Dubai: I began my day discussing escargot (snails) with colleagues at work. I ended my day sampling the exclusive delights of Strasbourg snails at K Grill, the poolside restaurant at Kempinski Hotel, Mall of the Emirates. I could have asked for just about anything.
Instead, I asked for dinner at K Grill, an airy indoor and outdoor restaurant on the second level of the Kempinski Hotel.
Pool and music
With the pool for our view and soft classical music in the background, I devoured my shell-less snails in garlic butter, immersed in spinach and trumpet mushroom.
My partner decided to match my adventurous decision with a starter of carpaccio millefeuille. Although the thinly sliced marinated raw beef tenderloin was melt-in-the-mouth tender, it couldn't live up to the grandeur of the snails.
A glass of red later came our mains. The Mediterranean sea bass was so fresh, I almost felt guilty thinking of what the fish was doing just earlier that day. Marinated and served with a root vegetable puree and beetroot crisps, the dish was instantly enhanced with a dash of tarragon sauce.
Not one to resist temptations, my partner opted for the Rossini style beef medallions. This style of beef fillet, created by Italian composer Gioacchino Rossini in the early 19th century, comes layered under a bed of pan-seared foie gras cooked in its own jus, and finished with a balsamic glaze.
Tender, succulent and packed with a burst of flavour, the medallions outweighed our expectations and were a joy to the eyes, nose and, of course, every single taste bud, on the palate.
Moving on to my favourite part of the meal, dessert had me conjuring images of frothy mousses and velvety chocolate, alongside crunch biscuit bases and ripened fruit. The reality though outweighed my illusions. While my partner's raspberry truffle mousse with vanilla essence and hazel nuts lived up to its frothy expectations, it was my chilled lemon soufflé that was the evening's heavyweight. Served with massion curd, caramel wafer as a base and chocolate sauce drizzled over its top, the soufflé was unlike any lemon dessert I've treated myself to.
If I'd known in advance that any conversation I'd had that morning would materialise by evening, I'd still choose this exquisite meal any day of the week.
