A journey into the ‘Island of Pearls’
Published: 02:06 PM,Jun 21,2021 | EDITED : 09:06 PM,Jun 22,2021
basta1
By Bosky Dutia and Sami al Salmi
A tiny landlocked Arab nation that during its vibrant history has absorbed a mélange of cultures from its neighbours and visitors into its own, giving vivacity to a unique, quaint, and exciting lifestyle that one must experience to understand. When one dives into any culture, one takes in art, literature, and the gastronomic delights into consideration first. Such a journey is what we experienced with our recent visit to the famed franchise Basta23 that has just opened at the Waterfront in Shatti Qurum.
HE SAID: Born and raised in Bahrain, I have first-hand experience of what goes on in a local kitchen. Bahraini food is a rich combination of its history and the explorers who choose to reside and trade there. Influences have been taken from the Indians, Persians and Arabs who discovered this jewel during their voyages.
SHE SAID: As a complete novice to Bahraini culture or cuisines, I was just excited to try the food!
Our epicurean tour started with the feeling that we walked into the last century. Basta23 has the feel of a timeworn Bahraini Freej. Antique wooden doors, graffiti, and posters on the walls along with the impression that we had gathered in a courtyard with friends to dine. As these kinds of reviews go, we decided on a three-course lunch with appetisers, mains, and a dessert.
HE SAID: Excited to try dishes from my childhood, we picked the Mix Samboosa, and the Bahraini Kebab. Out of the three flavours of Samboosa, the potato one transported me back to the 80s and 90s when I ate these with my friends on the streets of Manama. The Bahraini Kebab while reminiscent of every Ramadan as a child, turned out to be appetising but slightly overdone.
SHE SAID: The three kinds of Samboosa were cheese, potato, and spinach. The spinach and cheese were the regular selection we find anywhere but the potato one took me by surprise. A hint of tang due to lemon, a bite of the onion and garlic, this Samboosa was a class apart. The Bahraini Kebab is a patty made from chickpea flour mixed in with veggies. This was served with a gorgeous Bahraini chilli Mabooch and boy did this enhance the flavour of every bite.
HE SAID: I picked the Meat Tikka for my main. Cubes of beef well-marinated in dried lime, onions, and black pepper cooked to perfection. The Tikka was served on a Khubz Tanoor and the meat just melted in the mouth and kept us wanting more. However, it could have been sharper with the addition of more dried lime. I also had a taste of the Bamiya with meat and I was surprised that they managed to capture the essence of old school Bahraini cooking.
SHE SAID: Baamiya with meat served with white rice is my go-to curry at any Arab restaurant. Who doesn’t love okra and soft meat cooked slowly in a tomato-based gravy? This version was piquant yet delicate, and absolutely sublime. The meat was soft, and the okra still had a bite to it. Very well done.
HE SAID: We choose to try the Saffron Cake. As I took the first bite, I realised that this was a modern version of Khanfaroosh. A light sponge deftly seasoned with saffron, cardamom and rose water then topped with sesame. Well done Team Basta23 for taking this traditional dessert to another level.
SHE SAID: An absolutely delightful ending to a good meal, the dessert was not cloyingly sweet, and I could taste each element on its own and together in each bite. A dessert I would go back for again.
WE SAID: The ambience, décor, and menu of Basta23 reflected the essence of old Bahrain and gratified us immensely. The prices were mid to high range for some dishes as we felt the portion sizes were rather small. Service was a bit of hit and miss, having to call for the servers as they vanished time and again. Would we go back again? Yes, we would go back for the excellent food.
Ambience: 5/5
Taste of food: 4.5/5
Presentation: 3.5/5
Service: 3/5
Value for money: 3/5
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Boasting over 30,000 followers across their different social media accounts, the duo behind Oman Restaurant Review is sharing some of their feedbacks about the food scene in Oman. For more updates, you can also follow them on Instagram: @oman_restaurant_review
A tiny landlocked Arab nation that during its vibrant history has absorbed a mélange of cultures from its neighbours and visitors into its own, giving vivacity to a unique, quaint, and exciting lifestyle that one must experience to understand. When one dives into any culture, one takes in art, literature, and the gastronomic delights into consideration first. Such a journey is what we experienced with our recent visit to the famed franchise Basta23 that has just opened at the Waterfront in Shatti Qurum.
HE SAID: Born and raised in Bahrain, I have first-hand experience of what goes on in a local kitchen. Bahraini food is a rich combination of its history and the explorers who choose to reside and trade there. Influences have been taken from the Indians, Persians and Arabs who discovered this jewel during their voyages.
SHE SAID: As a complete novice to Bahraini culture or cuisines, I was just excited to try the food!
Our epicurean tour started with the feeling that we walked into the last century. Basta23 has the feel of a timeworn Bahraini Freej. Antique wooden doors, graffiti, and posters on the walls along with the impression that we had gathered in a courtyard with friends to dine. As these kinds of reviews go, we decided on a three-course lunch with appetisers, mains, and a dessert.
HE SAID: Excited to try dishes from my childhood, we picked the Mix Samboosa, and the Bahraini Kebab. Out of the three flavours of Samboosa, the potato one transported me back to the 80s and 90s when I ate these with my friends on the streets of Manama. The Bahraini Kebab while reminiscent of every Ramadan as a child, turned out to be appetising but slightly overdone.
SHE SAID: The three kinds of Samboosa were cheese, potato, and spinach. The spinach and cheese were the regular selection we find anywhere but the potato one took me by surprise. A hint of tang due to lemon, a bite of the onion and garlic, this Samboosa was a class apart. The Bahraini Kebab is a patty made from chickpea flour mixed in with veggies. This was served with a gorgeous Bahraini chilli Mabooch and boy did this enhance the flavour of every bite.
HE SAID: I picked the Meat Tikka for my main. Cubes of beef well-marinated in dried lime, onions, and black pepper cooked to perfection. The Tikka was served on a Khubz Tanoor and the meat just melted in the mouth and kept us wanting more. However, it could have been sharper with the addition of more dried lime. I also had a taste of the Bamiya with meat and I was surprised that they managed to capture the essence of old school Bahraini cooking.
SHE SAID: Baamiya with meat served with white rice is my go-to curry at any Arab restaurant. Who doesn’t love okra and soft meat cooked slowly in a tomato-based gravy? This version was piquant yet delicate, and absolutely sublime. The meat was soft, and the okra still had a bite to it. Very well done.
HE SAID: We choose to try the Saffron Cake. As I took the first bite, I realised that this was a modern version of Khanfaroosh. A light sponge deftly seasoned with saffron, cardamom and rose water then topped with sesame. Well done Team Basta23 for taking this traditional dessert to another level.
SHE SAID: An absolutely delightful ending to a good meal, the dessert was not cloyingly sweet, and I could taste each element on its own and together in each bite. A dessert I would go back for again.
WE SAID: The ambience, décor, and menu of Basta23 reflected the essence of old Bahrain and gratified us immensely. The prices were mid to high range for some dishes as we felt the portion sizes were rather small. Service was a bit of hit and miss, having to call for the servers as they vanished time and again. Would we go back again? Yes, we would go back for the excellent food.
Ambience: 5/5
Taste of food: 4.5/5
Presentation: 3.5/5
Service: 3/5
Value for money: 3/5
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Boasting over 30,000 followers across their different social media accounts, the duo behind Oman Restaurant Review is sharing some of their feedbacks about the food scene in Oman. For more updates, you can also follow them on Instagram: @oman_restaurant_review