Sunday, March 6, 2011

cucina, missoni hotel, salmiya, kuwait.


Always looking for a new place to dine in Kuwait, something that brings more to the table than your average place, I was happy to hear about the cucina restaurant at the new missoni hotel opening up. To be honest, it was more of a discovery through deductive reasoning: I knew the hotel was opening and reckoned that it would have a good italian restaurant. And to be honest it did not disappoint.

Having done some research about the cucina at the Edinburgh missoni hotel, I knew that it focused on well made, simply presented food and that the menu was put together by no other than one of my favourite chefs, Giorgio Locatelli.

This is the kind of food better eaten than discussed, but I have to say that I was impressed by the flavour of the food. In Italian cooking, ingredients are key and the cucina made sure that everything was just as good as it would be at any good hotel around the world. One thing I did miss, however, was a good wine list.


For many more photos, please read after the jump...



For antipasti, we had a cheese plate and sauteed mushrooms. I am a fan of all kinds of cheeses, so I was utterly delighted by the selection on the plate. My dinner company, however, weren't big fans of strong cheeses. More for me, I guess.


The mushrooms were of a decent variety, from small button mushrooms to some nice porcini, among a few others. Beautifully seasoned, this was beginning to look like a good meal.


We then had our pastas which we shared. This was fettuccine with a lamb ragu. It was just right - rich flavours without being too heavy.

One thing I liked about the tables was their size. Perfect for sharing a few plates in the middle. This was also reflective of the size of the restaurant and the good distance between tables.


We also had the risotto which included a cheese whose name i should have noted and some pears. Not sweet at all, again a nice balance of flavours, textures and aromas. A great risotto, probably the best I've had in any restaurant in Kuwait. Writing this review now a few hours later, I still remember the taste of the cheese and how it made this such a great dish. It may be my favourite of the meal.


And lastly, malefatti with capsicum sauce. This beautifully al dente pasta was wrapped around a small cloud of mashed potatoes and cheese. Such a good pasta dish.


I had the beef ribeye with truffle mashed potatoes and broccoli with chili. A nice piece of steak cooked medium-rare (upon my request). I would recommend some side items to go with this dish. We tried all the side items and they were great.


And finally for dessert, we had this neopolitan with raisins and pistachio ice cream. We also had a coffee panna cotta with chocolate ice cream. Both were great. And my espresso dopio, customary at the conclusion of a good italian meal, was just right - a good blend and a good portion.

All in all I was very satisfied with my meal. I haven't had a decent modern meal like this in Kuwait before. From the moment I saw the menu, I picked up on the essence of the restaurant, simple, to the point and good. This place raises the bar. Price-wise this is on the upper bracket, but for the special occasion or when you need some really good food, this is the place to go. I'm certainly looking forward to going again.

2 comments:

  1. cant wait to try it .... sounds like one helluva experience

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  2. it really was. i hope it sustains itself.

    ReplyDelete