October 2017 www.womanthismonth.com 68 FOOD | review Three years ago celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck chose Bahrain and Four Seasons to launch his new restaurant concept, re/Asian Cuisine by Wolfgang Puck and, under the watchful eye of executive chef Brian Becher, it has become a fast favourite. So, when I got news that the kitchen team had been hard at work revamping the menu, I was slightly dismayed but also rather excited to go along for a tasting session. I needn’t have worried, chef Brian assured us this was not “change for change’s sake, we only wanted to make a change if we could do something better”. And he added that certain signature dishes would cause mutiny among his regulars should they disappear! Shown to a window table with the obligatory amazing view of the Manama night sky from the 50th floor, we were treated to an amuse bouche of cucumber Szechuan, a surprising combination that rendered even this most innocuous of vegetables tasty and moreish. Our first proper taster was sweet corn soup with roasted garlic custard, cherry tomato and black tiger prawn. Served in pretty demitasse cups with a garnish of coriander, this was the ultimate in comfort food; rich and creamy, the garlic saving the sweetcorn from blandness and juicy chunks of prawn providing meaty substance. Next came one of those potentially mutinyinducing dishes – spicy tuna tartare in sesame miso cones. This was my dining companion’s first experience of this little piece of paradise and her stunned silence spoke volumes. The fish provides a slight sweetness, delicately offset with a hidden hint of ginger heat in the miso cones which crumble in the mouth to give an explosion of smoky roasted sesame. A plate of three appetisers followed, each classic in appearance but with a twist added by this talented culinary team. Shrimp and corn chow feung rolls utilise the traditional noodle dough as a wafer-thin roll – a spring roll without the frying – the accompaniments of sweet soy, pickled chilli and Thai basil perfectly tease out the flavours, which, though a similar combination of base ingredients to those found in the soup, actually taste completely different. A zucchini flower stuffed with Thai basil sausage and deep fried in a crispy coating of home-made rice flour was an interesting combination reminiscent of Bangkok street food; and a wok-fried duck dumpling finished the trio, served on a base of tongue-tingling chilli crisp aioli with sesame and scallion. Again, the sauces elevated this most common of Asian dishes to the extraordinary. The next dish was one of the standouts of the evening, eliciting, as it did, a wonderful food memory from my friend. Grilled tiger prawns, coconut cashew puree, banana blossoms and Liz O'Reilly checks out the new menu at this island favourite. FOOD TO WRITE HOME ABOUT
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