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THE IBIS Seef Manama Hotel is keeping it simple, sweet and savoury with a variety of flavourful and healthy set menu delights which are keeping diners fully satisfied … with the added attraction of being stunningly good value for money.
This popular four-star property has been steadily building up a glowing reputation for its breakfast fare (a ‘must go’ destination for early-rising business executives determined to beat the morning traffic gridlock and leave the house too early to eat heartily at home) and the lunch and dinner choices are proving just as popular.
The Accor Group hotel’s kitchen is open 24-hours offering guests and visitors the opportunity to grab a light meal or snack at the time of their choosing at the SEEF restaurant and Café SEEF located on the ground floor.
Charming Jordanian Chef Nidal Abu Halaweh and his kitchen team work around the clock and my midweek, midday taste-test turned out to be a succulent and tasty experience.
The lunch and dinner buffet, priced at just BD8, is usually offered when a meeting in the hotel’s four rooms or event has been booked. Otherwise, diners have the option to order from a standard a la carte menu or from a daily set menu at BD6, which includes a drink, a starter, a main and dessert.
For those that still can’t decide, the chef’s popular delicious ‘Dish of the Day’ includes a main course and a drink along with a salad or soup.
Chef Nidal, who specialises in international cuisine, created a favourable stir during Ramadan with his traditional Mansaf offering, made of lamb cooked in fermented dried yogurt and served with rice.
I decided to leave my lunch choice in the chef’s hands and opted for his ‘special’. This is a man who can also whisk up an Indian curry one day or an Oriental dish on another, leaving regulars guessing what’s next.
Due to the recent change of climate, I caught myself a pesky cold that I haven’t been able to shake off, so I thought a soup would prove to be a perfect ‘pick-me-up’. By a stroke of good fortune, when tomato soup was delivered to the table I nearly jumped for joy as it has always been my ‘go-to’ soup whenever I’m feeling under-the-weather.
I could feel the winter blues melt away with every sip. I loved the fresh zaatar leaves and croutons. It’s obvious this chef cares about his customers. He also adds herbs, that he grows himself, to the dishes.
After the warm and soothing soup, a waitress brought over the ‘Chef Nidal Salad’. He insisted that I give it a try and it contained an amazing combination of healthy ingredients. It was similar to a Caesar Salad with parmesan cheese, a creamy sauce, iceberg lettuce and croutons but this special boasted an additional boiled egg, tuna, chicken, cherry tomatoes and zaatar leaves. It was altogether refreshing and zesty.
And, the pièce de résistance was the grilled chicken roulade which followed, stuffed with beef bacon and mozzarella in a pink sauce with steamed vegetables and pilaf rice. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside and the rice richly complemented the sauce and vegetables.
I was full, content and then shocked to learn that this two-course gourmet-style meal was a steal at a mere BD3.500. You’ll have to decide on whether to choose the soup or salad. Both are brilliant. I know, try one today and the other tomorrow!
For more information, call on 17386020 or visit www.ibis.com
- * IBIS Seef Manama is aiming to attract businesses in Bahrain to stage their training sessions, seminars and business events and social gatherings at one of its four well-equipped, modern, sound-proofed meeting rooms located on the property’s ninth floor, which can be varied in size. A web corner is also located on the floor to allow easy access to the Internet, alongside high speed Wi-Fi. Dedicated organisers are also available for event planning, said Tamer Al Khuffash, executive assistant manager.
