The Italian job

Authentic Italian cuisine with the backdrop of short stone walls and cozy dŽcor are what you can expect at Castello Restaurant and Lounge at the Cypress Gardens in Budaiya.

Reigning the kitchen are Jordanian master chefs Salim Nahhas and Asad Jabreen who specialise in pastry and main courses respectively.

Friends and classmates from back home, they duo came to Bahrain two years ago when Castello owner Hazem A Husseini had the opportunity to taste their food.

They each have 10 years of experience in their respective fields.

Passionate about sweets and a pastry, Chef Salim, 29, has always wanted to make desserts and decorate them.

He said: "Decorating pastries has always appealed to me. I am also very keen on taking part in competitions across the world so that I am able to present my skills to a bigger audience."

Chef Salim came 18th in the World Pastry Chef competition which was held in Paris in 2005. He also participates in the Gulffood Expo in Dubai every year and once every two years flies off to Las Vegas to take part in its food festival.

Chef Salim has worked with the Radisson SAS Hotel and Le Royal Hotel in Jordan.

During his training at the Radisson, he was able to work with three Italian chefs on Italian desserts.

Bahrain is the first trip away from home for Chef Asad, 28.

After college, he started as a trainee at the Crowne Plaza in Jordan.

He later moved to the Garden Palace Hotel where he experienced Russian cuisine.

He has also worked with the Grand View Hotel and Amman West Hotel in Jordan.

Prior to coming to the island, he worked at the Marriot as chef de partie.

Castello offers Italian food enthusiasts a menu of common favourites including tortellini farcito, zuppa di fungo, penne arrabiata, lasagna del forno, bistecca ai ferri, filetto do manzo, fettucine alfredo, spaghetti bolognaise, risotto al funghi and pollo scaloppini.

The venue plans to introduce live entertainment shortly.

Chef Salim shares one of his special creations with GulfWeekly.

Chocolate mousse

Ingredients:

Fresh cream 750gm

Orange juice 300gm

Dark chocolate 1,500gm

Egg 250gm

Egg yolk 300gm

Sugar 300gm

Whipped cream 1,250gm

Method:

Boil juice and fresh cream. Add chocolate to make a ganache which is the icing for pastries. Whisk egg, the yolk and sugar. Add the egg mix to the ganache, mix slowly and fill with whipped cream. Serve cold.