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MUJU has certainly raised its game in recent months and is pulling out all the stops in its trendy restaurant and lounge as competition hots up on Amwaj Islands as people from across the kingdom flock to the growing number of restaurants in the thriving dining out destination.
Situated amid the Dragon Hotel & Resort complex, Muju has found a unique balance between establishing itself as a fine-dining establishment and a cool place to meet and chill.
Management tells me that over the past two years it has listened to customers and acted on the feedback and the results are impressive.
There is a classic restaurant area and a less formal, more relaxed table setting for diners by the windows offering impressive views over the calming water which is the man-made island’s piece de resistance.
Although there were already a handful of couples enjoying each other’s company in the main well-lit dining area, as the good lady wife Kathryn and I were eating quite early in the evening we sat in the dimly-lit, more vibrant environment.
Couples were chatting by the bar, Bahrain’s number one DJ and GulfWeekly columnist Stevie George was spinning the tunes in his little box in the sky and a large crowd of friends followed us in to take up the vacant tables and chairs adding to the vitality of the setting.
But a restaurant is only as good as its food and the food is only as good as its executive chef. The fresh-faced and amiable Vito Fornelli looks much younger than his 30 years but uses his extensive training gained at the seaside Italian town of Lette and in the competitive kitchens of some of London’s leading hotel restaurants to full effect.
I went for the Cornish crab cake starter (BD5.200) served with a mixed salad with a spicy lemon and caper dressing on the side. The cake was superbly cooked – just crispy enough, a dish so easily ruined when left cooking too long. Kathryn also gave her oven roasted scallops (BD5.100) served with cauliflower, mixed vegetables and crispy beef bacon top marks with the added compliment of ‘gorgeous’, although she could have been referring to my new aftershave.
For the main course, I chose one of Bahrain’s most favourite dishes, the leg of lamb. Get this wrong and your reputation is ruined across the island for ever more. I’m happy to report Chef Vito has perfected it, with a sauce which heavenly compliments the flavour with its thick and tangy taste.
His secret is to ‘dry marinate’ for two days followed by slow cookingfor six to eight hours. The result is gastronomic mastery – the flakes of meat melt in the mouth. At BD7.300 it comes served with mixed vegetables and I added two side orders of mixed wild mushrooms and thick homemade chips to soak up the sauce at BD2.500 each.
Kathryn went for the Black Angus rib eye at 300g and at a rather costly BD17.500. It certainly proved filling because for the first time in our eating out experience she left a corner of steak and three chips for me to finish off.
There was still room for the customary oven baked crème brulee which passed the ‘Kathryn test’ with flying colours and I was equally satisfied with a warm apple tart and vanilla ice cream. Both sweets cost BD3.600 and were well worth the investment.
The magic of Muju is not only the food, but the clever touches which make for a memorable evening. I like the black formal attire of the very attentive waiters and waitresses and the cutlery deserves a special mention too. It’s neatly designed not only to handle well but sit neatly on the plate without slipping off during down time, conversation or simply looking at the view through the window.
A nice touch. Top marks for an enjoyable evening.
Italian Vito Fornelli is married to Luigina. They have a three-year-old son, Kwame and live at Tala Island.
He manages a team of 18 chefs and eight stewards in his role as executive chef and food and beverage manager. Having initially trained at the Italian Grand Hotel Costa Brada in Gallipoli, he was snapped up by the Dragon Resort from his position of sous chef at the Connaught Hotel in London. He also held senior positions in the English capital’s five star restaurants at The Berkeley Hotel and The Metropolitan Hotel.
Here he shares one of his favourites recipes with GulfWeekly readers.
Ingredients:
Carnaroli rice 300g
Olive oil 50ml
Shallot 100g
Green courgette 400g
Yellow courgette 100g
Butter 50g
Grated parmesan 50g
Dry white wine 80ml
Fish stock or fish cubes 1L
Fresh mint leaves 30
Directions:
• Chop up the shallots and sauté in olive oil until browned. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a plate, leaving the remaining oil in the pot.
• Stir in the rice and sauté it until it becomes translucent (this will take 7-10 minutes), stirring constantly to keep it from sticking.
• Stir in a third of a cup of dry white wine and let it evaporate. (If it is cold you will shock the rice, which will flake on the outside and stay hard at the core).
• Once the wine has evaporated completely, add a ladle of simmering fish broth, stir in before all the liquid is absorbed.
• Continue cooking, stirring and adding broth as the rice absorbs it, until the rice barely reaches the al dente stage.
• Cut 300grs of courgette in chunks, warm up some olive oil in a casserole dish, sauté 50gr of shallots, add the courgette and some water, cover with lid and cook until soft.
• Once ready add 20 leaves of fresh mint.
•Transfer it into a food processor and blend it until smooth (don’t add all the cooking water at once)
• Once the risotto is ready, stir in the butter the grated cheese and three spoons of courgette puree, cover the risotto, and turn off the flame. Let it sit, covered, for two to three minutes.
• Slice some green and yellow courgette into very thin strips.
• Warm up a non-stick pan and add a bit of oil, put the sliced courgettes inside and sautee very quickly (about one minute)
• Put the rice in a bowl, and as decoration use the sautee courgette and some fresh mint leaves.
