Not quite smooth sailing

Another Marco Pierre White restaurant in the UAE? I couldn’t wait to try it out. And although it was only formally launched after EAT went to press, when a friend rang up and said it was taking pre-launch reservations, I insisted we head over at once. Triple-cooked chips in the heart of Bur Dubai?

Titanic, over at the new Meliã Dubai, is White’s latest attempt to get UAE punters to shovel some more money his way. After Frankie’s, his joint venture with the jockey Frankie Dettori, and his eponymous steakhouse at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Titanic is, rather fittingly, his most impressive venture yet, featuring a menu of classics.

The obligatory press handout spotlights such dishes as scallop carpaccio with coriander and ginger, chilled Andalusian soup with langoustines, magret of duck with peaches, and mustard-crusted roast rack of lamb à la Dijonnaise. According to Meliã Executive Chef Frederic Kulczak, the aim is to create memories by combining a vibrant atmosphere with passionately cooked food.

But enough guff; to the proof. What did the food taste like, you want to know?

With mid-day temperatures soaring well into the forties, I chose a Vichyssoise with white truffle oil (Dh35) to start. This American invention, (Julia Child’s words, not mine) is a delightful chilled purée of leeks, onions and potatoes, finished with healthy doses of cream. The cream comes through first, smooth and velvety, with the soup finishing on a nice savoury note.

My main was a nice piece of fish. Grilled tuna a la Sicilienne (Dh230), which should swim well with Dubai audiences. The fish was just done, light and flaky, with a gentle lemon and olive sauce – clean and elegant, if a little pricey. My friend had the fillet of beef Rossini (Dh180), as recommended. He wasn’t best impressed, and quite frankly, neither was I — while it had been done very well, it didn’t cross over into Titanic league.

But it was the chips (Dh20) that I was there for and they were absolutely divine. Take it from someone who’s been known to send them back in White’s own restaurants. They came crisp and crunchy on the outside and were fluffy and moist on the inside. White may not be in the kitchen anymore, but when the chips are down, he certainly runs a pretty tight ship.