Mouthwatering spread

The soothing sea and stunning contours of the Manama and Muharraq skylines catch the eye at the Elite Resort & Spa, next to the Bahrain National Museum, exhibiting an authentic theme for the Holy Month.

The resort’s Noor tent displays a marriage of the past and the present with antique furniture and Arabian trinkets like mini lanterns, hand-woven carpets and elegant chandeliers as well as large television screens and live entertainment.

The tent is divided into two parts – the smoking and non-smoking areas. Diners who come to break their fast can first savour a wide assortment of dried fruits to help replenish their energy as well as cool their empty stomachs with laban.

The delicious and rich Iftar spread offers 150 delicacies and something for everyone’s taste buds with cuisines ranging from the traditional Ramadan fare to popular favourites from Meditteranean and Asian flavours.

The appetiser section starts with two kinds of soup – a regular Ramadan lentil soup as well as the cream of chicken. An assortment of breads is followed by a long display of colourful salads and cold mezzeh including moutabel, babaganouj, tabouleh and hommus and then options for hot mezzeh like cheese rolls and meat fatayer.

The main course is a grand treat with an array of scrumptious curries, stir fries and more that gives no cause for disappointment. Bahraini favourites such as ouzi and machbous reign over the display as well as several other popular dishes. Fresh shawarma plates and grills are also prepared from a live station outside the tent.

I wish to offer a word of advice here – do keep enough space for the desserts because you would want to bang your head on a brick wall if you miss out on the mouth-watering spread of 50 sweets that will definitely take you a tad closer to heaven.

French pastries, cheese cakes, flavoured mousse and creme caramel join hands with an array of Arabic sweets creating a perfect end to a satisfactory meal for sweet-lovers. The traditional Bahraini sweet kunafa was the tastiest one I found on the island.

The spread is prepared under the guidance of executive Chef S M Sultan and his team of 30 chefs including senior Sous Chef Redha Eid who overlooks the Arabic kitchen and Chef Sumith Jayasoorya who leads a team of pastry chefs.

Food and beverage director, Najeeb Rihan, explained that the Elite Hospitality Group is set to launch a new catering division, Le Cuistot, right after Eid. He said: “We have several projects lined up. This Ramadan has been very busy for us and we are pleased to see such response, both from the corporate sector as well as individual guests. We have increased the space in our tent as well and can now accommodate up to 750 people, an increase from 200 when we first began the tent.”

The Iftar and Ghabga buffet costs BD12+ per head and features entertainment by two singers and a pianist from 10pm to 1.30am every night. Diners who return can enjoy a 25 per cent discount on their meals.