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SUMMER sizzles, new tasty bites and plenty of traditional fare are the order of the day at one of the most popular expat gathering places on the island.
The Blindside BBQ & Grill, the popular pitch-side snack bar at the Bahrain Rugby Football Club, has introduced a new chef to add a touch of Indian spice to the outlet’s delights.
Chef-in Charge Anoop CA, a graduate from Mangalore University’s highly-regarded Moti Mahal College of Hotel Management, was snapped up from the Rose Café Restaurant in Oman, by legendary hospitality host Satish Palayat, who manages the Blindside operation.
“It’s great to be here,” said Anoop. “The positive response from our diners has been very encouraging.”
One of his stand-out dishes is a vegetarian Falafel & Grilled Halloumi Wrap. This delightful deep-fried ground chickpea concoction comes sprinkled with chef’s secret recipe of healthy herbs and other seasoning to produce a spectacularly satisfying taste with a subtle kick.
Add tomato, cucumber, red onions and roasted red peppers, all packed into a warm and toasted flour tortilla sprinkled with cheese and it’s satisfyingly filling too at just BD2.500.
Fortunately, I had the good lady wife, Kathryn, alongside me to share the taste test experience and owner, celebrity chef Dominic Miles, was proudly on hand too to show how the new kitchen team can also deliver one of Blindside’s firm favourites; fish ’n’ chips.
The managing partner of Ajyal Catering Bahrain has strengthened the team as his business grows and Chef Anoop and his colleague Chef Varun worked in perfect harmony to dish up our mighty main course as well as the starter.
According to Dominic, where ‘location, location, location’ is all important for any dining destination, the main ingredients for success in catering is simply that … the ingredients.
The batter mix for the fish had been specially-imported from the UK and even the tartar sauce condiment was homemade. You can’t really have fish ’n’ chips without a dollop of mighty mayonnaise with its rough consistency due to the addition of diced gherkins and other pickles.
There was a pleasant surprise in the choice of fish too as in the UK the standard fare, depending on which part of the country you live in, is usually a choice between cod for southerners and haddock for northerners. In Bahrain, it’s regularly hammour, but regulars at the Blindside prefer a cream dory boneless fillet.
Also called the Pangasius fish, cream dory has steadily gained popularity all over the world in recent years and is prized by consumers and suppliers alike for its neutral flavour which makes it ideal for endless permutations of cooking methods, flavourings and sauces.
Other essentials on the side are mushy peas, of course.
The fish pieces were placed on a bed of thick chips. Kathryn reckoned the only thing lacking was a boat of rich brown gravy to pour over them. Southerners, like myself, would be mortified at the suggestion. However, you may be able to take a girl out of Hull (in the north) but you can’t take the Hull out of a girl!
I’ve joined the cream dory fan club as this was very moist and fleshy and worked wonders in its light and crisp batter made from a combination of flour, salt, baking powder, milk, water and other special ingredients.
The Blindside, aptly-named because in rugby terms ‘the blindside’ is the narrow part of the pitch in relation to a scrum, and the kitchen fits nicely between the main stand and the club’s artificial pitch enclosure. Close your eyes and open your heart and you could almost hear echoes or the famous ‘Bahrain roar’ in the breeze.
The presentation of both sizable dishes was impressive too and settling down on the tables outside was a treat in the late afternoon. It’s been a bit of blessing of late as there has been a noticeable lack of humidity in the air and as a sun-worshipping expat, who is having a staycation this summer, I can’t get enough of the warm weather.
I can’t get enough of the Blindside food either.
For further details of the menu visit www.ajyalfood.com.
