Bahrain is a small island that offers its residents and tourists a wide selection of dining outlets. Our editor Fernanda Langhammer and WTM’s sales manager, Farheen Ahmed, went to Adliya to explore this original restaurant’s menu.
Our destination this month is the impressive Passion Restaurant and Café in the heart of Bahrain’s food district, Block 338, Adliya. The first thing you notice when stepping into the restaurant’s premises are the trees and all the green that we usually miss in this desert island. The grand foliage is part of the ambience and gives extra charm to the Arabic and Asian architecture. The unique décor was carefully composed by the owners with pieces brought from their travels around the globe. Elements like an Indian buggy on the ground floor, a handmade wooden chandelier on the staircase and a Thai tuk tuk on the rooftop. Every single piece has its place to add the perfect complement to the elaborate menu we were about to explore.
Despite offering Arabic, Italian, Indian, Chinese and Thai gastronomy (a big challenge for any chef!) it is easy to identify the dishes which come with a complete description of their ingredients. If you are craving for authentic cuisine, you will find them all there, however if, like me, you like exploring, then you must head to the signature dishes.
After getting to know about the new dishes on the breakfast menu, I couldn’t contain myself and asked for the Sri Lankan breakfast as our starter. It may sound unusual, but it was honestly one of the best calls I’ve taken lately! (Breakfast is served from 7am to 11.30am if you are considering doing the same).The beautiful presentation on a wooden tray and small silver containers with a mix of delicacies first attracted my eyes then pleased my palate.
Our main dishes came right after this culinary visit to Sri Lanka. My pan seared sea bass fillet and tiger prawn served with spinach and lemon risotto was beautifully composed and the taste even better! Fresh fish, cooked to perfection is what you get. Farheen asked for the tarragon chicken with butter rice, seasonal vegetables, porcini mushroom and tarragon sauce. The dish came equally well presented and according to her, full of flavour. Our dining companion asked for the chili lobster prepared in Singaporean style that looked and smelled so delicious that we had to steal a piece. We then proved that our visual and aromatic senses were right and this is a dish to be ordered next time!
By now, you may think that Passion Restaurant and Café is a place to be checked out for its exquisite food, but not just that. The tea selection and extensive knowledge around the subject seduces any tea or non-tea lover and the way it is served is just remarkable. You choose from a vast variety and if you want it cold to accompany your meal, the tea comes in the teapot with an hourglass, so you know exactly the time when it’s ready to be drunk. A big glass full of ice and some syrup on the bottom receive the warm liquid to result in a perfect iced tea that was carefully composed by Passion’s tea master. An experience you shouldn’t miss.
We unfortunately couldn’t stretch our lunch into the dessert, but the feeling of having good food at excellent value for money will make us come back many, many times more to have the opportunity to try the famous (and generous) cheesecakes. The restaurant is open from 7am to Midnight.
