Culinary contentment with a magical twist at La Med - Eats And Treats By Tania Rebello

Badru, the illusionist, was capturing guests with his jaw-dropping illusions. The magic was mind-blowing, just like the food. He visited my table, displaying several astonishing tricks that I am still trying to figure out. The atmosphere was delightful.

The level of detail in each arrangement at the buffet is praiseworthy. In particular, the arrangement of cold cuts particularly the turkey mortadella like a large flower, is something I have never seen before.

There was an array of cold cuts, a cheese board and plenty of artisan breads. Warm pumpkin soup was available as an apt choice for the winter season. There were delights to suit every taste bud, much like an international brunch, with food from the various award-winning F&B outlets at the hotel.

A wide selection of prized seafood like mussels, lobsters, shrimps, and caviar was ready to devour from the ice display. A decent selection of sushi was available for sushi lovers, and I enjoyed some California maki. The salad counter had a colourful display of healthy goodness from various countries.

The Arabic mezza had interesting combinations such as kale hummus, dolma, tabbouleh, pumpkin mutabal and beetroot mutabal. I started with the kale hummus, which was a beautiful mint colour and tasted fresh with the faintest bitterness from the addition of kale. This is a nice way of adding kale to dishes in a less prominent way.

The pumpkin and beetroot mutabal were pleasantly sweet, earthy and a little tart. I headed to the carvery counter and was pleasantly surprised to see beef wellington. I plated a generous portion of it with roasted root vegetables, bell peppers and mustard sauce. Beef Wellington is beef tenderloin smeared with mustard, covered with a layer of spinach and mushrooms, duxelles sealed with puff pastry and baked until cooked through.

A bite of all the layers was like savoury heaven. The pastry was crisp, golden and buttery. The beef was tender, and the spinach and mushroom duxelles added freshness. The mustard sauce was the perfect accompaniment to this captivating dish.

The large fillet of baked hamour was very appealing. I was happy with the chunky, tender, and flaky hamour that remained moist as it was baked in banana leaves. Luscious lemon butter sauce provided a citrusy and creamy boost to the dish.

One of my favourite dishes was the beef cheeks and gravy which I enjoyed with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. Beef cheeks were so tender, with beautiful marbling in every piece. Marbling present in beef renders during slow cooking to enhance flavour and tenderise the beef.

The slow-roasted mirepoix, herbs, tomato paste, and demi-glace developed an incredible gravy. A glass of virgin classic mojito was delightful after this rich meal. Grilled teriyaki salmon had a rich umami flavour.

The fish had an inviting, classic, glossy look from the caramelised sugar in the teriyaki sauce. I also tasted the grilled seabream with lemon caper sauce. The seabream was tender, and capers gave a tangy pop to the dish.

Grilled prawns with tomato sauce were addictive. The prawns were fresh and tasty. The fragrance of thyme was a pleasant addition to the sauce. There were several delicious dishes, such as chicken tagine, butter chicken, lamb shanks and lamb chops, but I was pretty satiated with my choices.

There was a prominent assortment of savoury German delicacies such as currywurst (Berlin-style sausage), chicken schnitzel with potato salad, spaetzle, pretzels besides apple strudel and German Berliner for dessert. The large assortment of desserts is commendable. Colourful, mouthwatering desserts were the star at the eye-catching display and a sizeable faux macaron tower adorned the dessert table.

Petit fours were artistically prepared and tasted as good as they looked. Two desserts that caught my attention were the black forest cake and the cheesecake by Executive Chef Joergen Sodemann. Where shall I start about that black forest cake?

Moist layers of delectable chocolate cake layered with whipped cream, milk chocolate mousse and a dark cherry filling to cut through the sweetness and richness of the cake. So good! A little chat with Chef Joergen revealed his idea behind the cheesecake proudly presented as part of the dessert offering.

He mentioned that the recipe is an adaptation from his grandmother’s recipe. A secret main ingredient makes his cheesecake unique, light and delicious. The cheesecake comprises three layers- the topping is the lightest meringue with little glittering dots of caramel that looked so pretty. The cheesecake layer is creamy and light with a hint of lime zest.

The base is a dense pistachio brioche that tasted like cookie dough. I loved every bite of this dessert. This cheesecake is a winner in every way. Joergen invites guests to taste his ‘next level cheesecake’ that is available at the Ritz Gourmet Lounge. It was all magical- The weather, the food and the magic itself.

Prepare to be fascinated and well-fed. Visit La Med to experience a beautiful Friday afternoon. The brunch is priced at BD 35 per person (including soft beverages), BD 45 per person (including select beverages) For reservations, contact 17586499. Email: rc.bahrz.restaurant. reservations@ritzcarlton.com.