of snapping a photograph of it on my smartphone. I took my eye off the plate to post it on my Facebook page and as soon as I looked up two of the three slices had been stolen by the good lady wife, Kathryn, and her friend, Tracy, whose comment is worth noting: “Every bite was divine.”
Although sharing is allowed, I was temporarily traumatised. But fortunately, you could order again with no issues. I like this place. And wow, the meat tasted as good as it looked.
Chef Paul, who hails from Durban in South Africa, has an award-winning culinary career that spans several continents. He has worked in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Namibia, South Africa and Ireland, predominantly overseeing the openings of Radisson Blu properties, focusing on the successful launch of their restaurants.
He explained: “The important aspect of the brunch is to ensure that the food reaches the diners’ tables quickly and that it is fresh and served at the right temperature. We have a team of 14 chefs preparing the food and each chef is responsible for preparing certain dishes. Preparation and planning is key and when done well, service flows. The communication between front and back of house is very important and we have trained together as a team to make sure that we meet our guests’ expectations.”
The only hark back to the old-style brunch is a choice of salad dishes, dips and bread, plus a selection of desserts at a cold buffet area close to a cool singer/guitarist playing soulful tunes.
At the table you can start having an array of hot breakfast dishes delivered. I love my poached eggs and these were cooked to perfection and delivered hot on English muffins, with crispy bacon, tomato relish and béarnaise sauce.
My son Stan and his pals, Dan and Harry, went for the blueberry flapjacks and chocolate waffles and the French toast with cinnamon sugar and berry compote proved particularly popular too.
The adults also added baked oysters, deep fried sushi and pan-fried foie gras with fig chutney and brioche melba to their choices.
Apart from grabbing my meaty portions, Kathryn took one of the house favourites for her main course, tasty Thai fishcakes with mango and chili, as well as Tempura prawns.
And, Harry swooped on and swallowed up his plate of Butternut and feta ravioli before I was able to pick up my camera for the customary Eating Out image.
According to Bosco Ferrao, F&B outlets manager, amongst the guest favourites are the cheesy bacon bites, Peking duck wraps, braised beef brisket and the new signature dessert, chocolate and salted caramel tart.
The a la carte brunch with unlimited selected beverages costs BD27 net per person with children aged 12 and under paying BD9 net with unlimited soft drinks. Members’ discount applies.
If you are tired of the traditional and noisy buffet brunch, come and try this relaxing, fresh and more elegant brunch experience where you will be served at your table at your leisure … with the added bonus of a fabulous view of the rolling green golf course.
It’s a winner!
