February 2019 61 www.bahrainthismonth.com dining Newsflash, Cico’s has installed a tank and will soon be serving these delightful crustaceans, fresh from the water and at a very reasonable price. On to the main course and chef Cyrille, ever the showman, as befits a proper star chef, presented local faskar fish. Oven baked, it was brought to us en papillote and sat on the table as we watched bowls of mushroom risotto being finished in a giant Parmesan wheel. Tipped inside the cheese, the rice was delicately agitated as piquant Parmesan slivers were absorbed from the sides. I have news for you, friends, Ambrosia is not the food of the gods – this is. The fish’s foil parcel was dramatically split open, amid billows of fragrance and steam, and the faskar was very professionally served, with not a morsel of the delicately flavoured flesh going to waste. Then we were left to tuck in. Silence! I have been lucky to have many amazing food adventures in Bahrain, but there are few that have rendered both myself and my regular foodie companion speechless – apart from the odd incomprehensible squeak of pure joy. The risotto was absolutely divine. Contrary to what some food snobs will dictate, I’m not a fan of any rice dish served al dente. Unless perfectly executed, which is extremely hard in a busy kitchen, to me, it always tends towards gritty. This was not. At all. Beautifully yielding and creamy with the flavour of high-quality mushrooms, not cooked to within an inch of their fungi souls, combined with Parmesan and truffle oil; for this one dish alone, I would return again and again. The fish, happily, lived up to its rice accompaniment; firm white flesh imbued with the tastes and scents of the vegetables and light herbs with which it was cooked, it flaked on the fork and melted in the mouth. And, even better, it’s local, so a great introduction to an often-ignored, ecofriendly option. Though more than replete, one sight of dessert: chocolate fondant – made with Valrhona no less, the chef is French after all – topped with spun saffron sugar and accompanied by homemade yoghurt icecream, and we were powerless to resist. The chocolate melted, and we melted right along with it. Need I say more? Change is indeed afoot at Cico’s. But fear not, chef Cyrille is not planning to deprive long-term regulars of their favourites – though you just might find they taste a bit better these days. It’s Filmy Opening Pearlyn opened her restaurant ‘It’s Filmy’ in Zinj Youth Sports Project The Launch of the Youth SportsProject Phase 2 was held at The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel To view more images, scan the QR code
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