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Food blogger Tammy Mollai once said that cooking done with passion is an act of love and I certainly felt the love at Passion Restaurant & Lounge while feasting on the Ramadan buffet.
The wallet-friendly restaurant in Adliya, tucked away in a tiny alley between Hash House and Coco’s Café, is known for serving up five-star intercontinental food in a tranquil environment, courtesy of executive chef, Mohammad Nadeem Qureshi.
The three-storey venue, which can seat around 300 diners, offers a welcome change from the traditional Ramadan fare and has quickly become a food haven for hungry fasters.
My husband Sam and I were the first to arrive at the Arabesque-designed structure, eager to avoid the Ramadan rush at the buffet, which we had encountered way too often.
We were lucky as, according to Chef Qureshi, the venue has been busy seating around 30 diners a day for iftar. Unlike other buffets on the island there were only a few dishes ranging from salads to main meals. However, what lacked in quantity was made up for in quality, tenfold.
Passion’s friendly waitresses also made the experience enjoyable offering guests a basket of pistachio and almond stuffed dates to break their fast along with a cup of Arabic coffee.
The soup station included a rich, creamy mushroom soup and a chicken corn soup with a side of lemon and buttery bread. After licking the mushroom soup bowl clean, I plated up an assortment of samosas and vegetable spring rolls which included a touch of zesty lemon grass.
A salad bar featured greens, veggies and the traditional pickled and salty dishes like baba ghanoush and mutabal.
The buffet featured vegetable Chow Mein, chicken manchurian, aloo (potato) Hyderabadi, mixed grills, biryani rice and steak pizzaiola.
The sweet and sour chicken manchurian melted in my mouth and the potato packed a punch. The mixed grills were my favourite, especially when dipped in sweet and savoury yoghurt.
After filling our tummies, we took a break from the buffet and ventured out to the restaurant’s courtyard to take in the picturesque decor which features large trees growing along the side of the property, a giant water wheel, a wooden seating arrangement and a large horse-drawn carriage. This rustic and eccentric theme continues indoors as well.
It’s hard to believe that Passion used to be two old Bahraini-style houses, one of which once-upon-a-time was Sam’s home in Adliya.
Monika Gorzna, the restaurant manager, joined us outside for a cup of tea and desserts.
The dessert station, located next to the salad bar, was a feast for the eyes and had me drooling. Having a sweet tooth I immediately grabbed the largest portion of devilishly decedent chocolate mousse. Meanwhile, Sam loved Passion’s take on the Middle Eastern semolina dessert, basboosa. For a healthy dose of fruits, I skipped the watermelon and kiwi cup for a mango mousse, which had little surprise chunks of fruit inside.
By 8pm we were ready to call it a night, although other diners were buzzing round the buffet. Before heading out, Miss Gorzna informed us that there was a different selection of dishes every day with some favourites making a return appearance.
Priced at BD5.9 per person, the buffet has a lot to offer, fantastic fare at the perfect price. Also, for those that want Passion’s signature dishes such as the sea bass fillet or pasta platters instead of the Ramadan buffet do not fret as there is an à la carte menu as well.
The Ramadan buffet starts after sunset and is open until late.
For details contact 13632103 or 39123086. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @Passion_Restaurant.
