Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa, located in the bustling Seef district, recently launched a spectacular Seafood Night, much to the thrill of diners in Bahrain. There’s plenty that makes this experience special including nine live cooking stations featuring a multitude of cuisines. Farah Baig discovers more.
Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary marking a decade of excellence. So, I was naturally thrilled to hear that the hotel was launching an exciting seafood night at its restaurant Lemon Tree. Could they tick all the right boxes with this experience?
On entering the restaurant venue it’s clear that the team has pulled out all stops to make the experience memorable. From the tabletops to the ceiling, the outlet is decorated to reflect the theme. Live entertainment courtesy of the talented pianist and singer adds to the ambience. What grabs your attention, though, is the myriad seafood options including sand lobsters, fresh mussels, shrimp, calamari, salmon and crabs aside from regional favourites safi, sheri, hammour and king fish.
To begin, I plated a selection of hot appetisers including Seafood Arancini, Shrimp Coconut and Dynamite Shrimp which were hot and crispy. Freshly-made clam chowder topped with cheese served in a toasty, hot bread bowl followed. I stirred in the melted cheese and relished every spoonful of what was the very definition of comfort food.
The team’s creativity when it comes to ingredients is evident at the colourful canapé and sushi counters. Each was artistically put together and a treat for the eyes and palate. The poached shrimp and cream cheese canapé had to be my favourite though. At the sushi counter, the freshness of the fish was clear. Finer elements such as toasted sesame seeds and dollops of sauces complemented the traditional soy sauce, gari (pickled ginger) and wasabi. The large assortment of freshly baked bread, cheeses and cold cuts proved to be the cherry on top!
Much to my delight, you can choose your seafood and have it cooked to your liking in an Arabic, Indian or Asian style among others. I opted for my selection to be grilled and was impressed by the presentation. Every morsel is scrumptious but I’d be amiss not to mention the sand lobsters and generous fillet of salmon which were cooked to perfection – moist and simply delicious.
What makes this seafood night even more distinct is its impressive nine live cooking stations including a pizza, pasta, taco and stir fry station covering a range of cuisines. Baked in a traditional wood fired oven, my seafood pizza topped with succulent shrimp and calamari was just divine, especially the crust!
While we’d already eaten our fill, I was curious about the hot mains and so I sampled their Samak Machboos and Shrimp Biriyani. Each was flavourful and a clear indicator of the culinary team’s exceptional skills. To top off my experience, I had a delightful chocolate cake and some fresh fruit.
Seafood is a fine indulgence when it comes to the world of gastronomy, but it has to be done just right. Freshness, cooking time and condiments all play an essential role in perfecting each dish and determining just how enjoyable your meal is going to be. Needless to say, this Seafood night ticked all the boxes!
Lemon Tree’s Seafood Night takes place every Thursday from 6pm to midnight.
Follow@lemontree.bh or @rameegrand.bh for more information.
