Simply Abu Dhabi VI

Restaurant Organisation and the title of UAE representative chef for the ‘San Pellegrino Young Chef of The Year 2011’ competition, held in Venice, Italy. But despite such impressive accolades, Anthony is never one to sit back and relax (that’s for his customers to do!). He’s constantly innovating and seeking newways in which to provide the ultimate dining experience. He’s introduced regular seasonal menu changes and he’s put together an experienced team to ensure the highest standards of cuisine and service. As well as masterminding the modern seafood menu at Sayad, Anthony is a regular host of chefs during the annual Gourmet Abu Dhabi. He’s currently focused on obtaining a Michelin star - and if our experience was anything to go by, he won’t have to wait long at all. Fantastically fresh After the exquisite luxury of Sayad, the next day the weather was especially beautiful and we felt like eating somewhere laid back, and preferably outdoors. So in the end that made our choice for a meal the next day obvious – we went to BBQ al Qasr. This place is really special: it’s an outdoor grill restaurant that’s located near the beach, midway between the Emirates’ outdoor dining terrace and the beautiful Arabian Sea. We just wanted something really simple, so we went for a chargrilled platter – a mixture of tasty meats and fantastically fresh seafood. We could not have asked for anything finer. An excellent grill is really hard to beat, and the earthy and juicy flavours of this one were just incredible. Combined with the superb natural views, this truly was beauty in simplicity. As we sat in the stunning location, surrounded by exquisite beauty on all sides, it was the perfect chance to reflect on our experience so far. And if I could sum that up in one word...I can’t sum it up in just one word. In fact, no words really do justice to this place. You can call it luxurious, sumptuous, or extravagant if you like, but none of themwill quite do. To fully understand just how amazing our experience was, the only way is to come here. And although we had been here before, on this visit what we were really beginning to appreciate was the crucial part that the restaurants play in creating the Emirates Palace’s atmosphere of absolute quality. Driven to succeed Sometimes it’s just enough to sit back and appreciate such an achievement. But if you do wonder how all this arose, then the name Wolfgang Fischer won’t be too far away. Fischer is the Executive Chef here - he takes a creative overview of all twelve of the fabulous restaurants, as well as five lounges. He has a staff of 400, who work throughout the Palace’s 128 kitchens and pantries. This is one serious operation: the Emirates Palace kitchens are running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fischer ensures that the experience of every guest, every day, is absolutely first class. When the management were looking to appoint someone to this crucial role, you can imagine that they were looking for the very best, and with Fischer they seem to have found it. Like Anthony, Fischer has extensive international experience, having been travelling the globe since the eighties. He worked at the prestigious Waldorf Astoria in New York before continuing his culinary journey to various countries and cities, including Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea and Spain. With over 30 years’ experience, Fischer has been managing the culinary operation here since 2006. An overview of Fischer’s life shows that he’s a driven man: he learned his trade in the fearsomely disciplined kitchens of Vienna and wherever he has been since, he has shown a desire both to be and to inspire the very best, whether revolutionising the menus at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore or theWynnMacau. While he runs a firm ship, he is known to dislike the angry tantrums that some famous chefs are renowned for, and his door is always open to staff. In turn, he is a much admired and respected leader, and his vision is apparent in every excellent meal that’s served. We can be grateful that such a star has come here to the Emirates Palace. Always moving forward So, where to next in Mr Fischer’s culinary kingdom? So far our cuisine had a mainly European feel. We felt like travelling further afield. The next evening we headed toHakkasan, which promises a contemporary twist on Chinese food. Hakkasan has been awarded a Michelin star, so we were expecting great things, and as it turned out, we got this and more. The food at Hakkasan has all the variety and taste that we have come to expect from this country’s cuisine: I was especially impressed with a deliciously creamy spinach and sea bass soup, while the dim sum platter we shared was absolutely extraordinary. Hakkasan is an extravagant place, and as if to underline the sense of exclusivity, guests have a choice of two entrances: either through the main Palace lobby entrance or Hakkasan’s own private entrance on the East wing of the building. And I have to say that the staff here, as they had been in every other place we had eaten so far, were simply perfect: friendly, helpful and efficient. Talking to the staff is always a pleasure, and from the conversations we had with people, we found that things had not been standing still at the Palace since our last visit. The Emirates is a place that is always moving forward, always striving for excellence in new ways. For example, the hotel recently took part in the "Earth Hour 2012" campaign, which was a global event to promote energy awareness. All the lights in the Palace and the gardens surrounding it were turned off for a full hour. The staff told us that Bugra Berberoglu, General Manager of Emirates Palace, was very keen to participate, in order to encourage workers in the Palace to reduce consumption and protect the environment. Another recent event was a promotional tour to China, where representatives from the Palace had visited Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Many visitors from this fast-developing global powerhouse visit the Palace, and more are expected in future. Of course, the most significant recent event at the Palace was one that we had attended ourselves: the amazing opening ceremony for the Abu Dhabi Festival. As well as seeing the fabulously talented Anoushka Shankar perform, we had also marvelled at the incredible calligraphy exhibition ‘Gestures of Light' by Iraqi artist HassanMassoudy. With exciting new developments like these eachmonth, it’s no surprise that Kempinski Hotels - who manage the Emirates Palace - announced impressive results for the first quarter from its portfolio of hotels and managed residences in the Middle East. Our next meal was Lebanese at Diwan L’Auberge. We’re both huge fans of this country’s cuisine, so Diwan L’Auberge’s mixture of firm favourites and amazing specialities had us drooling. Lebanese food is brilliant for sharing, and there was so much of it, both hot and cold: perfectly grilled lamb, hearty bean dishes, spicy dips, and succulent vegetables. It all merged into one amazing blend: a tour de force of middle eastern cuisine. And to finish off, the sweet desserts were sublime. Established traditions with a twist of class So, what could possibly follow that? Well, there was one particular restaurant that we had been saving until the very last, because the concept is so exceptional: Emirati cuisine. Yes, we were ging to Mezlai - the first Emirati restaurant in the UAE! The chef here is Ali SalemMusbeh Ebdowa - sometimes known as “Chef Ali” - and he is determined to increase appreciation for these lands’ ancient culinary traditions. Simplicity is key to the food of the nomadic tribes who have lived here for centuries. But Ebdowa has become renowned here for taking these humble foods and adding a twist of class. For example, I ordered a madfoun (which means “the buried one” in Arabic): it’s a delicious meal of slow-cooked lamb wrapped in banana leaves, flavoured with dates, cardamom, and lemon vinegar. Traditionally, madfoun took up to 20 hours to cook in a hole in the ground. Ebdowa cooks it for a slightly shorter time - 8 to 12 hours - in an oven. Then for the contemporary twist: he puts this time-honoured dish on a bed of saffron rice alongside a selection of fresh microgreens. I tasted it, and I was astounded: the meat was beautifully tender, and the greens were among the most refreshing I can ever remember trying. 4 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I