Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
After ploughing through two consecutive Christmas dinners, the last thing on my mind when I woke up on Boxing Day was to stuff my face yet again.
The plan was to lie prostrate on the sofa and occasionally dig into a mince pie or some leftover turkey and let my overstuffed stomach rest. However, after receiving an invitation from CUT by Wolfgang Puck to sample their New Year prepared menu at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, I just couldn’t resist.
And so, I was rolled out of my house and into my car for the final stage of my festive hat-trick. No offense to either my dear mother or our close family friend, but this was the best of the lot. I’ve always wanted to sample the CUT dining experience but have never been afforded the opportunity until now, and it was worth the wait.
Greeted by the friendly face of restaurant manager Fabio Marques and the rest of the team, I was given the menu which will be available on Saturday night. CUT is providing a fivecourse dinner menu with a live band (featuring popular local artists Mo Zowayed, Iba Almohsen and Ismail Al Gharib) from 8pm-10.30pm, and I was given a few select items from the list.
The first course, the amusebouche, consisted of Mini USDA Prime Beef Sliders, garnished with Sweet Pickles and Shallot-Marmalade. These were incredible and really set the tone for what was to come.
Tender, juicy and succulent, I’d have eaten five courses of these alone if I was allowed! Next came the starters, and I plumped for the choice of Japanese Blue Fin ‘Toro’ Tuna Tartare (with Wasabi, Avocado and Tosa Soy) and the Italian Winter Black Truffle Gnocchi.
Now, I’m not a seafood lover by any means, but I still found room to enjoy the subtle tastes and contrasts in the Tartare, arranged in a perfect cake-shaped pile. Even better was the Gnocchi, which was much softer and creamier than I expected, providing an overpowering sensation on the palate.
Next was the main event, CUT’s magnum opus … steak! I opted for the USDA 100% Pure Black Angus Filet Mignon and for a brief moment, I had a glimpse of heaven. The tenderness, the flavour and the texture of the meat was simply outstanding.
What I liked even more was that each slice had a special type of sauce to try with it, from the tangy Argentinian Chimichurri, the bitter Green Peppercorn Sauce, the earthly Wild Mushroom and Herb, and finally the best of all, the simply amazing House Made Steak Sauce.
The recipe for this speciality is under wraps (and I daren’t pry!), but if I could drown a steak in this, I would! Finishing off the savoury side of things was the slow cooked Shank of Dorset Lamb with Herbed Polenta and the Mediterranean Black Bass with house made veal chorizo.
The lamb shank was wonderful and slid off the bone as it should, and was complemented perfectly by the polenta, a peculiarity which my brain still processes as mashed potato but my taste buds decide is something else! The bass was flaky and flavoursome, but was completely overshadowed by the chorizo, which astounded my with how much flavour it packed despite being a tiny cube.
Truly the star of the show! In between courses, we were offered ‘mocktails’ to wash down our food. These carefully crafted concoctions were simple but very effective and refreshing, from the Truth or Dare made from lemongrass, lime leaf, lime juice, soda and syrup, to the Risk & Reward made from apple, cucumber and basil.
Just as I was ready to tap out and submit, the final course was brought before me. This was the Warm Chocolate Soufflé, with Whipped Crème Fraiche and Chocolate Sauce. I could have cried with happiness as Fabio cut the top off and poured in the liquid goodness, and if the selection boxes and Yule Log hadn’t killed me over Christmas, then this certainly did.
What a creation this is, and the perfect way to bring in the New Year for anybody with a sweet tooth. Soft, creamy and bubbly, this is not to be missed. After we were done, I had a quick chance to chat with executive chef Brian Becher, and his plans for the festive occasion.
He said: “Usually, we’re not necessarily looking to give you a one-time experience, but something that you’ll crave. However, as this is a special occasion, we’ve developed some treats that frequent diners will be surprised at, as well as our regular visitors.
“This menu has been in development for six weeks, and that’s to make sure everything is fully prepared and we’ve tested everything. We can’t wait for the occasion and we hope our diners enjoy eating the food as much as we did creating it.”
The New Year’s Eve dinner is BD110, including selected beverages. All guests will receive 20 per cent off New Year’s Day Brunch at CUT, as well as 50 per cent discount on entry to Azure’s New Year’s Eve Pool Party.
For reservations, call 17115044
