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I had a strange dream the other night. It appears that all the rich food late at night at the numerous Ghabgas I’ve attended is starting to play on my mind.
Picture the scene: I’ve just strolled into a dusty Wild West town in the US on my trusty camel, hungry and thirsty and ready to break my fast.
I push my way through the wooden doors of the saloon, walk menacingly up to the counter and whisper in the ear of the nervous owner: ‘Gimme the Zabadi!
It’s a salad bar by the way, I’m a bad man and the dish has been named after me … I told you, it was a strange dream.
I love yogurt and its drinkable version laban and I love nothing better than a Zabadi Salad. In Greece it’s called Tzatziki, which sounds more like a skin complaint suffered by spotty teenagers, and it leaves your mouth zinging with the taste of garlic long into the night.
The Arabic version replaces much of the garlic with refreshing mint, tastes mightily good … and has such a badass name. ZaBADi, it sort of rolls off the tongue.
It was blowing a sand storm when the Szecowka family rolled up to the Swiss-belhotel Seef’s Swiss Café Restaurant to sample the Iftar. It’s one of my favourite haunts that always boasts a lively atmosphere. When the weather’s not too blowy, there’s an outside terrace to enjoy too.
My old friend Executive Chef Holger was away on holiday and taking control of culinary affairs was Sous Chef Mahmoud Shaaban and his passionate team conjuring up a feast for the taste-buds.
The Egyptian culinary connoisseur is already a celebrity chef having recorded two TV shows highlighting his kitchen skills and even hosted a live cooking show on Bahrain TV … and now stars in my own legendary Eating Out GulfWeekly YouTube channel!
The table was already set with a welcoming array of Ramadan juices and the delicate plucking of a stringed instrument by a talented musician added to the ambience.
I headed straight for the salad bar, with fragments of last night’s dream still swirling in my head and placed a healthy helping of hummus, grilled vegetables and some mighty Zabadi on my plate.
Stan Jnr and his big sister Imogen headed straight to the live cooking station for a Chicken Shawarma. What is it with Chicken Shawarma and children? I remember taking Stan to London to watch his beloved Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and asked him what he wanted to eat before we arrived at the ground. Chicken Shawarma, he replied … but he had to settle for a Turkish kebab which just wasn’t in the same league.
No sooner had Imogen flown in from London last week that she insisted on stopping off on the way home for a Chicken Shawarma!
It’s definitely a Bahrain thing, and the shawarma station at the Swiss Café was drawing the crowds like a magnet.
The large joint of meat being carved close by on the live Lamb Ouzi station grabbed my attention but the good lady wife, Kathryn, headed straight for the Lamb Tagine, filled her dish and before I had finished interviewing Chef Mahmoud was heading back to the buffet for another helping.
It was clear from the first taste what all the excitement was about. This slow-cooked stew gets its flavour from a blend of aromatic spices such as turmeric, cumin, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon and was simply perfection on a plate.
Another popular dish was without question the hearty Harees which looked a bit like porridge. My Bahraini friends tell me it contains coarsely-ground wheat mixed with meat and is particularly popular during the holy month. The Mansaf Chicken and the Vegetable Salona both looked delightful too.
One of my personal favourites was the Beef with Okra. It was a rich dish that tasted divine, another meaty stew, nutritious and perfect for a filling, satisfying evening meal and made from a recipe featuring garlic, cinnamon, parsley, cayenne pepper and cumin.
I’d paced myself perfectly and just had room for a trek to the dessert section full of chocolaty delights, cut fruits and French pastries, of which the Pineapple Crumble reigned supreme in my humble opinion.
This was a delightful dining experience … and no weird dreams followed either!
The authentic Iftar buffet is being served at the Swiss café restaurant from sunset until 10pm, with the added attraction of raffle draws every weekend, oud music every Thursdays and Fridays and all at an extremely reasonable price of BD10++. For children aged six to12 there is a 50 per cent discount and younger children eat for free. Also, for every five paying adults, groups of guests can enjoy one free meal.
Besides Swiss café, the hotel is offering Iftar for groups on the 27th floor with Panoramic views for BD12-net, with a promotion where one person eats free in every party of 10.
For reservations, call 6631004.
