A splendid Ramadan Dining Experience - Eats and Treats by Tania Rebello

They serve Mexican dishes such as nachos, tacos and guacamole, Arabic grills including Bahraini meat tikka, shish tawook, reyash as well as shawarma and arayes. A colourful and healthy variety of mix mezza and tasty salads sits atop jewelled stands, all waiting to be devoured.

The carvery counter boasts exquisite prime rib with chimichurri, baked salmon with fennel and green mustard sauce, and much more! Prime rib is cooked to medium and you can ask them to grill it further if required. Meanwhile, the main course consisted of traditional ouzi, harees and madrouba to name a few.

Other dishes included chicken cordon bleu with crispy golden breading.

It looked so inviting. They also have a special counter for hot pizza and pasta. The dessert display took center stage with a jaw-dropping arrangement filled with sweet treats. After a mesmerising glance at the delectable spread, I began my iftar with California sushi studded with glistening orange tobiko.

The satisfying chew of the sushi rice, crunchy cucumber, creamy avocado, with a smidge of spicy wasabi and soy sauce was enjoyable.

After a glass of fresh watermelon juice, I excitedly returned to the buffet for more.

There were three preparations of lamb chops, so I tried all of them. Although I did not find much difference in the seasoning on the lamb chops with vine leaves and Arabic-grilled lamb chops, the lamb chops were well-seasoned, tasty, and tender.

I enjoyed shish tawook and kebabs with some creamy hummus. I savoured a slice of prime rib cooked to medium well. It was tender and juicy, and the shallot sauce added a depth of flavour to each succulent bite. After a quick conversation with Chef Mahipal Singh, Executive Indian Chef at Nirvana, he ensured that I tasted the tikka lamb chops.

I immediately understood why he was so proud of them. They were lip-smacking and delicious! The meat had been marinated for a long time in the flavour-packed tandoori marinade. Next, I tried the grilled seabass harra.

This Lebanese dish comprises boneless and chunky, grilled seabass paired with a delicious medley of onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic and spices. The fish flaked effortlessly with the fork, and I relished each bite with the harra sauce.

I ended my main course with a slice of perfectly prepared pepperoni pizza. Executive Chef Joergen Sodemann enlightened me on the hotel’s collaboration with the Bahrain Food Bank. Untouched leftovers are packed and distributed among the needy in Bahrain. This is a great initiative, and I hope more hotels will join this initiative to combat food waste in the country.

The lavish dessert display by Executive Pastry Chef Devopriyo Gupta and team is a marvel, with tasty treats for everyone: Arabic sweets like luqaimat, halawet el jibn, kunafa, umm ali, and Indian sweets like jalebi, barfi, ras malai, and rasgulla, as well as cheesecakes, chocolate cakes, and several artisan pastries.

I had to try a croffle. Croffles are a cross between croissants and waffles. You get the structure and pattern of a waffle, but the insides are light, with buttery layers, just like a croissant. There were many toppings but I paired mine with Nutella. It was a winning combination. One of my favourites at the Ritz-Carlton is their halaiwat el jibn- rolls made from semolina and cheese dough rolled into drums and filled with orange blossom water flavoured cream.

Finally, I was very impressed by the cheese kunafa. It was impeccable and a sweet finale to one of the best iftars on the island! Visit the Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain with your family and friends for a memorable iftar or ghabga with great food and an enchanting ambience.

Contact 17586499 for bookings. Pricing info: Iftar BD 35 per person, Ghabga BD 38 per person (Includes live performance). Special rates available for kids and group bookings.