Steak for connoisseurs

READERS may find this difficult to believe but I’m sometimes the butt of the occasional culinary joke. But I can take it because I know what I like … and I like what I eat.

Take steak as an example. I’m a great lover of rump steak. Surprisingly, it’s a cut that is often hidden away. On many occasions I’ve had to whisper it guiltily to the waiter who then waddles off to ‘check with chef’.

Occasionally, you’ll catch the eye of the kitchen team who will give you that knowing look only shared by connoisseurs of exquisite culinary delights and they’ll happily pop back into the kitchen to prepare the dish for such a knowledgeable guest, i.e., me.

The Friday Brunch at Downtown Rotana has been tweaked a bit and every month the Flavours on 2 (cute, the restaurant is on the hotel’s second floor) presents a special ‘feature cuisine’ … and this month it just happens to be steak.

The hotel’s spies were looking at the competition and apparently were struck that, be it a large brunch or more intimate affair, many offered a ‘meat station’ consisting of lamb chops and some measly thin strips of beef which, of course, were overcooked the second they got near a flame. 

To offer an alternative, Downtown’s diners are now able to select any cut they like, as well as any thickness they desire, and their order will be carefully cooked and served to the table.

“A juicy rib eye, rib, fillet or some more unusual cuts,” explained executive sous chef Froosh Nur, “and we’ll deliver!”

I put it to test and with a wink, I mumbled ‘rump’, which wasn’t a cut on display, adding ‘medium rare’ at the end of the sentence with a smile. “Certainly Sir,” came the reply.

When it comes to steak, those who value flavour, above all else, tend to choose rump.

As the name suggests, it’s a cut that comes from the beast’s backside, an area which works hard. So even though rump steak won’t be quite as tender as sirloin, which results in many to foolishly consider it a lesser cut, it more than makes up for it with a deep, mineral savouriness.

In unscientific research I have carried out, nine out of 10 chefs would choose rump when cooking steak for themselves in their own home.

It generally needs to be thick, seared in a very hot pan before finishing in the oven and if it’s prepared to perfection, as my offering produced by Chef Froosh certainly was, it’s melt-in-your-month momentously memorable.

Add a little crisp asparagus to the plate amongst a fresh salad selection and you’ll be singing all the way home and during the brunch too if you’ve got chilled DJ Arif A Albalushi on the deck delivering the tunes.

I bumped into an old acquaintance and his good lady, sat at their favourite table, who are regular Friday brunchers at this delightful central venue, close to Manama Souq, because not only is the food divine, the  music is played just at the right volume to enjoy a foot-tapping session alongside good conversation. Well done, ace Albalushi.

The selection of food is impressive which should not be surprising, because as soon as you step out of the lift into Flavours on 2 you’re greeted by a large sign proclaiming: Eat Well.

In the buffet area there was grilled sea bass with roasted vegetables available alongside an Angus Pot Pie with an impressive crust to tempt the taste-buds.

A Taste of India section was proving popular with Vegetable Biryani, Butter Chicken and Rogan Josh being served up as I watched the chefs display grilled skewered kebabs and chicken tikka ready to be placed on plates close by.

The sushi bar was superb and my pre-steak starter came freshly prepared from the Chilled Seafood Bar. Shortly after ordering, a selection of oysters and Alaskan crab meat arrived at the table.

As well as a themed monthly main course special, there’s changeable fun to be had in the dessert section too and strawberries are the current flavour of the month.

The hot strawberry bake was a truly sensational example from a tempting choice which included strawberry cream cake and strawberry panna-cotta.

If you want to sample the delights of a steak house throughout September, from noon to 4pm, alongside the usual brunch set-up featuring cold cuts, stir-fries, curries, seafood, desserts, plus cheeses and biscuits, this is the place to pencil in for BD26++ all inclusive, or BD18++ with soft drinks.

To book a table and for more details call 13119999 or visit https://www.rotanatimes.com/downtownrotana/offers/18635