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| Abu
Dhabi, U.A.E |
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Society -
Extraordinary
October 1st - 2006 |
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6 Stars
& 5 Stripes
Cuisine & Service |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| "Each time you open a door around here it seems like
you enter a new world" our photographer Arno said as we entered the Emirates
Palace restaurant, Mezzaluna. After all, it was last night that we crossed the
threshold of the underwater world of Sayed Restaurant for a very impressive
display of culinary perfection featuring splendid seafood creations. Tonight we
are told to prepare for gastronomic journey through the cuisine capitals of
Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, Sicily and Sardinia for a true Italian experience. A
quick look up revealed a cavernous cathedral-like ceiling structure reminding
us both of an ethereal Italian monastery. It is there at the entrance to
Mezzaluna that we met Restaurant Manager Shambhu Acharya who welcomed us with a
hearty "Buona Sera!" before offering us a quick detour through the restaurant
while he shed some light on what to expect. As we stroll to our table, we pass
a spotless open kitchen complete with a wood-fired brick oven and if it wasn't
for the busy kitchen team moving smoothly around their domain, it could have
been the ideal show-kitchen for a TV cooking series. |
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| We arrive at our table and
suddenly it all makes sense. There, in front of us was a view of the pristine
beach and beyond that the Persian Gulf as if juxtaposed on the canvas of a
great Italian master. We look at the walls around us filled with gondolas
depicted floating under Venetian bridges and then out to the beach again in a
surreal game of scene changing between two paradises. A very warm feeling of
assurance overcame me as I was handed the menu and I decided to remain, at
least for the time being, in a sort of Italian-style suspended animation.
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| We are told that the Executive Sous Chef of Mezzaluna,
Luigi Antonio Piu had come to Emirates Palace via his humble origins from the
village of Sassari, in Sardinia, Italy and brought with him all the earthy
recipes from his life growing up with his parents. 'It doesn't get any better
than that" I mused as the thought of a dine-around Italy featuring Chef Luigi's
innovations seemed like the perfect way to go. |
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From the first, it was
decided between Arno and I to sample as many of Chef Luigi's creations as
possible so that we could get a sort of highlighted tour of Italy's centers of
cuisine. In Italy we were told, every dinner begins with the basics: bread and
oil. At so it was that a basket of warm crusty rustic bread was placed in front
of us along with olive oil; but not just any olive oil. We were given the
opportunity to choose from a selection of Italy's finest extra virgin first
cold pressing olive oils with the emphasis placed on a myriad of olive
varietals. |
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| I think I whispered something like "I could live on
bread and oil alone", to which our attentive server dutifully asked "More
bread?" I guess I just can't keep a secrete. Sampling oils is much like
sampling fine wines; there is a method and an art to it. Not all olive oils are
created equal and one of the first things you learn is that different olive
varietals produce different characteristic flavor profiles. |
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| The finest olive oils for
tasting and flavoring are the 'first cold-pressed extra virgin'; they are known
for their floral bouquet aroma, and the slightly acidic and spicy notes on the
palate. Arno and I had a ball sampling as many as we could all the while using
the great assortment of Tuscan breads and rolls for dipping platforms. My
special way of delivering the goods was to doll-up the oil with salt, cracked
peppercorn and shaved Parmesano Reggiano cheese. Ahhhh! Italian heaven in Abu
Dhabi. |
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| Our server looked over at us and decided that it was
time now to bring on the "Greetings from the Kitchen" before it was too late
and there in front of us was placed Composition of Pan Fried Goose Liver
topped with Pear, Timbale of Polenta with Dried Beef and White Asparagus in
Cheese Fondue. It was a velvety smooth melt in your mouth rendition of foi
gras that had been caramelized from the start in the pan thereby obtaining that
wonderful crisp surface of glazed essence effectively enveloping a rich
interior of deep earthy flavor. Northern Italians relish polenta as Americans
enjoy their potatoes, with fervor. |
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The addition of dried beef to
the polenta allows for a display of some of the specialty items produced in the
region close to the Swiss border. I'm sure that this is why Chef Luigi also
included white asparagus and cheese fondue in his composition to fully round
out the presentation as a perfect example of this area nestled in the
Dolomites. An appropriate wine paring had to be the Pinot Grigio Friuli
Venezia Giulia 2005 offering fine flowery and fresh fruit scents in a
balanced and gentle medium body that finishes with crisp and dry spice.
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| Antipasto was next on the agenda producing a course of
Tuna Tartar with Infusion of Basil. What more can be said about tuna
tartar except to remind you that you must start with the very freshest catch
and you must only use ahi tuna (sashimi grade) to produce the desired results.
Chef Luigi obviously has a great fishmonger for his seafood purchases as the
tuna's only aroma was that of the ocean and Chef Luigi's cooking technique
worked wonders to unleash its subtle taste profile. We moved now to an Italian
icon, "La Pasta". |
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| In this case, we were
treated to a regional specialty of Northern Italy consisting of Ravioli
stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta with Lobster Claws and Sea Scallops in light
Sage Sauce. I couldn't help but reflect on the exotic herbal essence of
sage complimenting the fresh spinach and ricotta stuffed ravioli. It worked
remarkably well with the lobster and scallops and we were pleasantly surprised
to be served a couple of glasses of Gavi di Gavi 2005, which is made
from an ancient Piedmontese grape varietal known as Cortese. The wine is crisp,
medium bodied with hints of apple and citrus. We noticed a long clean finish
and surmised that it would make a good summertime white wine, which when you
consider it is summertime all year in Abu Dhabi it is the perfect choice.
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| “...a dish that reflects the very essence of what Italian
cookery is all about.” ~ TB |
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| It was time for the main course to arrive and Chef
Luigi went with a dish that reflects the very essence of what Italian cookery
is all about. Sliced Roasted Veal on Porcini Risotto with Balsamic
Reduction was offered to us and eagerly accepted despite the sated feeling
derived from the abundance of Tuscan bread we had already consumed. This time a
full-bodied Barolo Giacosa Fratelli 2001 was presented along with the
veal entrée making for a spectacular companion with a nice nose of
licorice and cherry. It is very dry and tannic with good structure and rich
vanilla and spice flavors on a medium length finish. Both Arno and I were
especially impressed with Chef Luigi's ability to take a delicate cut of meat
like this veal loin and roast it to perfection as to optimize its ordinarily
mild flavor into a rich three-dimensional affair. |
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As our servers were busy
clearing the table for dessert, we noticed a serving cart being prepared for
the next special event. With white gloves on, the captain approached the table
to start the "Il Dolce" course of Sabayon Amaretto served with Vanilla Ice
Cream and Fresh Fruits right in front of our eyes. The dessert wine chosen
for the occasion was Vinsanto Chianti Classico 1995, a traditional wine
of friendship and hospitality. The ancient method of making this wine has
produced a dessert wine with a beautiful deep golden color with amber hues. The
intense and fragrant bouquet leads to a full and lingering taste of almonds and
raisins with a great finish. It was all we could do to push away from the table
and get up now. |
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| We felt reassured that all the desserts are created
and prepared under the direction of Chef de Patisserie Pascal Clair, a man of
incredible talent. We witnessed some of his original delicate crystalline sugar
sculptures and of course his magnificent arrangements of Petit Fors. It seems
that this gifted team of culinary artists assembled here at Emirates Palace
could only have been accomplished under refined skilled leadership.
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by
Thorsten Buehrmann & Arno Goudschaal
Editor: Ingrid
Lemme
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola |
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| © 2006 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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