Al Manjur: A Celebration Of Oman

The Cave complex, with all its earthiness and its architectural wonderment, has a timeless appeal; one that is comparable to a fairyland in its jaw-dropping splendour. There is an unfading element of magic that lingers on, adding to its growing distinction as a natural ligament of Darsait heights. Even after repeat visits to the chambers of this exotic cavern, one is compelled to survey its intricate details, yet again. And, if one is endowed with a childlike delight for all things new, like us, a visit to the newly reopened Al Manjur Restaurant, beside the enigmatic ‘The Oak’, is sure to turn into a feast for the senses. There is an air of stillness within, as if time has suspended reality to open a world of Oman’s pastoral heritage. The walls whisper, drawing you to their finely moulded relief works. There are chapters unfolding Oman’s idyllic village life…

The relief work on mud walls, presenting snippets of Oman’s cultural edifices, social mores and traditional livelihood are captivating; the latticed wooden divider, adorned with miniature elements of Oman, perfectly synchronising the tableaux. With a sprawling outdoor facility, presenting distant visuals of the busy highway in a cocoon of cave warmth, the restaurant is a landscape for sensorial pleasures.

We revelled in its muted earthy tones, from the walls to the ceiling plastered with wooden beams, before indulging our appetites with food that perfectly personifies the concept of fine dining. An array of authentic Omani dishes, bearing celebrity Chef Issa Al Lamki’s signature style at Al Manjur, made it to our table. The natural light, merging with the browns within, infused a warm home touch to every dish presented. The only give-away was the artistic presentation. As Chef Prashant Kumar pointed out, it is the eyes that need to be appeased before the taste buds adjudge the dish. So, while the cooking and the food is traditional in its concept, the presentation is modern and artistic to balance the taste with the visual appeal.

To keep to the Omani culinary tradition, cooking is a long and thorough process, with every ingredient carefully chosen and blended to get that distinct Omani flavour. All the spices are locally sourced and prepared in the kitchen of Al Manjur to retain authenticity. Those familiar with Omani cooking would know that most dishes are mildly spiced and have a distinct note of tanginess, infused with dried lemon or tamarind pulp.

The focus at Al Majur is mainly on the starters and the mains, and of course the desserts, as soups and, to some extent, even salads, are not a staple of local diet. But with the change in management and Chef Issa waving his magic wand on the menu, diners can look forward to green vegetable soup, a meat soup with whole wheat and a tomato based dry shark fish soup, in addition to healthy salads. We got our health start with Malah Fattoush Salad – black olives, cherry tomatoes, capsicum and feta cheese with lemon and sumac powder dressing – arranged on a rakhal bread basket.

Healthy cooking is not limited to salads alone, states Chef Kumar of Al Manjur, who hastens to add that fat is reduced and even avoided in most dishes. The salad was quickly followed by ‘Fried chicken harris balls’ and ‘Shuwa bags.  The Harris balls are crispy on the outside and perfectly moist in the centre, infusing the taste buds with a novel experience. But if you have a penchant for all things shuwa, the platter of shuwa bags, stuffed with minced huwa, are a must try. Tender and flavourful, you will want to savour every mouthful of it.

For the mains, we were treated to ‘Madrobah prawns in Omani spices’ and ‘Braised meat’. The intertwined prawns are divine and so is the tangy tomato rice. For meat lovers, it is the braised meat that will prove to be a winner. The shuwa lamb pieces are tender and juicy and is placed on a bed of Kabuli rice flavoured with Omani spices, accompanied with diner’s choice of salad and/ or vegetable salna.

To finish off the lunch affair, we dug, literally, into a bowl of Al Manjur Sweet, a signature dessert of the restaurant, featuring Omani bread with saffron milk, cream, mixed nuts and Omani halwa. The use of Omani clarified butter gives it a distinct flavour, while the shavings of Omani halwa perfect the taste.

Al Manjur is a well synchronised celebration of Oman.