Maze, Doha

I was unaware of the spoilings to come when I stepped off the plane and into the Arab Desert - here I was in Qatar in the midst of winter with the temperature at a warm and balmy 24 degrees.  A very special A1 surprised me with lunch at Maze – Gordon Ramsay’s newly opened restaurant ideally located on The Pearl: a man-made island comprising a variety of urban developments for the modern lifestyle.  The restaurant is situated on the 1st floor of one of the many buildings in this trendy development.  We were a party of four: myself, A1, R3 and newly acquainted S1 and were warmly greeted by the manager and waiters upon our arrival.

Ushered through the indoor area, we were led out to the terrace and seated near the balcony at a large table with comfortable yet sturdy outdoor chairs and beneath dark-wooden pergolas providing just the right amount of shade.  The décor is simple and unassuming, earthy tones are used throughout and this draws attention to the real attraction – the bay with its glistening turquoise waters where yachts of no small size are docked drawing the attention of all passersby.

The head waiter assisted all the ladies in taking their seats and promptly placed napkins in our laps, readying us for the feast ahead.  The Pearl has recently become a dry island and as much as I would have loved to have sipped on a glass of wine, we had many options to choose from on the Virgin Cocktails menu.  I ended up ordering a Sea Breeze: a frothy blend of tropical fruit chunks, cordials and ice cubes.

Flirty and fun mocktails

The menu provided an abundant array of mouth watering dishes but I finally settled on the pea soup for starters, risotto for mains and a cheese board for dessert.  To whet our appetites we were given a complimentary sampling of warm, crispy and salty sour dough breads, hummus and marinated olives. 

Crispy and fresh sour dough breads

The restaurant can accommodate many guests and the service is top-class – swift and unpretentious with meals arriving simultaneously without interrupting in depth conversations.  It was also a professional gesture to have a complete changeover of cutlery between courses – whether they were used or not. 

The soup is presented in two stages – a large white bowl with peas, a scoop of crème fraiche and a wafer stacked in the centre is placed down before the waiter presents the main act and pours the soup from a small white jug (enough for one serving) allowing the stream of warm green liquid to melt the cream yet still keeping the peas snappy.  The taste is sensational!  R3 ordered the shrimp starter – a shrimp and beetroot cake served with a wasabi paste and a garnish of lettuce.  A1 and S1 opted for beef Carpaccio accompanied with a rocket salad.

Pea soup and prawn starters

The pumpkin risotto was the next surprise – a good portion with a variety of textures and garnished with watercress presented in a large, crisp white bowl resembling a flying saucer.  I was outnumbered on the mains as the rest of my party ordered the lamb wrapped in vine leaves and served with polenta strips, asparagus stalks and finished off with a drizzling of honey sauce.  From the rave reviews I received, I would say this was the dish of the day.

Lamb mains

I rounded off my dining experience with a cheese board – an asphalt slate garnished with gorgonzola squares, chutney puddles, walnuts and pear slices.  This was accompanied with thinly sliced fruit and seed bread.  S1 opted for the tiramisu topped with crushed coffee icicles and a sliver of chocolate and R3 and A1 the ginger fondant served with fig preserve and a lick of strawberry sorbet.  The latter was by far my favourite eye candy of the afternoon – a piece of artwork!

Presentations don’t get much better than this

Maze not only gives service of the highest standard, but the presentation, array of colours and abundance of flavours are unmatched.  The mission is to allow each patron to explore the assortment of taste explosions and visual displays by pushing the boundaries of the everyday connoisseur.  Prices are furnished for the mid to high-end budgets but it is well worth a single visit to experience Gordon’s wonderfully elusive culinary gift.  I give it my Sam Says Stamp of Approval.

Tantalising the tastebuds