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AN Arabian Nights themed Ramadan experience at the Intercontinental Regency Bahrain is attracting visitors from far and wide.
The Intercontinental Regency Bahrain’s Al Rifaa Ballroom has been transformed into an outdoor-style market arena with trolleys and stalls full of delightful treats.
A large shimmering lighting fixture adds to the ‘eating under the stars’ illusion with vibrant multi-coloured silk fabrics draped around it to create a tent-like look.
Sparkling twinkle lights also cascade from silk hung up over the bountiful buffet and a trolley with Arabic-designed cloth has been turned into a juice station. There are two entrances to the beautiful ballroom with one featuring bags full of spice to entice people with savoury scents and the other boasting more pretty lights and silk scarves.
Raf Griep, the hotel’s culinary director, said: “This year we wanted to offer our guests something different as I feel that’s what they are looking for. We didn’t want to create a regular tent and we wanted a more colourful venue.
“The theme is inspired by the traditional fanoos, which is a Ramadan lantern that is lit and has many colourful sides to it. We wanted to replicate that look in the ballroom which is why there are silk fabrics draped in different corners of the hall and backlit to support the concept and it still looks like a tent but boasting different colours.
“Also, we added different Arabian-souq like touches throughout. We wanted to offer our guests a local Ramadan feel but in a contemporary way and so far they are loving it from the colours, the ambience, warm service and of course the great food.”
So much so, that the venue has been attracting guests from not only Bahrain but neighbouring Saudi Arabia too.
Bahriani Executive Sous Chef Mohammed Samara, who has Jordanian descent and have lived in the kingdom for 28 years, alongside his multi-national culinary colleagues, has created a feast for the eyes … and it tastes as good too.
This year, he has even introduced a clever selection of healthy hummus variations including beetroot and avocado. There is a live cooking station concocting scrumptious falafels from scratch and a mixture of saj delights.
Chef Mohammed said: “I cook for guests in the same manner as if I’m at home cooking from my kitchen. We have visitors from Saudi Arabia and across Bahrain returning each year to our iftar for the qoozi, kofta and mulukhiyah. I love feeding people and am happy that they love my food. I just want people to feel happy and at home.”
As the chef made his way around the tables shaking hands with friends, greeting guests and suggesting dishes to try, the hubby Sam and I, began putting his culinary skills to the test.
The mezza section was full of delightful greens such as fattoush, potato salad, Spicy Lebanese-Style Potatoes Batata Harra, corn salad, green bean salad, moujadara, tomato and mozzarella, vine leaves and the velvety beetroot hummus and avocado hummus.
There is also an assortment of thinly-sliced veggies, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and other nibbles. Sam enjoyed the beetroot hummus while I couldn’t get enough of the avocado which really captured the flavour.
I plated an assortment of meats and chicken from the mixed grill, vermicelli rice covered in white bean ‘fasoulia nashfe’ lamb stew with seven spices. This is another favourite of mine and it was full of flavour. There was also beef harees with cinnamon and kofta, grilled fish with harra sauce, pasta with pink sauce and other goodies.
The Qoozi Bahraini dish of roast lamb with rice was rich and delicious. The meat was juicy and tender.
We ended the dining experience with a delicious hot bread-like pudding Umm Ali dessert and a cold bowl of chocolate, vanilla and cookie and cream ice cream, as Editor Stan tucked into a bowl full of hot date pie he insisted on calling sticky toffee pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
For prices and timings, check out the Ramadan Guide on Pages 8 & 9 and watch Stan’s interview with Chef Mohammed and Raf (with a small appearance from yours truly) by placing your smart phone over the QR Code.
