DUBAI The Ivy in London’s fashionable West End, just opposite St. Martin’s theatre, is an institution of its own.
An age-old haunt of theatrical celebrities since opening as an unlicensed Italian café near Cambridge Circus in 1916, it remains a popular nightspot for the rich and famous to this day.
The Ivy’s only other global presence in the Boulevard at the ground level of Jumeirah Emirates Tower in Dubai is no less popular and if you are visiting them this winter, you will know exactly why.
“The menu’s pretty much the same as that of the Ivy in London, but we have introduced a few seasonal changes over Christmas and there’s a good dose of live music on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings,” says Alan Greaney, the Irish assistant manager at The Ivy, Dubai. He should know, having won the 2012-13 award for being the best waiter in the Middle East.
As a journeyman in London back in 2010, I have fleeting memories of walking past the famous brasserie not far from Leicester Square tube station. The Ivy will now sit in my head, firmer than ever before, after a proper sit-down dinner at its Dubai branch last week.
We started with two mocktails (Dh35): a punch berry made of blackberries, raspberries, passion fruit puree and cranberry juice and a tangy green apple ginger made of apple juice, grenadine, passion fruit puree and ginger beer.
The hors d’ oeuvres, or starters if you like, arrived pretty soon — a twice baked cheese soufflé (Dh75), a seared foie gras (Dh150) and a plate of three large spiced tiger prawns (Dh130).
I have always hated the cruelty involved in the making of a foie gras. Made from the fattened liver of a goose that’s force-fed, it isn’t necessarily an easy food choice, but if I am allowed to be honest, it’s a delicacy like no other. Made on a puffed pastry base of sliced apples caramelised and topped with pan-seared foie gras and finished with infused cherries, the meat’s truly divine, made specifically for this winter season. The tiger prawns had a brilliant char-grilled flavour but were slightly on the bland side, while the cheese dish with a soufflé baked once and then again with gruyere, parmesan and goats cheese was every bit tempting.
An intricately decorated platter of mix-grill seafood (Dh230) came next. Replete with prawn, scallop, cod and salmon on a bed of steamed spinach and braised fennel, it was finished with a garlic foam and rouille — a delicious French sauce made of olive oil, garlic, saffron and chili peppers. I would simply pick the cod for its amazing freshness.
Pan fried duck breast (Dh160) on a bed of curly kale served with beetroot and orange marmalade and drizzled with prune jus was next with honey glazed parsnips (Dh30) and green beans with shallot confit (Dh35) on the side.
Never been a great fan of duck meat because of its toughness, but this one was right on the money — well done and made succulent with all the garnishes.
We had a choice between a banana sticky toffee pudding (Dh60) and a Black Forest chocolate bombe (Dh65) for dessert, but we chose the latter for the spectacle it promised to deliver.
The round dark chocolate shell ball encased a delicious Black Forest ice cream scoop inside. It had popping candies and was garnished with sour cherries.
The ‘bombe’ explodes as soon as you pour hot chocolate sauce on it and out comes a dessert you will have never eaten. Yet another special at the Ivy this winter!
DETAIL:
Meal for two: Dh900
Location: Ground floor, Boulevard, Jumeirah Emirates Tower
Call: 04-3198767
We Recommend: Foie Gras, chocolate bombe, Spiced Tiger Prawns, Mixed grilled sea food
