Restaurant highlightsOur pick of Bahrain’s excellent independent restaurant scene, plus the best of the five-star dining venues at the international hotels NirvanaNirvana is indeed the apogee of posh Indian dining, decked out in warm wood, and black and deep red colours. Accompanied by live santoor and tabla music, tuck into the seafood Samudri Khazana platter, made up of grilled shrimps, lobster and hammour, or chef de cuisine Mahipal Singh’s Shakahari (vegetarian) or Manshari (meat) kebabs. SaffronThe signature restaurant at the Banyan Tree resort matches its splendid setting and then some. A golf buggy transports guests down a hill to Saffron, perched above water pools with the desert behind. The Thai cuisine is delicately flavoured, while portions are happily generous and the service is impeccable. MezzalunaPrivate booths peel off from the vast main room in this converted old house – the restaurant that started the Adliya district’s dining boom. French head chef Olivier Pallut spent several years as part of the team creating Gulf Air’s menu, and here he takes that knowhow to wow earth-bound diners. Order the duck breast hamburger or open ravioli with prawns. The Meat CoThe new kid on the Adliya block, this South African chain sports its raison d’être proudly on its (bloody) sleeve: “Steaks you’ll leave home for…” Pay a visit to this three-storey glass-and-steel edifice for flame-grilled, grade-A Angus steaks in a variety of sizes, with sauces and side dishes, including the 500g “New Yorker”. Though there are salads, you’ll have gathered by now it’s not ideal for vegetarians. MiraiOne of the Kingdom’s most adventurous restaurants – and challenger to chain Al-Ghalia’s dominance in the Adliya neighbourhood – Mirai fuses Japanese, Italian and French cuisines. Don’t miss signature dish kalbi gim – slow braised beef short ribs served with a ginger, apple and soya sauce. Executive chef Sam Greco’s bestselling dishes include miso-glazed halibut and toro (fatty tuna belly). PlumsThis excellent – though expensive – steak restaurant gets its unusual name because great use is made of the eponymous fruit in the kitchen, especially in the signature dishes, created by chef Jeffry Rocha. Starters include crab-cakes, pan-fried and served with mango salsa, while mains include lobster bisque and an array of prime beef. VersaillesFor French cooking, there’s little better in Bahrain than Versailles. The chef’s signature entrée is pan-fried goose liver with almond; other beautifully executed dishes include snails and guinea fowl. The setting, by a main road overlooking the Financial Harbour, is more than compensated for by conscientious wait staff and diverting live music. Yas-e IsfahaniThis chain of Persian restaurants has expanded from its atmospheric site on Exhibition Road, near the Diplomatic Area, through the Bahrain and Dana malls to this rather upmarket take on their winning cuisine, on the first floor of the Seef Mall extension. The menu was designed by food writer and cook Najmieh Batmanglij, whose signature is light, healthy, balanced Persian cuisine. WavesA bright seafood restaurant where you choose your fish from the iced “fish market” buffet and have it cooked to order, using Indian, Lebanese and Thai ingredients. There is also a broad à la carte menu, with many of the main courses accompanied by Lebanese mezze. Its proximity to the Diplomatic Area means that Waves is particularly popular for weekday lunches. La FontaineA magical view of the central courtyard and titular fountain makes an evening here one of the most romantic dining experiences in Bahrain. In a subtle, minimalist setting, diners can choose from a highly inventive Thai-tinged menu crafted by one of the Kingdom’s few professional, native-Bahraini chefs. The emphasis is on locally sourced produce and traditional Bahraini food. |
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