Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Back in the UK it’s easy to tell when summer time is over. It has nothing to do with the weather because at this time of year it’s probably as miserable as it was in the middle of July.
No, the helping hand comes in the form of putting back the clock by one hour.
At 2am on Sunday the Brits did just that … but in Bahrain there was a much more fun way to mark the end of the ‘big heat’.
With the weather a delightful few degrees cooler the moment is annually marked with a far more entertaining tradition, namely The Gulf Night Out!
The Gulf Hotel’s legendary weekly poolside event is back with a vengeance and it kicked off in splendid style on Tuesday.
Folk flocked to fill up their plates with a variety of cuisines from the hotel’s 10 fine dining outlets, alongside sensational live cooking stations and non-stop entertainment, which I’ll get to later.
Firstly, let me concentrate on the food because there really was something for everyone and the clever concept of placing the range of choices in well-flagged separate market-style areas was a touch of brilliance.
The Italian corner boasted lasagna and pasta with three types of sauces, the Japanese display provided prawn, fish and vegetable tempura and the Chinese delight of crispy duck was close to hand too.
There were Thai delicacies, Mexican marvels and samosa spring rolls amongst the Lebanese offerings and some of the busiest sections last week were, of course, the Bahraini grilled meaty marvels and a selection of specially prepared Indian street food.
But let me step back to the mention of ‘sensational’ live cooking stations. I do not use the word lightly and the mighty Mongolian corner conjured up a classic cultural dish.
Chef de Parti Ignatius Gomes was manning a pair of magnificent cooking drums which looked like stir-fry-style contraptions and he played them perfectly cooking slices of beef, lamb, chicken and seafood to order, adding fresh vegetables, spices and chili when requested, for a plateful of pure heaven.
He told me he had been trained in the art of preparing Mongolian cuisine by a senior chef who has since left the island and he enjoys keeping the legacy alive during The Gulf Night Out.
Mongolians usually cook in a cast-iron or aluminum pot on a small stove and the most common rural dish is mutton so the authenticity of the offering is clear.
Mongolia, a nation bordered by China and Russia, is known for vast, rugged expanses and nomadic culture. From now on, in my heart, it will always be remembered for its food.
The side dishes were just as delightful too, the sushi was exquisitely prepared and there were some interesting salad dishes with my top marks going to a subtle asparagus spear delight nestled in a marvellous mouse.
Unfortunately I was so full and had to miss out on most of the marvellous array of desserts, although I did sample a small slice of apple cake with a helping of homemade ice cream.
It was then a case of sitting down and enjoying the show. The lively Cuban house band QBA were as energetic as ever and although I couldn’t understood a word they were singing they looked great and the music made you sway along merrily. They were an ideal warm up for a guest appearance of a highly-energetic belly-dancer who stepped across from the hotel’s Lebanese outlet Zahle.
Her dance of the seven veils, or something similar, was remarkable and she never stopped moving throughout an energetic routine, well deserving the rich applause she received at the end of a powerful performance.
It was then time to chill with popular Arabic singer Abdulla Baqer before the party ended.
Mid-week treats indeed.
The Gulf Night Out is priced at BD19++, the buffet starts from 8pm. For reservation, call 17713000.
