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Many of my favourite dinner conversations revolve around the question of what sets a good meal apart from an unforgettable one and I never tire of sampling different flavours of the same answer - the stories that feed our stomachs and souls.
And when the Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain (RCB) invited us to Primavera for the unveiling of its recrafted menu last week, we discovered many such tantalising tales within this Italian fine dining restaurant’s new chapter.
Much like a well-constructed story, a journey through three acts, I mean courses, awaited us, as we were guided to our seats by the new restaurant manager Sergio Svriz amidst the restaurant’s revitalised interiors.
Of course, most good stories come with a prologue, and as we sipped on welcome drinks from the new Aperitivo Beverage trolley, the Primavera team excitedly told us about the menu’s soft launch over the last several months, during which they have fine-tuned every detail to prepare for its big debut.
“The response to the soft launch of Primavera’s new menu has been overwhelmingly positive,” RCB’s new public relations and marketing director Pamela Panduric told GulfWeekly.
“Our guests have expressed appreciation for the fusion of classic Italian flavours with modern regional touches that cater to local tastes,” she added.
“Chef Mirsha Moreno and her team have shaped and built each dish into a mouthwatering delicacy, where she always scouts and includes local ingredients, which I find extremely important in the hospitality industry, to connect the brand image and entity with the community.”
Our first taste of Chef Mirsha’s new menu, crafted with executive chef Joergen Sodemann, came with the ‘Primo’ course of appetisers.
Each of the four scenes, er, dishes, within this first act, was a sight to behold.
The Insalata alla Mediterranea elevated a simple salad with zucchini, seared red peppers and pistachio into a healthy visual delight, while the homemade Ricotta Fatta in Casa, with tomato and basil, topped with 25-year aged balsamic vinegar gave us an appreciation of the importance of the right ingredients, and the Carpaccio di Manzo - seared beef tenderloin with black pepper, parmesan cheese and rocket pesto - balanced delicate and meaty flavours on our eager palates.
And for the first time, Primavera has introduced pizzas, and we enjoyed the Pizza Tartufo, which was topped with truffle mushroom cream, scamorza cheese and black truffle shavings, taking our tongues on a winding journey through velvety and sublime salty-sweetness.
With our appetite fully activated, the main course action began.
I went for the Filletto di Hammour, enjoying the fish fillet served in gremolata sauce, alongside tomato tortellini and organic garden greens. The stuffed tortellinis were the perfect interlude within the ‘Secondi’ act of our meal, as each bite of the fresh Bahraini hammour thrilled our tongues.
There was also the Risotto ai Funghi Selvatici, made with seasonal mushrooms, truffle oil and pecorino cheese. If the lull in conversation as we devoured our entrees is a worthy measure of how good a meal is (which it definitely should be), both options were absolutely delicious.
As we awaited the final act and course of the evening, we learned about the new trolley experiences at the Primavera, one serving up balsamic vinegar from the Venturini Baldini region of Italy, and the other, tiramisu, giving guests a theatre performance of the classic Italian dessert being prepared right before their eyes.
Right on cue, the ‘Dolci’ course arrived, and we got a taste of the signature tiramisu, with mascarpone espuma (foam) and espresso-soaked ladyfinger, as well as the heavenly Cheesecake Siciliano, with orange confit.
Alongside the main plot, the evening was filled with a treasure trove of tales, and I can wax poetic about Sergio’s Argentinian-Italian upbringing or Chef Mirsha’s childhood spent in the kitchen of her parents’ Italian restaurant in Mexico, and how these shaped their passion for the Primavera.
But these are stories you must experience for yourself during an evening at the new restaurant, so as the Italians say at mealtimes, Tutti a Tavola! (Everyone to the table!).
The restaurant is open Wednesday to Monday, offering lunch from 12pm to 3pm and dinner from 7pm to 11pm.
For more information, call 17580000, visit the RCB website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
