menu

United Arab Emirates Festive Lunch

Bailliage of United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi, December 8, 2018

A highlight of the Bailliage's year
" The main course was goose with an Asian touch "

The Bailliage of the UAE in Abu Dhabi held its traditional Christmas lunch in the Vista Restaurant at The Club. One of the highlights of the year for members, the 2018 edition marked our tenth consecutive Christmas event and indeed attracted record-breaking numbers. We were also very pleased to welcome a large party from the Bailliage of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

Chef Peter De Kauwe, Restaurant Manager Dev Anil, and Food and Beverage Manager David Gould rose to the occasion, so much so that many members considered it to be the best festive celebration yet.

Members and guests were welcomed with a glass of Champagne Mumm. The day was ideal for an outdoor event, with beautiful sunshine and a cooling breeze. After the introduction from Conseiller Gastronomique Jim McIsaac, Chef Peter and Échanson Sandeep Sathees took us through the menu and wines.

Our first course was smoked reindeer fillet with butternut squash, gingerbread crumble, pomegranate, celeriac and chestnut salad with sweet peepers (a type of cress). This was accompanied by 2016 Villa Franz Pinot Noir from Germany.

Next, we were treated to oven-roasted fillet of turbot, with black spaghetti, samphire and clam bouillon, paired with 2015 Lammershoek ‘The Innocent’ White Blend from South Africa.

Instead of the usual sorbet as a palate cleanser, our mouths were refreshed with a Szechuan button (the edible flower bud of acmella oleracea). Also called the toothache plant, this was a real talking point as our mouths really came alive! This was washed down with a shot of tonic water.

The main course was goose with an Asian touch - stuffed breast, barbecued leg, and goose liver dim sum, oven-baked russet potatoes and miniature vegetables. A 2014 Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG was the perfect accompaniment.

Bringing the menu to a conclusion was firstly a pistachio white chocolate dacquoise with a 2018 Jacob's Creek Moscato from Australia. This dessert was followed by traditional mince pies with brandy cream.

Chargé de Missions Wolfgang Johannson gave the well-deserved appreciation to the assembled brigades, as we all looked forward to returning in a year’s time.

James McIsaac
Conseiller Gastronomique

Search in map