Burger time at the Grand Hyatt

There's something about the thought of a burger that  puts me in a good mood.  It's one of those guilty pleasures in life that leaves you satisfied but also craving for more of that juicy savory goodness.  I consider myself a healthy eater (minus my food review binging during awards season of course) and have been on a mission to find a good burger in this city, but have yet to find one that is cooked to a beautiful medium-rare to medium temperature.  Often times when asked about preferred temperature, it often goes in vain.  Repeatedly served overcooked well done meat, it's been a long disappointing journey.....until now!

The Grand Hyatt Dubai has been a long standing establishment for good solid food in Dubai, with restaurants like Pepper Crab, IZ, Wox, and now The Manhattan Grill, the only problem is deciding which venue to enjoy a meal at. 

To begin my friends tried the Chicken Pate, playful and simple presentation, and sinfully rich!

I enjoyed the the buttery and sweet Sea Bass with Beet Root Puree, soft and well seasoned, the fish melted in my mouth. 

Now, the moment we've all been waiting for,  time to enjoy the TASTIEST burger in Dubai! It was cooked to a beautiful medium-rare temperature served with the crispy battered fries.  I don't want to know, nor do I care to know how many calories I consumed with this meal, because every bite was exactly what I imagine a burger to be plus more. 

The memory of this meal still brings a smile to my face.  I crave going back, and soon will when I've earned the calorie splurge!

Thanks Grand Hyatt for you're wonderful customer service and consistent quality when it comes to anything and everything hospitality related.  Looking forward to trying more of the loveliness soon....

For more information on Grand Hyatt Dubai, please check out there web-site:

http://www.dubai.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp?src=agn_phd_gh_ppc_google_ss&mckv=sNziJxpa1|pcrid|22318744656|

Behind the Scenes for my BBC Good Food ME photo shoot

Here are some behind the scenes pix from my BBC Good Food ME photo shoot.

All tableware and accessories provided by Tavola.

White Lentils in Zucchini Cups and a Spice plate

 

Getting Hungry??!!

Not only did we have still shots, but also full tv camera crew for some behind the scenes shots for another project I am working on......Stay tuned for more!

 Spicy Tomato and Onion Soup topped with poached Shrimp, Lemon  Zest, and Scallions

 Panko Crusted Nargisi Kofta with a duo of pepper sauces

Nicola Monteath of BBC Good Food ME taking notes.

 Mango Strawberry Lassi

Check out BBC Good Food ME (April 2012) now for the full feature!

Royal China's Finest

We were honestly treated like royalty last Sunday afternoon at Royal China in DIFC.  We ate course after course of specialty dishes, however I have only highlighted a couple of my favorites that really made a mark whether it was flavor, presentation, or preparation.  I also have to point out the decor and ambiance of the restaurant which had a chilled out day time vibe with accents of the oriental red lanterns that gave it that special flair of modern yet traditional.  It was pleasant during the day, but I imagine it's much more festive in the evening, especially since they plan on opening a terrace area soon.   They offer a variety of mocktails and cocktails to enjoy with your meal, or at the bar with some snacks.  I enjoyed a delicious passion fruit and mint iced tea, sweet and refreshing. 

     

     

To begin we were presented with this traditional steamed Dim Sum platter.  There were a variety of vegetarian and seafood options including Spinach and Crystal Prawn, Prawn and Chinese Chive, Prawn and Scallop, Prawn Dumpling in Royal China Style. These little morsels of yummines were all cooked to a delicate perfection with a chewy and soft texture I have really grown to love.  The Prawn and Chinese Chive was my favorite, just the right balance of flavors, soft and subtle. 

 

The presentation of the Kung Pao Chicken was exciting!  It came bubbling and steaming in this clay pot.  It was the first time I've seen Kung Pao presented in this style, and I have to say, it was pretty cool.  Served table side this dish emanated the familiar scent of chilies and chicken and the aroma was mouth watering.  

 The Szechuan Prawn is a dish that was on regular rotation whenever my family and I went out for Chinese food.  The signature dish at Royal China was prepared slighter sweeter than I was used to, but still resonated the familiar flavors that are associated with it.

 I was actually taken aback by the Fried Rice with Diced Chicken and Salted Fish.  Normally I try to stay away from the carbs, and fried rice is one of those dishes I often omit when ordering, but this one was particularly tasty and light.  The Salted Fish added an unusual crispy texture along with the tendrils of egg and diced chicken.  Well seasoned and full of flavor without the grease, I will definitely be adding this to my regular order for the future. 

We were also served the Pan-Fried Crispy Vegetable Noodles served table side by our friendly waiter, who's knowledge and hospitality were superb.  The noodles were a little on the oily side, but they are pan-fried, so I guess it comes with the territory.  There were simple in their style of preparation sprinkled with spring onions and baby bok choy, but I kept going back for more!

 Now after my carb overload, I couldn't bare the thought of anything sweet.  However, when we were presented with this Toffee Crusted Banana with Coconut Ice Cream, I simply couldn't resist.  The toffee was crunchy and sweet and melded well with the natural softness of the banana inside.  It's one of my favorite dessert combinations, and this one was definitely a winner!

Last but not least, the gorgeous Flowering Jasmin Green Tea.  Normally tea leaves aren't the most visually interesting, but this was definitely photo worthy.  As the delicate tea steeped in the hot water, the flower petals slowly bloomed inside the tea glass.  The glass was just the right height and width for the tea to settle into, not only was it soothing as a tea should be, but a pleasant sight to see!

It was a lovely afternoon filled with laughter and good food.  I am grateful for the gracious invitation and look forward to more interesting culinary adventures and Royal China DIFC.  With the opening of the terrace area, I'm sure this will soon become a popular after dinner destination as well.....keep us posted on the news!

For more information on Royal China, please check out there website:

http://www.royalchinadubai.ae/

S.P.I.C.E. at Gulf Food 2012

Gulf Food 2012 was not only an international food exhibition, but a one of a kind cultural experience.  I was whisked away into the smells and tastes from every corner of the world, but the food that really stood out to me was from Singapore.  On behalf of the Singapore International Culinary Exchange (S.P.I.C.E.) I was honored to be  in the presence of one of Singapore's finest chefs, Haikal Johari. 

 

Before attending Gulf Food 2012 the only thing I knew about Singaporean cuisine was the infamous Chicken and Rice as well as the Chili Crab.  But there was so much more to learn......

 Chef Haikal prides himself on his innovation when it comes to this unique cuisine which is an amalgamation of Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, and European.  He takes the best of 4 worlds and combines modern technique with old world flavors to create something very special.  

Pictured Below is a Foie Gras Terrine and Black Sesame Pudding with Umeboshi espuma (not pictured).  This had to have been the tastiest morsel of Foie Gras I've EVER had.  With a range of flavors from the orient to Europe it had just the right amount of savory and sweet, it still lingers in my mind. 

His other claim to fame was this Thai Tea Panna Cotta with White Chocolate Ganache and Mango Gel.  Words cannot event describe the joy this dish brought me, but the smile on my face said it all.  Smooth, creamy, sweet, and delicious! My only complaint was that there wasn't enough.  I could easily have eaten 10 portions.

Chef Haikul Johaira may be Singaporean in origin, however to enjoy his delicious Singaporean cuisine, you must travel to the banks of Bangkok and book ahead, because the intimate setting gets filled up quickly.

For more information on Chef Haikal Johari check out:

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/PrintNews.aspx?DataID=1053545

For more information on the Singapore International Culinary Exchange:

http://www.theworlds50best.com/regional-spotlights/singapore

A Feast for Friends!

This past weekend will go down in my history books as one of the best meals I have prepared in my life!  But I honestly could not have done it without the support of my sous chef and all the other culinary experts I have consulted with throughout my passionate gastronomical journey.  

The meal consisted of 6 plentiful courses, all of which were flawlessly executed!  The first course was Petite Wagyu Beef Kababs with a Sweet and Spicy Green Chutney garnished with a grilled red chilli.  The Wagyu Beef was marinated with traditional spices, yogurt, and chillies, then grilled to perfection on a Weber (it makes a difference).  The Green Chutney Recipe was courtesy of my Grandmother (Dadijan), but slightly modified to appeal to a wider demographic.  Dadijan has a great sense of taste, but her tolerance for spicy food is like nobody I've met before.  She could bite into a whole chili as a condiment to her meal, and not even break a sweat, where as everyone else would be breathing fire....

 Next up were the Karahi Chicken Croquettes with a Chili Mango Lassi Dipping sauce. Karahi Chicken was the first dish my mom taught me to make.  Although this isn't the exact replica if her dish, it is inspired by it! 

The chicken was milk poached with loads of aromatics and spices, then shredded and mixed with a dry potato mash and a sauteed ginger and chili combination then topped with fresh coriander.  Mashed, mixed, seasoned, spiced and formed into logs, panko crusted and deep fried to a golden brown perfection.  The Chilli Mango Lassi dipping sauce was equal parts Alphonso Mango and Yogurt, 1 green chilli and a pinch of salt.  The sweet and spicy flavors of the dipping sauce balanced well and cooled off the hot and crunchy croquettes.  

 

Course three was my personal favorite, This recipe was a rendition of cholay (chic pea dish) my mom would make traditionally for Iftar during Ramadan.  I refined the recipe by combing finely diced tomatoes, sweet yellow peppers, red onions, and a gorgeous tamarind chutney (recipe by my Dadijan).  Topped off with Olive Oil, light spices and seasoning.  There is NO way one couldn't like this dish.  The addition of the Grilled Tiger Prawn also refines this dish by adding a sweet and succulent protein that compliments the savory deliciousness of the chic pea salad. This recipe can also be found in the April edition of BBC Good Food ME! 

Course Four has a funny story behind it.  A couple years back, when I was looking to explore media options in the Middle East I created a pilot cooking demo.  I sent it over to some networks in Dubai and landed a job presenting and cooking on Dubai One for Ask One, then Studio One.  The dish below is a version of that dish,  with spicy stewed red lentils (Masoor Daal, Mom's recipe) seared Cod (a little reminder of my home town Boston, Massachusetts) and a pickled carrot and lime garnish.  The flavors work very nicely together and the pickled carrot provides some texture to this soft and savory dish. 

 Course Five was hands down the winner though.  I cooked this dish back in November 2011 for a photo shoot I did with Ahlan! Gourmet magazine on entertaining at home.  The recipes are available under the recipe section of www.sabawahid.com    

It's difficult to say where the inspiration for this dish comes from. All I know is that I love sweet potatoes, and lamb is one of those proteins that pairs well with this vegetable.  I also found that often times, lamb is not cooked properly in this part of the world.  It's often overcooked which gives it that gamey smell and tough texture.  When lamb is cooked correctly (I prefer the pink color at a medium temperature as served below) the natural juices and flavors are tantalizing.  The lamb was cooked with a honey spiced glaze then topped with a crust of nigella seeds, sesame seeds,  and toasted almonds. Nigella seeds are commonly used as a pickling agent or to season breads and stews.  It's not commonly found in this form and is highly underestimated.  Served with the Tamarind Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Grilled Asparagus, this dish knocked it out of the park! 

 And the Grand Finale.....Gajar Ka Halwa!!!! This traditional carrot dessert is simple to make and oh so tasty!  They say you need to use Pakistani carrots to keep this dishes authenticity accurate.  I didn't have Pakistani carrots available unfortunately, so I made do with local ones.  How I refined this dish was by infusing Vanilla Bean/Pod into the carrots along with raisins, almonds and pistachios.  I then topped it with cardamom yogurt ice cream and garnished with candied orange and pistachio brittle.  It was a heavenly combination that received the Pakistani stamp of approval!

The final offering at a Pakistani dinner is the candied fennel seeds, It is most commonly used as a mouth freshener/palette cleanser after a meal, this just took it up a notch. Using a traditional brittle recipe I mixed the fennel seeds in and allowed it to cool down into this interesting and colorful treat!  It was a nice touch and an unusual use of a common Pakistani food item.

The meal was a success, and I look forward to more of the same.  Recipes like this plus much more in the Modern Pakistani Cuisine cook book (COMING SOON!!!)

I owe so much to my family who instilled this passion in me at a young age and the support I receive from friends and loved ones from all over the world is incomparable.  It's a long road, but I am enjoying every step of the way.  Stay in touch through my web-site and blog for updates and news on my culinary journey ahead!

Gourmet Abu Dhabi Closing Ceremonies

The international food fest finally came to an end on Thursday February 23rd.  Chefs form around the world came to the UAE to showcase their skills and share their love of gastronomy.  I was keeping up every step of the way.  The ceremonies were held at the Rocco Forte Hotel in Abu Dhabi. a swanky venue for a classy event.  The decor and lighting were warm and inviting including the citrus laden centerpieces on every table.

Mariam and I were dressed for the occasion and ready for the feast! Not only were we set to enjoy a a six course meal by the culinary greats from the event, but we were also hosted and entertained by Mr. Won Ho Chung and Mrs. Suzanne Husseinni! 

The First course consisted of Swiss Michelin star Chef, Denis Martin's interpretation of a posh breakfast.  The bircher muesli "Suisse" de foie canard.  My interpretation of this rather simple looking dish was pop rocks with gooey gellie of duck foie gras.  The textures were unbelievable in, It was a party in my mouth, literally!! Everything was popping, crunching, melting and munching!

Denis Martin is an ultimate representative of molecular cooking in Switzerland, achieving two-Michelin-stars under his belt in the process. He is a chef who is as capable of manipulating the textures of ingredients as he is with its spices, resulting in dishes that are original and always very tasty. Chef Martin and his dedicated crew are continually looking for new possibilities and they are forever trying to break the boundaries of their culinary imagination, discovering amazing new techniques and developing them throughout the year.

The second course was by the UAE's first female national chef, Khulood Atiq, from Dubai.  Chef Atiq is currently developing an Emirati cuisine cookbook, which she hopes will help raise international awareness of this highly-traditional type of food.
This course consisted of three different types of fish:

• Azzam-nayeera with beyah arabi and Emirati spice
• Grilled Shari Eshkeli with Green Mango Sauce
• Salty Fish Cakes with Naiser Mousse

They were all beautifully executed and varied in texture flavor and color.  This was my favorite course out of the six. 

The third course was focused more on the local produce, called desert vegetables rice with yuzu aioli by Rodrigo De La Calle of Spain.

Course four was a palette cleanser by Pedro Arceyut of the Rocco Forte Hotel.  The spicy mango sorbet & pumpkin seeds was the perfect density and balance of flavors necessary for this to serve its purpose.  

These fabulous concoctions were created by award winning Swedish Mixologists, Ben-David Sorum, Dannie Sorum, and Thomas Anostam  with drink names like Sargeant Pepper and Frisky Business,  these guys are not only skilled at their craft, but also tap into their creativity when it comes to their presentation

Gourmet Abu Dhabi has set the bar very high for other culinary events. It was an honor to be part of the festivities.  With so many more outlets opening in Abu Dhabi, the next year promises to be event better.  For more information check out the website:

http://www.gourmetabudhabi.ae/ad2012/english/index.php

The perfect meal at Rivington Grill

Simple and elegant are the two best words for a place such as the Rivington Grill.  It's a solid neighborhood restaurant which screams the comfort of home.  The decor, although simple, really creates a funky ambiance I have yet to find in any other place in Dubai.  Quintessentially British, this restaurant has become my favorite comfort food spot in town!  

Everything on the menu has been a hit so far, but here are some of my favorites: parsnip soup, fish and chips, and the Bannoffie pot.

One item on their menu that literally makes my mouth is the Beef Wellington, which I have yet to try...... it's next on the list just have to mentally prepare for the minimum 45 minute wait time.... 

This time around, I opted for quick comfort.  The parsnip soup pictured below was exactly the "comfort" I was looking for.  It was creamy, but not heavy, flavorful, but not overwhelming, and with the nut crumble, even offered some crunch! 

The Rivington Grill has a couple of staple dishes, and the fish and chips is one of them.  The generous serving of crispy cod fillet coated in the crunchy golden batter was everything one could ever want out of this traditional dish.  This is the epitome of deep fried deliciousness!!!

Last but not least....This was the dessert I had actually tasted for the first time the week before, and was the driving force for my return the following week.  A Bannoffee Pot filled with layers of cookie crumbles, toffee, whipped cream, chocolate ganache, and topped with gorgeous caramelized slices of banana.  Just note the smooth and creamy texture of the chocolate nestled under the banana, YUM YUM YUM! This dessert is SUBLIME and worth breaking the diet for!

                             

The Rivington Grill is on now my regular rotation of restaurants, not only because it's in my neighborhood, but it's quality food for a reasonable price.  They are in the process of opening a second branch in the Madinat Jumeirah soon.  This is great news and a great way to spread their love of solid British cuisine to the other side of town.  Looking forward to many more wonderful meals at this comfy neighborhood restaurant that always welcomes me warmly.

For more information check out their website: 

http://www.rivingtongrill.ae/