I’m not prone to hyperbole, but I have stumbled upon what can only be described as the most extraordinary deal in the Doha culinary scene just yet.
First, let me put it out there: it’s still QR380 for dinner. And there’s no alcohol. BUT, I can say with complete certainty, this is a meal you won’t forget.
The place is Quisine by Guy Savoy. Monsieur Savoy is something of a personal hero to me. A brilliant mind, he speaks about food with poetic beauty and transforms everyday ingredients into objects of sheer splendour.
If you’ve eaten at his restaurant on The Pearl Qatar, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Take his signature artichoke soup — it is childhood comfort in a bowl but could very well be served in an imperial court.
Since my first visit, I’ve tried to recommend Quisine to everyone I know… but it gets tricky because the Michelin-starred meal comes at an equally exclusive price tag. With degustation menus that cost upwards of QR850, it’s an investment only the purest of gastronomes would consider.
Until now.
The restaurant has unveiled its Introduction to Gastronomy menu, a slimmed down version of its usual extravaganza. Don’t expect any compromise in quality, however. It’s simply got around the niggly issue of cost by sourcing some ingredients such as tomatoes from an organic farm in Qatar (who would have thunk it!).
I first looked at the menu and thought dinner would be light. I would start with a tomato medley plate, move on to either turbot or lamb, and finish off with dessert. Then the food started appearing. And it didn’t stop.
Disregard what’s on print. The kitchen has switched on to ultra largesse mode. By the end, there are at least eight courses (I kinda lost count). Everything comes in pairs, from the amuse bouche, to the appetiser course and beyond.
Except dessert. There were four courses for that. The last thing I want to do is spoil the surprise. Because this is still a journey one ought to experience for oneself.
Allot a good three hours to fully appreciate what’s in store. And make sure you’re there with a fellow foodie, because you can’t help but scrutinise everything on the plate.
From texture to colour and flavour, it all tends to be multi-dimensional and molto-sensational.
