THERE are three things that are needed for a divine eating out experience. First and foremost, the food must be fabulous, obviously. But a close second and third come the ambience of the venue and the memories created by the occasion.
It was our daughter Immy’s last day of the summer holidays on the island with us as she prepared to fly back to London to start her second year at drama school.
We united as a family to sample the fare at the newly-created FURN Bistro at the Westin Hotel, City Centre Bahrain, which I highlighted a couple of weeks ago on the news pages following its unveiling.
Top management promised a ‘theatrical’ experience for diners within its setting and its sister Bakery and ‘Rotunda’ … and I’m delighted to report this is delivered in abundance with aplomb.
In Arabic, the word Furn (Fur’n) simply means ‘oven’. This speaks of tradition and the time-honoured techniques of baking, roasting and grilling, alongside the authentic recipes and flavours of the region. The name also aims to offer a link to the artisan chefs and bakers who use this indispensable tool to create their art.
The outlets specialise on mezza, grills and a twist on strudels which apparently originate from the Turkish Baklava pastry, alongside tea, chai, coffee and juices.
There are some very cute elements to the Bistro’s design, with the clear view of the kitchen allowing diners to watch the chefs in creative action, and to keep the concept continuous throughout. The clever lighting elements are surrounded by giant rolling pins, the baker’s notable tools.
The juices – check out the variety of lemonades which include a powerful Pomegranate Potion with strawberry and lemon juice, Green Apple Addiction and my favourite Spice Sense with ginger, lemon juice and lemongrass (all priced only BD2.100++) – arrived on the table in spectacular style in glasses in which the handles doubled as straws, how cool is that!
The opening performance was impressive with an array of show-boating starters such as Falafel (BD2.200++) leek-flavoured broad bean and chick pea fritters with a sesame dip, Patata Harra, hand-cut potatoes with harissa and fried onions (BD2++) and a Bistro Tabouleh (BD2.600++) of nutritious kale, quinoa and tomatoes presented on board a pot of dry ice steaming out of a novel nozzle.
Recently-promoted Egyptian executive sous chef, Hany Mostafa, pictured below, conjured up a stunning Smoked Moutabel, chargrilled eggplant mixed with tahini, lebneh and pomegranate-seeds, smoked over apple wood.
He started in 1999 as a kitchen apprentice whilst studying tourism and hospitality before setting off on a culinary journey working at leading hotels including the Hilton, Conrad, Marriott and Four Seasons, taking in Portugal, England and Qatar along the way before docking in Bahrain.
“I’m proud to be a chef. Cooking is not a career, it’s a post-apocalyptic survival skill! I believe in the saying: ‘no-one who cooks, cooks alone’. Even in the most solitary of circumstances, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present … and the wisdom of cookbook writers!
“Here, in Furn, we want people to indulge in an authentic Khaleeji menu featuring a western twist by sharing starter dishes, mouth-watering mains and irresistible desserts and beverages, while dining in a contemporary setting.”
The main dishes include a mighty Chicken Machboos (BD6.500++), a local favourite featuring succulent meat with fragrant rice served with eggplant, achaar, dakoos and sabra sauce for a full Arabic flavour, and, as my son Stan, 13, tucked into a FURN burger of slow-cooked shredded beef brisket (BD5.800++) the rest of the family piled into the Mixed Grill (BD6.500++) an impressive array of lamb kebab, kofta and lamb chops with BBQ vegetables and Seafood Mixed Grill (BD7.500++) with a fine fillet, prawns, squid and lobster tail.
Then, the star of the show appeared in the capable hands of the FURN’s Bahraini Head Chef Manaf Al Ghanim, talking through the way of welcoming guests in a time-honoured manner with a dish which is rightly considered a symbol of generosity.
The Prawn Fie Qataath (BD7.250++) was sensational. Locally-caught prawns, baked in a mutabbaq-style pastry with coriander, mint labneh and zesty lemon, were presented in a pot that needed to be overturned before its contents were tapped out onto the plate.
This is a stage show in its own right and deserves a warm round of applause on its dynamic delivery. And boy, does it taste good!
We were so full we could only share a dessert. The FURN Bistro and Bakery has already gained a glowing reputation for its sensational Apple Strudel (BD2.750++) as mentioned earlier.
I’m not going to argue, it’s amazing and now I’m not sure whether I prefer it to my childhood favourites of Apple Pie or Crumble. I may have to go back and try it again, just to research more thoroughly.
The Arabic Ice Cream (BD3.250++) flavoured with saffron and rosewater was a refreshing end to a memorable dining out experience.
Our departing showgirl Immy reckoned it was the ‘best lunch ever’ … which hopefully will convince her to return home sooner to visit, rather than later.
