A visit to Legacy at Bahrain Financial Harbour introduced Liz O’Reilly to more than just a menu, it was a lifetime’s memories on a plate.
At Legacy, Executive Chef Amer Alhawaj – yes, you probably know the name from MBC’s popular Top Chef TV programme – was determined to cook from the heart and use his imagination in the menu, infusing it with his own story. For example, there’s a pasta recipe much beloved of his own mother and a dish that uses fermented cucumber as spaghetti, a technique he learnt during his time in Malaysia – sounds strange, tastes amazing.
After an ear-popping elevator ride to the 52nd floor and the absolutely essential marvelling at the amazing view – one of the best in Bahrain – we were quickly seated and, almost immediately, the food started to arrive with Chef Amer confessing “I wanted to show off a little, so be prepared”. A great way to start.
First to the table was the chef ’s take on tuna tataki, but it’s not seared (of course it’s not). Thin slices of otoro tuna are served with sesame ponzu, tangy and nutty, alongside blood orange, avocado and herb oil (for which I have recently discovered a great affection). An amazing opening mouthful, deeply umami and a great combination of flavours.
Beef tartare followed and, by now, I was prepared for something out of the ordinary. Rather than the regular raw ground beef, the Legacy version is fermented with Malaysian spices used to lightly ‘cook’ the meat and, in an added twist, it’s served with cubes of seriously crispy potato topped by fluffy shaved parmesan. It’s an interesting combination with a whole range of textures and flavours in one satisfying mouthful.
The Jade Prawn Salad was a winner at our table. This was the dish that used the pickled cucumber as spaghetti and we were all excited to try it. Juicy prawns were accompanied by olives, tomatoes, peanuts and a healthy dose of Asian dressing for a dish that really lit up the taste buds.
The cucumber spaghetti was tangy and bright without much of the acidity we’re accustomed to with Western pickling methods, its sweetness was the perfect complement to the juicy prawns and the dish disappeared embarrassingly quickly.
The last of the appetisers had another Chef Amer story to tell. The Legacy Artichoke – a cheese, artichoke and spinach dip served with delicious crispy bread – was something he encountered when he first left Bahrain, at the age of 16. It was the dish that inspired him to become a chef. Served warm, a mix of aged and young cheeses strings out as you dip crispy focaccia and I can fully understand the attraction. It really is quite something and, like everything else at Legacy, the chef has made it his own.
Legacy, in case you haven’t already guessed, is where the old Capital Club used to be and it’s great to the see the space back in use – particularly with that amazing view. The place is split into three with the main restaurant decorated in pale hues. Crisp white linens contrast with with leather and wood, a dark wood floor and pale patterned carpet are boosted by fun light fittings, for a touch of levity, while a dark green baby grand piano and vintage pictures on the walls add to the classy feel.
Then there’s a much darker area, styled as a lounge, where the carpets and settings are more moody and a Cuban band provides entertainment. This and the smoking lounge – all deep leather chairs and a very impressive bar – are intended to become members-only areas, while the main restaurant will continue to be open to the public.
Soon the mains arrived and we were served a Ricotta Gnocchi – not at all what I was expecting and not something I’ve had before but will definitely order again. It uses ricotta instead of the usual mashed potato and, of course, the chef’s kiss is the addition of Gorgonzola to give, again, a combination of young and old cheeses with spinach and sundried tomato to balance the greasiness. All served in a rich and flavourful tomato sauce, this is a dish that would be perfect for sharing, it’s velvety, deeply moreish and very filling.
Lobster tortellini in a lobster bisque is slow-cooked with a range of spices from star anise to cinnamon and cloves. Silky and smooth, the pasta was just the right side of al dente, the filling sweet and piquant, all thoroughly steeped in the marvellous, fragrant bisque.
The dish of the day for me was the Bahraini seabream “that got lost in Paris”. This was the dish that earned Chef Amer his entry into MBC’s Top Chef, on which he competed in season nine. He explains that this recipe comes from three generations of Bahraini cooks, his grandmother, his mother and himself, each adding tiny personal touches, ingredients and techniques.
Date syrup joins the traditional black lime and tamarind as the fish is dry aged for five days allowing the oils to seep into the skin. When cooked on a hot pan, that ageing gives an incredible crisp and char on the skin and the surface of the fillet. It’s served with a Bahraini herb emulsion including ingredients such as various pickles for a bright sharp tang. In both texture and flavour, this is a dish that would be hard to beat and, if you order just one thing at Legacy, it should surely be A Bahraini Fish in Paris.
Desserts are also a big part of Chef Amer’s story and I could honestly have eaten the whole pannacotta by myself – a generous portion of creamy deliciousness topped with passionfruit and raspberry syrup and redolent with the Madagascar vanilla that makes the difference between good and great. Then came the finale and, we could almost say, they saved the best for last. Midnight Olive, a dessert the chef himself describes as “one of the craziest I’ve ever invented”.
That invention included formulating olive oil jam – a delicate mix of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), dextrose and other secret ingredients. The chocolate mousse is also infused with EVOO and then kalamata olive crumble is added to give a briny salty hit. Top it off with Greek yoghurt, burnt honey and homemade oregano ice cream and it’s a triumphant mix of flavours, textures and even emotions as you veer from sweet to salty and crunchy to silky smooth, all in one mouthful.
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