Fun, Frolic & Friday Feast at Origin Kitchen and Culture of Hilton Hotel Bahrain

A wide variety of seafood was served at this counter apart from lobsters such as oysters, shrimps, calamari and crabs. One of the unique items was the salmon gravlax which is a Nordic dish involving the curing of salmon with salt, sugar and a few flavoring herbs such as dill. The salad counter had a wide variety of fresh salads ranging from a classic caprese salad to various kinds of Arabic salads such as tabouleh, mutabbal, hummus, fattoush, dolma and many more. Being summer, the cool shrimp pineapple salad was so refreshing and had a tasty combination of fresh cherry tomatoes, lettuce, chives pineapple and shrimp tossed with a light vinaigrette. I had to try a piece of grilled salmon and it was tender, flakey and paired perfectly with lemon butter sauce and flakey sea salt. A sliver of ribeye roast with a dollop of whole grain mustard sauce and a rich au jus was the perfect bite with notes of rosemary and thyme which was simply heartwarming. When it comes to roast chicken, I usually go for the dark meat (drumsticks, thighs) as they remain tender in spite of the longer cooking time.

The roasted chicken with homemade barbeque sauce was lip smacking. Roasted root vegetables such as parsnip, beetroot, white potatoes, sweet potato and corn were the ideal accompaniments to the roasts. A glass of chilled peach mojito that was perfectly prepared by their talented Beverage Manager- Artiom Samardin was a great addition to my meal. The enthusiastic Chef Ravneet said, “Our hotel is all abo ut the urban living theme. The brunch is very lively, it’s fun and we’re doing a lot of live cooking today. We have tandoors where we prepare the grills and breads as well as a pizza oven” and he pointed at a live counter for wok fried noodles where hot and fresh noodles were being dished out at regular intervals for guests to enjoy at its best temperature and texture. The team prepared a wide selection of pizzas on order as well. Chef Ravneet encourages guests to come and experience the urban living themed brunch that promises the combination of great food, beverages and live music. A Mexican counter was a great inclusion due to the increasing popularity of Mexican food in Bahrain. Fresh ceviche, tacos, guacamole and other Mexican delights such as chili con carne and beef chimichurri were available to enjoy. The Indian counter was unsurprisingly crowded. I was so tempted to try out the chicken biryani and lamb rogan josh but I was saving room for dessert. 

They ensured that all the condiments were available such as raita, papad and pickles. I will leave some of the surprises for you to discover when you try out their brunch. And for the final sweet finish, I headed to the fascinating dessert counter. The pastry chef put in a lot of thought and effort into creating a whole range of edible masterpieces. Fancy desserts had me awestruck. If you like desserts, you are in for a treat. They did not miss out on classic favorites - a chocolate fountain with mini cakes and fruits for dipping, traditional Arabic desserts such as Umm Ali and mahalabia, chocolate mousse, chocolate torte, fresh fruits, assorted ice creams, a A22-08 A22-06 Fun, Frolic a Friday Feast & are the ideal words to describe the experience at Bahrain’s newest hot spot- Origin Kitchen and Culture at the Hilton Hotel, Juffair. With Friday brunches getting increasingly popular as a way to unwind over a delicious meal and live entertainment after a tiring week, you do not want to miss out on this one that ticks all the boxes. The brunch at Hilton is lavish. With over 200 dishes, it is the first brunch of this magnitude in Juffair. Upon entering the venue, the friendly smiles and the welcoming aroma of freshlycooked food filled my senses and set the mood for a memorable afternoon. 

What I noticed immediately were the high ceilings in a modern, unconventional interior with grand shades of bronze and sophisticated white but an earthy parquet flooring. The brunch buffet is laid out in a fun and creative manner allowing guests to explore every area with pleasant surprises in every nook and corner. Executive Chef Ravneet Manchanda together with Sous Chef Safwan Obaid and their team brilliantly created and executed the menu that afternoon. The stars of the buffet were fittingly placed right at the entrance; a live counter for whole, grilled salmon and another one for a 24-hour slow roasted ribeye and roast chicken. A massive lamb ghouzi was majestically placed where it could not be missed. I made myself comfortable at a table overlooking the sea and soaked in those relaxing vibes while listening to the foot tapping tunes of the live band and enjoying the Brazilian samba dance performance. A server was quick to welcome me with champagne and water. After a sip of bubbly, I browsed through the entire buffet and decided what I was going to eat. This is my key to tackling a buffet, as it would be silly to imagine that one can stomach two hundred dishes in four hours. I was particularly impressed by the overall menu selection as the dishes were familiar favorites. I started off with a plate of shrimp tempura, poached lobster and prawns with cocktail sauce and shrimp pineapple salad.

The shrimp tempura was exactly how it should be; juicy, plump shrimps with a light and crunchy coating. As prawns are in season, they are at their prime flavor. The shrimps and lobsters were poached perfectly and paired well with the cocktail sauce. A wide variety of seafood was served at this counter apart from lobsters such as oysters, shrimps, calamari and crabs. One of the unique items was the salmon gravlax which is a Nordic dish involving the curing of salmon with salt, sugar and a few flavoring herbs such as dill. The salad counter had a wide variety of fresh salads ranging from a classic caprese salad to various kinds of Arabic salads such as tabouleh, mutabbal, hummus, fattoush, dolma and many more. Being summer, the cool shrimp pineapple salad was so refreshing and had a tasty combination of fresh cherry tomatoes, lettuce, chives pineapple and shrimp tossed with a light vinaigrette.

I had to try a piece of grilled salmon and it was tender, flakey and paired perfectly with lemon butter sauce and flakey sea salt. A sliver of ribeye roast with a dollop of whole grain mustard sauce and a rich au jus was the perfect bite with notes of rosemary and thyme which was simply heartwarming. When it comes live waffle counter and even gummy bears! A huge surprise that brought out the kid in everyone was the cotton candy live counter. Whoever thought of the cotton candy is a genius as everyone regardless of their age gathered around patiently waiting for their blue cotton candy on a stick including me. I tried the chocolate fountain with some mini chocolate cakes. The cakes were soft and moist and the luscious, good quality chocolate made all the difference. I love mahalabia and although it is usually prepared with the essence of orange blossom water, the chef had flavored it with cardamom that was also nice. A particular favorite of mine was the chilled passion fruit cheesecake with a luscious white chocolate shell. At the end of the service, the entire team still had their tireless five star smiles on. The hospitality is simply top notch. Need I say more? Visit the Origin Kitchen and Culture with your loved ones for a fantastic experience.