Comfort food with a twist

One of the kingdom’s newest eateries is delighting the senses of all who pass through its doors thanks to its wide selection of freshly-made fare and chic decor.

The Ritz Gourmet Lounge, the newest addition to the Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa, has been inspired by the ‘golden age’ of hotelier Cesar Ritz and renowned Chef Auguste Escoffier, who came to fame in the late 19th Century.

The beauty of the eating out experience begins the moment you walk through the door and feast your eyes on the stunning décor, which looks as though you’ve been transported back in time … or to one of London’s infamous tearooms.

The venue boasts marble flooring, rich wooden furniture and ornately draped curtains. Napoleon chairs and cozy sofas add to the chic ambience, which is capped by the gold framed paintings on the ceiling in the main dining areas and wall-mounted Murano glass lamps.

The next thing that strikes you is the fusion of mouthwatering aromas wafting through the air, as you are escorted to your table by waitresses decked out in Victorian-era outfits.

The menu is as long as it is exotic and composes of starters, soups, salads and tartines as well as sandwiches, paninis, a plethora of stunning desserts and, of course, afternoon tea. It is worth noting that practically everything on the menu is baked, smoked, cooked, rolled or brewed in-house, a testament to the skills of the kitchen staff.

One of the most delightful things about the Ritz Gourmet Lounge is the understated simplicity of the menu. Serving up comfort food with a high-class twist is no easy feat, but Executive Pastry Chef Antony Fernandez and Sous Chef Heather Kim make it look effortless.

In charge of the main courses is Sous Chef Heather Kim. Both her parents were chefs and she gained her first cooking experience when she started working in the kitchen of their restaurant, which was the first Korean dining venue in Toronto, Canada.

After a stint in Italy, she went back to Canada in order to work as a personal chef and also started a homemade preserves and jam business. Then, a few months ago the opportunity came up to expand her experience in Bahrain and she seized the opportunity.

She said: “I’ve always loved cooking and I’ve worked in a lot of places, but what makes this restaurant so special is the variety on the menu. It is comfort food with a twist. Also, we’re the only place on the island that smokes and cures its own fish in-house.”

My cousin Lucy accompanied me on this dining out assignment and was equally impressed with the selection. I began with the house-smoked salmon, which had a fantastic taste to match the fragrant aroma.

Meanwhile, adventurous Lucy opted for the Beignets of Bacalhau, which she exclaimed was as much fun to eat as it was to try and pronounce. It’s essentially tender fried codfish cakes made with potatoes, eggs and parsley, served with sweet and sour Asian sauce. It’s soft and crumbly with the most amazing after taste.

For the main course I had a meat pie that slightly resembled cottage pie, which doesn’t sound too exciting … until you remember this pie was made with the finest, most succulent and flavoursome Wagu beef.  

Lucy had the macaroni and cheese, which again doesn’t sound very gourmet until you realise it’s topped with chunks of fresh lobster. ‘How was it?’, I asked. “Oh my, wow,” was her reply.

All good meals are rounded off with a fine dessert and this is one venue where you can be sure that your gourmet meal will be capped in style.

Chef Antony brings with him an extensive international background from working at leading luxury hotels and pastry shops in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France and Jamaica over the past 20 years. He started his profession in 1993 as certified pastry chef, baker, ice cream maker, chocolatier and confectioner from the Bakery and Pastry Institute in Rouen, France.

This is man who knows and loves everything sweet, in fact, his moto is ‘life is short, eat dessert first’.

He said: “All the flavours on the menu compliment each other, as do mine and Chef Heather’s cooking styles. We both like to experiment with food and we’re not afraid to try new things to make sure the customers have the very best, freshest, most exciting and delicious choices.”

For dessert, Lucy outdid herself by ordering what can best be described as an ‘Oreo concoction’, which is what I was going to have, great minds and family often think alike. It consisted of mountains of fresh home-made ice-cream buried under a selection of fruits and cookies and then drizzled in rich chocolate sauce.

I eventually opted for the chocolate meringue sundae with berries, a tropical concoction that tasted as awe-inspiring as it looked. It was tangy and zesty and, moreover, delicious. Thank you Chef Antony for that majestic treat.

The 74-seat restaurant also boasts a terrace lounge. The Ritz Gourmet Lounge is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7am till midnight.