A new Deli – Mackenzies

There's a new kid in town. Well, actually, it has been around for a couple of months, but we only just heard about them. Mackenzies Deli is the first serious attempt to bring gourmet products to Muscat residents. Australian Angus Beef, Scottish seafood, like salmon, lobsters and scallops, and prime Scottish Pork, all can be ordered by email from Mackenzies, and delivered to your home.

As the company also supplies the hotels and restaurants with their products, you can be sure that products are fresh and of a high standard. This is what they had to say themselves:

We noted a demand in the market for prime quality products and aim to fill this gap with our current product list and with new international products coming on board every week.  The focus is very much on quality.  Our main beef product for example is Australian Black Angus or Grain Fed Tenderloin, our salmon has freedom foods accreditation and our Oysters are from Loch Fyne, one of the UK's most recognised suppliers. We have recently begun to offer Highland Spring Water, the best-selling sparkling water brand in the UK along with Ireland's favourite tea, Barry's.  We are delighted to see our existing customers coming back again and again and also to see our customer base grow daily.

There is a webshop in the making, but until that is finished, you can contact them for a price list and place your order by phone or email. Prices are, admittedly, not low, but that is to be expected with specialty products.

We do sincerely hope that Mackenzies will be a success, and that they will be able to offer a growing range of fine products. Check out their website here and send them an email to for more information.

Cheese and Wine Club at the Radisson Blu Hotel

A very good initiative from the Radisson Blu Hotel, a Cheese & Wine Club. The idea is simple: assemble a crowd of wine and cheese lovers, and organise a monthly theme night to showcase the wines of one or two specific producers. Serve cheeses that match the wines, and you're all set to go. As a bonus, the Radisson also promises the occasional guest appearance of a winemaker, who will give inside information on his/her own wines.

We love the idea and hope the evenings will be a big success. The first Cheese & Wine Club evening is tomorrow, April 12th, from 6PM to 9PM. Cost is 15.- OMR per person. Reservations are necessary, contact the Radisson Blu Hotel to secure your place.

Our Opera Mall Wishlist

Somehow we missed the news that the new Opera Mall will feature a Bice restaurant. This is good news. Although they are a chain, Bice restaurants are renowned for there good quality, upscale Italian cooking. If they get things right here in Muscat, they should be able to compete with the likes of Tuscany and Capri Court.It is to be hoped, of course, that this restaurant is going to be licensed.

Now that the Opera Mall is apparently beginning to shape up, it is a fun exercise to think up a short wish list of venues that we would love to see in this mall.

1. Carluccio's
A chain of restaurants and foodshops, initiated by the Italian-British cook Antonio Carluccio. Simple, but well made Italian food, in a relaxed setting. There are already three Carluccio restaurants in Dubai, where they are a success. Next to the food, we are also looking forward to the foodshop, where you can find a fine selection of products, from olive oils to pasta, and from vongoles to pesto. Definitely something that is still missed in Muscat.

2. Jones the Grocer
More or less the same setup as Carluccio's, but with a bonus: an incredible cheese selection. This Australian concept has expanded to Abu Dhabi, and will soon see its first outlet in Dubai. We've been to the original Abu Dhabi outlet, and it has a great, lively atmosphere. Great for lunch, or just a quick cup of coffee. The food store offers a wide selection of products, including coffee (and coffee machines), jams, and much more. The seperate cheese room is a great experience. You'll be able to buy a variety of high quality cheese, unlike anything else available here in Oman. If Jones would decide to expand to Muscat, we will be regulars.

3. Bistro Vue
If Shannon Bennett still doesn't want to end his Omani adventure after the closure of Vue, we can very much recommend him to re-launch the Vue brand in a bistro setting. He has one already in Australia. Classic French dishes, served with the Bennett flair, but without the pretence (and price tag) of the Vue restaurant, as it was in the Al Bustan Hotel.

4. Oscar's Vine Society
Although we had a fair bit of criticism during our visit to this Dubai wine bar some two years ago, we would still like to see it (or something like it) here in Oman. Basicly, it is just a relaxed place, with a decent selection of wines by the glass and per bottle. Something we don't have here in Oman, and that we would love to see. A possibility for a liqour license is quite obviously a must, but the same goes for Bice as far as we are concerned.

It is probably too good to be true to have any of these here, but we can all dream, can't we?

Les Saveurs d'Ici et d'Ailleurs

We told you about the Saveurs du Terroir evenings in the InterContinental Hotel before. If you are a true lover of food, you will surely have visited one of these evenings.

There was a temporary hold on these evenings after the former Resident Manager, Marc Lambert, left last year. But Didier Gourmaud, his successor, made the wise decision to continue, albeit with a slight change in theme. Under the title Les Saveurs d'Ici et d'Ailleurs Gourmaud will not only serve classic French dishes, but also explore other regions and flavours.

The first evening is planned on March 15th. Contact the InterContinental Hotel for more details and to be added to the mailing list.

Exit Vue, enter Marjan

 

The Al Bustan Hotel announced the opening of the French bistro Al Marjan on their Facebook page with this text:

Al Marjan Bistro is open today at Al Bustan Palace InterContinental Muscat. A stylish and distinctive seasonal restaurant, Al Marjan Bistro will bring the quintessentially French passion for great food to Muscat’s dining scene.

So, after they found out that Muscat's dining scene wasn't quite ready for Vue's innovative cuisine, the Al Bustan team decided to revive an old formula. There is still a slight chance that this isn't the end of Shannon Bennett's adventure in Oman, as we heard rumours that a BistroVue may open in the Royal Opera House Complex, once that is finished. Let's wait and see. In the meantime, we'll give Al Marjan a try.

Taste of Dubai – 3-5 March 2011

Taste of Dubai is coming up again. From 3 to 5 March 2011 you'll be able to taste your way through Dubai's finest restaurants in a relaxed outdoor setting. We enjoyed the last two episodes, and although the organisation was a bit of a mess last year, we still recommend a visit. Have a look at their website for specifics on events per day.

Well underway already, but still worth mentioning is Gourmet Abu Dhabi. More high-brow and serious than Taste of Dubai, but also a chance for some unforgettable experiences. How about a dinner in the company of Katharina Prüm, Joh. Jos. Prüm's winemaker? With a tasting of their fabulous Mosel wines of course. The festival only lasts for another week (until the 15th), and many of the events are already sold out. If you plan a visit, you'd better check the website soon.

Caramel French Bakery

There is a buzz going around in town. Wherever we go we hear people asking eachother if they tried 'that new bakery' yet. They mean Caramel, the French bakery that recently opened in Ghubra. We knew it was coming, so we were excited to try some of the products once the store finally opened in January.

Caramel offers breads, pastries and a selection of food products such as Valrhona chocolate. The bread we tasted was very good, but we got really excited after trying the pain au chocolat. Puff pastry is not something that any of the other bakeries in Muscat master. But Caramel is different. Made with the proper flour and butter, their puff pastry gives you an instant feel of holiday in France. We loved it. The meringue au citron and hazelnut cake were equally good.

Wonderful products, with great attention to good ingredients and detail; Caramel is a very fine address for Muscat foodies. You might struggle to find the store, as its location is a bit of the beaten track, so have a look at their website before you go.

Oman Food Festival

A festival dedicated to Omani food, wow. As part of the yearly Muscat Festival, the first Oman Food Festival is held in the Qurum Natural Park from Frebruary 5th. In co-operaration with the Oman Tourism College, the festival will be a showcase of traditional Omani Cuisine. Next to that, a number of the four and five star hotels will present dishes from their international restaurants. The website of Muscat Festival gives precious little information on this event, but you can read a bit more in these articles in the Oman Observer and The Week.

We will, of course, pay a visit to the festival and see if it is as good as it seems. More to follow.

Pasta week in Capri Court

Vincenzo Spinozi, one of Italy's finest pasta makers, is coming to town. From 21 to 27 February he will present a special menu in Shangri La's Capri Court Restaurant. This is what the press release had to say:

"From 21 to 27 February 2010, Capri Court restaurant at Shangri La's Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa will welcome the legendary Italian pasta maker, Vincenzo Spinosi, who will bring a touch of Italian flair as he presents a special à la carte menu of mouth-watering dishes prepared with his signature brand of hand-made egg-based pasta. The 'Prince of Pasta' will be joined by guest chef Mauro Taufer from Hotel Excelcior in Venice."

Spinosi's pasta has quite a reputation throughout the world, and initiatives like these need encouragement, so we will be there to taste the action. The menu is only served during dinner times. For reservations, contact the hotel at 24776565.

Two serious foodie events coming up

We were pretty pleased with the Taste of Dubai festival last year, so we're more than happy to recommend this year's edition to you. It will be held from 17 to 20 March 2010 at Dubai Media City. The lay out will be pretty much the same as last year: local restaurants have the opportunity to present small dishes, and there are a number of special events, such as wine tastings and cooking master classes by renowned chefs. For more information and booking of tickets: look here.

Another promising event takes place in Abu Dhabi. From 5 to 19 February the city is the scene of Gourmet Abu Dhabi; two weeks full of culinary delight. The organisers of Gourmet Abu Dhabi did a great job in putting together a tantalising programme. Several michelin-starred chefs are flown in, with 3-starred Alain Passard and Régis Marcon as showstoppers. You can choose to follow masterclasses by the chefs or attend one of the dinners. Some of those are accompanied by wine tastings of prestigious domains, such as Egon Müller, Pio Cesare and Paul Jaboulet Ainé. Their winemakers will be there as well. If you ever needed an excuse to visit Abu Dhabi, this is it. More information can be found here.

Food alert - Les Saveurs du Terroir

The guys and girls of Muscat InterContinental are doing a good job in organising interesting theme evenings. Their newest invention is called Saveurs du Terroir. It is aimed at the French (speaking) community, and highlights the regional French cuisine.

There is a Saveurs du Terroir evening every month. The first one was last month, and the second is planned for this coming Tuesday, 15th of December. This month's theme is l'Alsace et sa Choucroute, a three course meal (where sauerkraut is the main attraction of course) costst 25 OMR per person, including a bottle of wine per pair of people.

As far as we're concerned, this is not only interesting for the French, but for everyone who loves the French cuisine.

Cheese Festival - 10-17 November 2009

Attention cheeseheads, mark these dates in your agenda: from 10 until 17 November the Muscat InterContinental Hotel will host their annual Cheese Festival.

Although this means another visit to the Musandam Restaurant, we strongly recommend a visit to this event. We went last year, and it was a true cheese feast. A fromagier from France is flown in, together with his beautiful collection of cheeses. Forget about Brie Président and Danish Blue for one night, and enjoy true artisan French cheeses.

See you there.

Oktoberfest

Beer and Bratwurst. And maybe a Pretzel or two to wash things down. All this in the Hyatt (Rooftop Grill) from October 20th to 29th. We'll be there!

Oktoberfest 2009

Celebrate the introduction of the non-stop flights with Oman Air to Munich and Frankfurt this October at Rooftop Grill House. Ten days filled with German delicacies, traditional beverages and a German band, playing the best of Oktoberfest songs all the way from Munich. Get a taste of Germany at Rooftop Grill House first, before heading to Germany!

From the 20th of October to the 29th of October, the Rooftop Grill House is the place to be. An evening will cost you only R.O. 30.000++ per person and will be filled with entertainment from the Oompah band from Munich, traditional German beverages served by waiters dressed in Lederhosen and Dirndls and a Chef Matz-Momme from Grand Hyatt Berlin showcasing his best German cuisine.

Enjoy an all-inclusive night from October 20 to October 29 at the Oktoberfest with the special menu, unlimited German traditional beverages and many other surprises for R.O. 30.000++ only per person.

Oman to become member of "Chaîne des Rôtisseurs"

We were on holiday when this news came out, so many thanks to Friend R. for bringing this to our attention.

The Sultanate of Oman is about to be inaugurated as a member of the worldwide gastronomic association Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. The Chaîne is an "international gastronomic society dedicated to bringing together both professional and non-professional members worldwide, who appreciate and share a mutual interest in cuisine, wine and fine dining."

See this article in The Week of August 25:

The sultanate is soon to become a member of the world famous Chaine des Rôtisseurs, an international gastronomic society with over 25,000 members worldwide.

The inauguration of the Chaine des Rôtisseurs society in Oman will be on November 14. It is dedicated to bringing together professional and non-professional members from around the world who appreciate cuisine and fine dining. “It is an elite society for people involved in gastronomy,” says Dana Sarhan, one of the founding members of the chapter.

Joachim Caula, a master chocolatier and confectionery chef, will be the president of the society in Oman, or the 'Charge de Missions, Bailliage of Oman'. The purpose of bringing the society to Oman is “to spread fine cuisine,” says Caula.

The society holds a number of events including food competitions for young chefs under the age of 27, which can help upcoming chefs with their careers.

It is hoped that the society will highlight the talent of the sultanate's chefs. “Chefs don't really appreciate their work here. Middle Eastern chefs don't have a big domain, but it can change. We can give them a better image”, says Caula.

It is a members-only club and membership is by invitation only.

This may be an important step in bringing the level of gastronomy in the Sultanate to a higher level, something that is very necessary if the country wishes to compete in the international high-end tourism market.

We truly hope the founding of the Omani branch of the society brings a positive impulse towards a more lively gastronomic scene in the country. We will definitely keep a keen and critical eye on the developments. And, of course, we would be honoured to be invited as members.

Provencal food in Muscat InterContinental

From the 17th to the 24th of June the Muscat InterContinental Hotel hosts a Provencal and Côte d'Azur theme week. Next to a painting exhibition, there will be a Provence Culinary Week in the Musandam Café, supervised by the French Michelin-starred chef Daniel Hebet. Hopefully his dishes will make us forget about the hardly uplifiting surroundings of the Musandam Café. We will, of course, pay a visit and report back.

Gourmet in Dubai

An interesting article in Time Out Dubai this week, featuring a list of gourmet delis in the city. The newly opened Gourmet Station in the Oasis Centre is a definite must to check out. This food market offers a variety of fresh food and fine products, such as balsamic vinegars, and the famous Spanish olive oils of Núñez de Prado. It appears they don't do any mail orders or home delivery outside of Dubai, so we just have to plan another Dubai visit...

And seeing that this is a project of the Landmark group (who also own Centrepoint, E-Max and others), it might just show up in Muscat in due time. We can always hope, can't we?

Buying alert: Prunotto Barolo Bussia 1999

A great deal at OUA. For some reason, they've discounted their complete stock of Prunotto Barolo Bussia 1999 from roughly 40 OMR to 19.500 OMR! Agreed, that's still a good sum for a bottle of wine, but this one is worth it.

Prunotto is one of the leading producers of Barolo, and Bussia is one of the prime vineyards in the region. At ten years of age, this wine is still a youngster. It will drink nicely if you give it some time in the decanter, but can also age for many more years.

If you decide to buy a bottle and open it sometime soon, consider serving it with dinner. Dark, earthy flavours work best. We paired it with a red wine poached tenderloin steak, with a variety of sautéed mushrooms. A very nice combination.

So, run to your nearest OUA store and buy all you can. But please be so kind to leave a few bottles for us.

Taste of Dubai

From 11 to 14 March you'll have the chance to sample the culinary delights of Dubai at the Taste of Dubai Festival 2009. A large number of restaurants will present samples of their menus, and gourmet food producers will give you the option to try their products before you buy. Moreover, a number of workshops and tastings is organised, such as winetastings, a workshop by celebrity chef Gary Rhodes and much more.

It sounds like culinary heaven. Will it really be that good...? Mr. & Mrs. R are going to find out. We will torture ourselves with the long drive from Muscat to Dubai, and report back to you afterwards. What were the absolute highlights and what could be missed. And most important: should you have been there? We'll let you know.