Patrons are treated to a sensory experience when they sit down to a meal at fine-dining restaurant, Al Mahara.
Not only is the food five-star, the venue – in Dubai’s iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab – is home to a floor-to-ceiling aquarium teeming with giant groupers, stingrays and zebra sharks.
The kitchen is spearheaded by the hotel’s executive chef, Maxime Luvara, and, in an exclusive interview with The National, he reveals the highlights of Al Mahara’s seasonal menu.
What special dishes is Al Mahara serving this summer?
In Al Mahara, and also in our other à la carte restaurants, I compose the menu according to Europe’s seasons. Spring/summer is actually my favourite time of year, as the dishes we create are so colourful. It’s the season of the beautiful tomatoes, from the south of France and Sicily, that we use for a starter, for example, with stracciatella cheese, along with a refreshing lobster consommé. We’re also making good use of trumpet courgettes from Nice in risotto with barley and Parmesan cheese. As for amazing seasonal desserts, we use fantastic Italian apricots in vanilla syrup confit and served with liquorice mascarpone cream and a Basque custard pie. It was the invention of executive pastry chef Johannes Bonin, aka The Magician, and it’s to die for.
What is a stand-out signature dish this season, not only because of its ingredients but also because of the technique involved?
One of my favourites is the Alaskan king crab and foie gras ravioli served with stewed leeks in a vinaigrette and lightly creamed lobster-jus soup. The combination of the crab’s sweetness and the smooth sensation of the foie gras is just perfect. The ravioli cooking technique is also quite unusual. First, we sear it in a pan with olive oil as it gives the pasta dough a nice roasted flavour. We then deglaze the pan with a touch of crustacean jus, before slowly stewing the ravioli and letting the jus reduce.
Original article by Rebecca McLaughlin-Duane
Continue reading at The National:
Al Mahara restaurant in Burj Al Arab offers a one-of-a-kind experience
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