Christmas dinner, Raffles Dubai
The Indian state of Goa has a delightful expression that is only used during 11 months of the year and it is to describe an impressive array of food. When someone declares, “Christmas has become,” it pays tribute to the incomparable abundance of a December meal.
A true Christmas repast is anchored on a heaving, hearty table that features foods ranging from the classic to the contemporary and almost everything in between. This juxtaposition of age-old family recipes and inventive
ones, multiple main courses and their accompaniments, sauces and sides and all, is arguably the ultimate experience in feasting and revelry.
The Christmas spread at Raffles Dubai is the embodiment of this profusion — spread as it is across sections of salads and seafood, carvery and charcuterie, pies
and pastas, cheeses and desserts. Not only is the number of dishes impressive, but the list also features some outstanding selections. In the salad section, look for golden beetroots, heirloom tomatoes and a shooter of asparagus, morels and quail eggs. Hard pressed to choose between the carveries: beef, lamb, turkey, chicken? Have a sliver of each. Among the vegetarian choices is an un-Christmassy dish, but the black truffle creamed spinach is a star at this show. There is also some exotic fare. Braised venison or oxtail, anyone?
Throw in some cheery atmosphere and welcoming staff, this is a picture-perfect festive table.
The Christmas Market, Raffles Dubai; Dh545 inclusive of beverages. Call 04 324 8888
By Iona Stanley/Special to GN Focus
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Alba White Truffle Special, Segreto, Souk Madinat Jumeirah
“This chef is an artist,” my foodie companion says at the start of our meal at Segreto. By then we’d had one simple yet refreshing amuse-bouche (a cold scallop and crisp watercress with a hint of truffle oil) and another so complex it demands a moment of reflection: the foie gras terrine features subdued liver flavours enhanced with vanilla, parsnip and a smokey brioche, with a subtle touch of truffle — all in a bite.
Now, I’ve become sceptical of the boastful truffle given how chefs have taken to slapping it willy-nilly on any- and everything. But Segreto’s Alba White Truffle menu has gone a long way in restoring my faith — in chefs who know what they’re doing, that is. My companion’s observation is spot-on. Chef de Cuisine Manuel Polin knows food and harnesses the flavours of his ingredients with the deft hand of a master artist. From a deconstructed tenderloin tartare — foamy egg sabayon on the side,
with chives, salt, and powdered capers and truffle mushroom — we moved on to burrata (pictured below), the creamy dairy complemented by fried basil leaves, pesto, tomato and caviar. There’s a subtle drizzle of honey sweetness on top, and a taste of truffle, which it pairs well with.
The pasta course is a study in comfort food — great texture in the risotto packed with porcini and other varieties, and a simplistic, buttery tagliolini (smaller version of the egg tagliatelle, made fresh on the premises). Perfectly cooked, beautifully seasoned Australian fillet followed on a plate. Dessert, however, was pure indulgence. Polin calls it ChokoEssenza, a chocolate and truffle extravaganza, but we call it Name the Ingredient. The plate is a veritable Jackson Pollock abstract
of bits of chocolate, yummy milk chocolate ganache, white chocolate parfait, hazelnut, salt, caramel and truffle-infused honey. We might have missed an ingredient or five!
Alba White Truffle Special, Segreto, Souk Madinat Jumeirah. Call 04 366 6125.
By Eduan R. Maggo/Editor — Country Guides
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The Ivy @ Home
Nothing makes a Christmas meal like a good turkey. However, it’s a long and arduous preparation journey. Take, for instance, clean-eating evangelist Jamie Oliver’s “simple and easy” recipe, which requires three and a half hours to make. We’re busy people living in a busy emirate, so no thanks, Jamie.
The Ivy at Jumeirah Emirates Towers has a solution: a takeaway service. The GN Focus crew were fortunate enough to try out The Ivy @ Home. The hamper packs in succulent turkey breast, boned and stuffed turkey leg, large roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, red cabbage, turkey jus, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, Christmas pudding and mince pies. All this came weighed 20kg — it was a feast for ten people. The basting, marination, chopping and stuffing are done but there’s still a bit to do. Finishing the par-cooked meal requires a big roasting tray, a few saucepans and about 30-40 minutes. The stuffed turkey leg was a personal highlight. It’s a smooth ride down one’s gullet with the cranberry gravy, while the bread sauce complements the sprouts and potatoes. The jus had a blood-like consistency that we devoured. The indulgent Christmas pudding
took time to finish, but that was more down to our inflated alimentary canals than anything else. Ditto for the mince pies.
The Ivy @ Home goes from Dh999 to Dh1,499, depending on how many are eating. The restaurant needs 48 hours’ notice and the hamper is available until December 25. Should you wish to eat there, the Ivy’s Christmas Day menu starts at Dh599. There’s also a Boxing Day deal that begins at Dh299.
Call 04 319 8767.
By Riaz Naqvi/Staff Writer
