Warbling on

Unique décor, delectable delicacies and a fun-filled environment can mean only one thing … Warbler’s Friday brunch … or, as the regulars call it, frunch.

The venue, located in the Ramee Baisan International Hotel, is serving up a mouth-watering eating out experience to entice diners from across the kingdom.

Located in Hoora, the Warbler is tucked away in an unassuming part of town, just off Exhibition Avenue. When you step foot through the doors you’re transported into a metaphorical land of the lost.

The establishment’s décor is akin to nothing else I’ve seen on the island. Thanks to the life-sized Blues Brothers and pirate statues juxtaposed with cobbled streets and an old English theme, it’s easy to lose yourself in the atmosphere.

However, as funky as the décor is, brunch is all about the food and the Warbler does not disappoint. There is a range of Indian, oriental and international cuisine, fresh fish and steak cooked to order, salads, sushi and sensational sweets accompanied by a selection of unlimited beverages.

Another feature worth noting is the kitchen workstation which allows people to see who is preparing their food and how.
Heading the kitchen team is Executive Chef Harabilasha Panigrahi who specialises in Indian, Tex Mex and Mediterranean cuisine.

Hailing from Orissa, India, Chef Harabilasha, 35, boasts 15 years experience in the hospitality industry and prepares a filet mignon to die for but that isn’t the only string to his bow.

He also holds a degree in physics which he obtained from Utkal University in India. After graduating in 1997 he decided to follow a different path and took up a course in hotel management.
 
He took a position as a kitchen assistant at The Taj Group for seven months where he discovered his love for cooking.

He later took a job with the Ambassador’s Flight Kitchen for Air India in Mumbai where he catered for former Indian prime minister A B Vajpayee.

In 2004 he moved to Bahrain where he took the sous chef position at Ramee International Hotel in Juffair for four years before moving on to the Warbler.

His love for cooking was stronger than his love of science although he claims the two fields complement each other well.

He said: “Cooking is like a science in terms of putting together the ingredients and following a procedure but when I cook, I put my heart into it too.

“I’ve always loved to cook and I’m sure the people who come to the Warbler to try our brunch will love the selection we have on offer.”

I was eager to try the food for myself. I started off with the duck in ginger sauce accompanied by some baby potatoes and vegetables which had been cooked to perfection. Each bite was like a party in my mouth and this was only the beginning.

I’m not really a seafood fan but with so many exotic and tasty looking varieties of fish on offer it would have been rude not to sample a few. The tiger prawns were an absolute delight. The inside was soft and very flavoursome with a wonderful texture.

Next up was Bahrain’s favourite fish, hammour. I had a prime fillet of this gorgeous little number which was accompanied by a garlic-based sauce which complemented it wonderfully.

Thoughtfully, I left room to sample the desserts which where the restaurant’s piece de résistance. As well as a selection of cakes and Arabic sweets, there was a wide variety of Indian desserts.

I’m partial to a good piece of cake to round off a meal, I always have been and very rarely can I be swayed away from a gateau. However, Chef Harabilasha recommended that I try something a little different.

I went with the Gulab Jamun which is a tasty Indian treat made of a dough consisting mainly of milk solids rolled into a ball with some flour and then deep fried. It is then put into a sugar syrup flavoured with cardamom seeds and rosewater, kewra or saffron.

I’ll never be swayed by the allure of gateau again if I see this item on the menu. It was fantastic and if you haven’t tried it, you haven’t lived.

To accompany the mouth-watering delights, the resident band ‘Crazy Nuts’ are on hand to entertain.

All in all, this is brunch that may pleasantly surprise you. The Warbler brunch costs BD15. For details call 17290600 or 39098603.