TITANIC

ready to be buzzing and thriving

I don't know if the location was chosen purposely, but the recently opened and much anticipated Titanic by Marco Pierre White, is located at a stone's throw from Dubai's Cruise Terminal at Port Rashid. Dubai got to Meet Marco Pierre White in a candid interview with food critic FooDiva last month. He talks about how the restaurant would not be "formal Michelin", but rather be casual. As he will not be in Dubai much himself, it is clear also that he has faith in his staff at Titanic to carry the name for him. "I am not going to live a lie and pretend I am behind the stove. To do what I do, I can’t be behind the stove. It’s as simple as that. Frederic [the hotel’s Executive Chef] has worked in many Michelin star restaurants with Mark Meneau and Joel Robuchon. Titanic’s Chef Beeknoo has spent time with us in Wheeler’s in London. This morning I was in the kitchen with them. I like sharing my knowledge, my story. I like my freedom now". (excerpt from the interview).

an elegant dish that I would order again; with a request to spare the tender mollusk excess olive oil

The menu offers quite a range of choice (unless you are vegetarian, in which case your main course options are limited to the asparagus risotto, assuming it is not chicken stock based). In the same interview, MPW told FooDiva about his menu for Dubai: "You have to take the weather into consideration here so it's sunshine flavours, almost Mediterranean". This quote in mind as I was scanning the menu, I found sunshine was lacking. I liked what I saw for sure - classic yet with a personal touch - but it wasn't Mediterranean. There is roast rack of lamb with Dijon mustard herb crust, fillet of beef rossini, even fried haddock with chips, peas puree and tartare sauce. Lobster thermidor is on the menu, as is halibut steak a la grenobloise (browned butter, capers, parsley and lemon, the name taken from the Alpine city of Grenoble). It's the side dishes like triple cooked chips, creamed potatoes, buttered spinach, buttered green beans, cauliflower with cheese, and buttered new potatoes that bring the menu even closer to the North Sea rather than the Mediterranean.

very tasty foie gras but a bit of a mess, with round on square and splashed with sauce

We started with scallop carpaccio with ginger and koriander, crab rolls and fresh mango chutney, and the panache of hot foie gras and egg on brioche. For main course we decided on the magret duck Marco Polo with white peaches and sauternes roasting jus, and the green asparagus risotto. We finished with eton mess and hot raspberry soufflé.

Scallop really is at its best when sliced very thin and served fresh and raw with a subtle vinaigrette to highlight its delicate velvety flavors. The dish that came out at Titanic was beautiful, garnished with tiny little greens and flowers. There was a fragrant hint of ginger and koriander, however both the taste and presence of olive oil was overpowering. The crab rolls - crispy filo wrapped around the finest picked crab were addictive, even more so with the fresh mango chutney.

And then there was the fried egg on brioche toast with seared foie gras resting on top of it. I love seared foie gras: so tender in texture yet so robust in flavor. The combination with a runny-yolk egg is a tasty one, yet in this particular rendition, the egg dominated as did the brioche toast. I would've preferred a poached egg here. Or at least a more refined presentation: one big square slice of brioche topped with a round fried egg just has too much of a breakfast-feel.

The liberal use of micro greens, including the aromatic purple shiso cress, became a theme as they showed up on every plate, except dessert. I adore micro greens and the incredible flavor these tiny little shoots can pack, but to have the same garnish throughout one meal, well, that's just not showing much garnish creativity.

classic and comfortingly delicious

The duck breast and peaches was delicious: sweet fruity flavors with savory duck breast, served with a pomme fondant that was beautifully crisp outside and piping hot and creamy soft inside, haricots verts and a well-reduced, silky pan jus. The risotto was creamy and full of flavor with nicely plumped, soft rice grains that still had a bite.

I am not overly familiar with classic British desserts, and it was the first time ever I had an "Eton Mess". Going on the name, it was a good mess of meringue, fruit and whipped cream. This one had ice cream in the bottom of the glass, similar to a Marco Pierre White Eton Mess recipe I found online. It was the hot raspberry soufflé that had me ooh-ing and aah-ing. It had risen beautifully straight up, and was delightfully fluffy and light, perfused with the sweet taste of fresh raspberry.

bring me more!

Titanic is housed in the stylish Melia Hotel in Bur Dubai, and very easy to find. There's a sign post on Kuwait street, after which you more or less drive straight into the valet basement. Should you come by car, that is. Taxis will have no problem finding it either. Once you've entered through the porthole door, the restaurant looks inviting, decked out in soft whites, creams and glittery shiny beady frills dangling from the ceiling. The central bar separates the restaurant from the lounge. Strategically placed high-backed benches around the room visually confine the restaurant and create an intimate feeling. There is a marble centerpiece that adds to the allure. Obviously encouraged by the name of the restaurant, I could imagine being in a dining room on a luxury cruise way back when. Titanic is neither "Michelin formal" nor is it "casual" (referring once more to the interview with MPW). I'd say it is elegantly smart, and with a menu to match.

elegant and romantic