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Diners have been known on several special occasions to flock to Sheraton Bahrain Hotel’s Soie fine dining restaurant for its authentic delicacies inspired from different parts of China including South East Asia, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Sichuan and Beijing.
The dramatically-lit venue, featuring wooden floors, porcelain ornaments, silky canopy and lanterns, has been a food favourite destination for many across the kingdom, especially GulfWeekly’s editor Stan Szecowka.
Unfortunately for him, since he is away on holiday, a new menu has been launched and I was given the pleasure of sampling its array of sizzling savouries and sweet delights along with my husband Sam and his family visiting from Seychelles, the Chang-Times.
We ushered in the New Year in sizzling style being serenaded by melodic Chinese songs in the 65-seat restaurant while sipping spicy Tom Yum Shrimp soup recommended by newly appointed restaurant manager Mico Sarmiento and nibbling on crunchy nuts and cucumbers.
Meanwhile, the culinary team boasting Chefs from China that have been with the restaurant for more than 10 years, were cooking up a festive feast in the kitchen to appease our appetites as well as please a picky five-yearold named Daniel.
He had a small bowl of chicken corn soup while we finished the remainder of our flavourful soup that was filled to the brim with shrimps. The best part was that the shrimps were
tail-free which meant no mess which usually comes with eating this soup.
Mico and the friendly serving staff were on top form, refilling our glasses and making sure that our every whim was answered. Within minutes the appetisers appeared featuring another popular dish, the Siomai with Chicken (steam dumplings) and the Prawn Toast Roll. Truth be told, the best prawn toast Sam and I ever had was in Thailand.
However, Soie’s crunchy and juicy concoction was a win in our books and now our favourite. So far, the five-star restaurant was on a roll doling out one scrumptious meal after the other.
Mico then recommended we enjoy a few new dishes such as the Mango Crispy Chicken, the Kung Pao Chicken and the Pan Fried Salmon with Soy along with beloved classics including the Stir Fried Chilli Beef, Lemon Chicken, Egg Fried Rice and Fried Rice with Vegetables.
The Mango Crispy Chicken was explosive with sweet and spicy flavours. It was like a party in my mouth and the fresh mango was the star. It reminded me of a particular Seychellois dish as they tend to use mangos in their savouries and salads.
I watched as Sam scooped up a big bite of Kung Pao as that was always his top pick at Asian restaurants. He nodded his head in approval and went back for seconds, adding some more chilli paste to give it an even further fiery taste.
I then peered over at the Chang-Times sampling the salmon, as whom better to judge the fish than true seafood connoisseurs. The best seafood after all comes from Seychelles where the sea is crystal clear and clean.
Sam’s cousin Selmon gave two thumbs up and I couldn’t agree more. It was tender, juicy, well-seasoned and not flaky. Hats off to Chef Lee Bak Lee and his team for creating such a mouthwatering dish.
Selmon’s wife Isabelle loved the beef while Sam and I continued to devour the zesty Lemon Chicken. We finished off our meals with tasty fried rice. Meanwhile little man Daniel,
who usually takes two bites from his plate and leaves the rest, happily cleaned out the Egg Fried Rice.
That was the highlight of our evening, watching Daniel sitting quietly for a change enjoying his food. This was unheard of and we all thank the chefs again for achieving the impossible. Just as we thought it couldn’t get any better than this, Mico brought over Deep Fried Ice Cream and Green Tea Ice Cream with Strawberry Compote along with Chinese tea.
The hot and cold combination was a perfect way to end a lovely family dinner. Daniel enjoyed it so much so that he fell asleep from the food coma on the drive back home. What a great start to the New Year.
While we opted for a la carte, there are set menus for one, two or more as well. Also, the restaurant adds new dishes or food promotions every month to keep patrons pleased and coming back for more.
Mico added that some older dishes have been returned to the menu due to diners demands and of course, the customer comes first. The restaurant is open from 7pm to midnight every day, except for Saturday.
To book your own delicious meal, visit www. sheratonbahrain.com or call 17533533 or follow them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @sheratonbh
