DUBAI: The Pangolin, sure, a daring identify alternative contemplating the yr these creatures have had, is an bold new “way of life vacation spot” (or restaurant and lounge for these not fluent in public relations) that simply opened lately on the Els Membership in Dubai Sports activities. Metropolis.
As quickly as you stroll in, you’ll really feel such as you’ve been transported to a five-star resort in South Africa. The nice and cozy and alluring 60,000 sq. foot space is furnished with wooden, rattan, and leather-based furnishings and is extensively embellished with quite a lot of plant and animal statues. Wooden ceiling followers full the country look.
The restaurant is definitely divided into two areas: the decrease deck, Lowlands, has an off-the-cuff and ethereal ambiance and gives dishes appropriate for a household lunch. On the primary ground, the Highlands, there’s a extra appropriate menu for sharing dishes on an evening out in a lounge-bar (there may be additionally a terrace if you wish to benefit from the contemporary air).
The Lowlands additionally has a devoted room for curing the meat, which then seems on the menu as soon as it is able to be served. The Highlands, in the meantime, will apparently quickly have a cigar room too.
Australian head chef Troy Payne has labored within the United Arab Emirates for over six years, and in that point has constructed a community of native farmers, which he makes use of to nice impact at The Pangolin, incorporating native produce to create a extra sustainable menu for his new firm (run by Serge Lopez, previously Dubai favourite Tom & Serg).
Payne has created plenty of attention-grabbing and artistic dishes, together with our alternative of starter: the mountain tomato salad. It got here on a clear plate with intricate glass through which a scoop of chilled olive oil ice cream was positioned on prime of chunky tomatoes, basil, and dried candied olives, making a scrumptious contemporary mix of delicate acidity, milky richness and gentle sweetness. The olives additionally added a scrumptious dry crunch to the salad.
We additionally tried the wonderful savory samosas with potato curry with peas and lemon paneer dressing (Indian cottage cheese). The recent and flavorful potato filling was wrapped in a pleasant crunchy batter, and the sweetness and spiciness had been balanced by the creamy acidity of the sauce.
For our essential programs, we ordered a charred and poached eye fillet with a aspect of potato puffs and grilled leeks in juice. The meat itself was completely cooked, with a crispy toasted exterior that hid the juicy and tender steak, and layers of taste from the caramelized sauce. The potato sandwiches had been scrumptious; crispy on the skin and clean and creamy on the within, flawlessly complementing the steak’s mix of flavors and textures. Nevertheless, this dish will not be appropriate for Muslims, because the steak is poached in purple wine. The restaurant gives a wide array of different meat dishes which are appropriate for Muslims.
We additionally ordered a aspect of corn. The dish was tasty and satisfying, with the corn soaked in a cheese sauce, which regarded so much like French-style white sauce, béchamel, and got here with a aspect of home-baked crispy breadsticks.
For dessert we selected the banana ice cream, which was scrumptious, creamy, fluffy and lightweight with an intense taste, and the mix of banana and caramel was excellent, with the caramel including a crunchy texture and a candy to barely tart taste. tender and chewy cooked banana. The combination was additionally topped up with a drizzle of crunchy pecans.
The Pangolin gives scrumptious meals appropriate for a variety of ages and palates. The meals is hearty and homey, however gives a terrific eating expertise because of plenty of artistic touches, and the costs are affordable, particularly contemplating the standard of the dishes and the comfy, enjoyable ambiance.
