It’s no surprise that Tuscany at Grand Hyatt Muscat has been a household name for over 20 years – the food has always been spectacular; the execution of each detail exemplary; and the experience, one of pure joy. Tuscany has been that special spot to dine at to mark an occasion. But with the hotel’s new Executive Chef Ilias Doulamis and Tuscany’s Italian Chef, Daniele Capobianco on board, gears are being switched with an all-new menu and a different direction – one that welcomes everyone sans tux and tie, to enjoy homely Italian hospitality in a lush setting.
We arrived for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon, eager to experience everything new that Tuscany had in store for us. Walking in, we were greeted by tonnes of natural light flooding in through the large windows, and a view of the ocean that is spellbinding, to say the least. The interiors are what we know and love about Tuscany – an ethereal mix of gold, cream and white tones, with a stone lion seated atop a pillar at the centre of the restaurant. The cracked pillars, light-wood chairs and the outdoor terrace overlooking vibrant turquoise waters add to the dreamy, medieval romantic vibe of the space.
Upon our arrival, we parked ourselves at a table by the window and chatted with Chef Ilias and Chef Daniele about all the work and research that went into creating the new menu we were about to journey through; an array of dishes carefully constructed with a keen understanding of flavours and textures that we are sure will be a hit in Muscat!
As the first course rolled in, we were impressed by the many colours that graced on our plates; such pretty hues that set the tone for a truly beautiful meal. The Torta Caprese, buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes served on a crunchy base with pesto, was refreshing and oozing with the goodness of soft, pillowy mozzarella. And the Polpo Alla Brace, Insalata Di Patate & Olive, a slow-cooked and seared Octopus salad with marinated potatoes, parsley and citrus, was both a treat to look at and eat – contrasting colours, a myriad of textures, and fresh, distinct pockets of flavour bursting through.
Next up was Vitello Tonnato Alla Toscano, slow-cooked veal served with tuna, anchovy mayonnaise, capers and vegetables, which had punchy flavour notes coming through. While the Frittura Di Pescato & Zucchine Croccanti, fried catch of the day, calamari, prawns and zucchini served with homemade tartar sauce made with lime, lemon zest and citrus, is sure to be a best-seller for it’s freshness and crunch. In line with the hotel’s sustainability drive, Chef Ilias spoke about choosing to have locally sourced, fresh catch-of-the-day as part of the Frittura. “For the Frittura, we follow our hotel’s sustainability program. You’ll see we mention ‘catch of the day’. So, whatever our supplier has available, that is fresh, we put on the menu. We support this program with local catch,” he said.
Polpo Alla Brace, Insalata Di Patate & Olive Umbricelli Salsicce & Tartufo Frittura Di Pescato & Zucchine Croccanti Torta Caprese Gnocchi Ai Quattro Formaggi E Granella Di Pistacchi Aragosta, Risotto Nero, Salsa Zafferano
As part of the pasta course, we savoured the Paccheri Alla Norma, Gnocchi Ai Quattro Formaggi E Granella Di Pistacchi and Umbricelli Salsicce & Tartufo. The Paccheri was a dish of eggplant, tomato and salted ricotta with beautiful al dente pasta made freshly in the Tuscany kitchen. “We put the Paccheri on the menu because eggplants are really popular in the Middle East. In Italy too. All Mediterranean countries!” Chef Ilias remarked. Shedding light on his grandmother’s recipe for the Umbricelli, Chef Daniele noted, “the Umbricelli with homemade veal sausages and black truffle paste showcases pasta which is particular to my region Umbria. It is a different fresh dough. Normally fresh dough is made with flour and egg yolk. This is actually flour, egg white and a part of water. It is thick, stays very much al dente and it does not stick to the teeth.” While the pasta lived up to the hype, it was the black truffle paste that took the cake – full-bodied, flavoursome and so fragrant, we couldn’t get enough!
When the Gnocchi hit the table, our jaws dropped. The plump potato gnocchi – coloured in natural hues of red from beetroot extract, green from basil extract and black from blackened and dehydrated leek – tossed in a four cheese sauce and a sprinkle of crunchy pistachios was an extravaganza of flavours and textures that made a lasting impression on us!
Saltimbocca Alla Romana Penne Pasta Primavera Pizza Bufalina Spigola In Guazzetto Vitello Tonnato Alla Toscano Paccheri Alla Norma
The first dish in the third course was the Spigola In Guazzetto, pan seared sea bass, clams, Datterini tomatoes, Taggiasco olives and baby potatoes. Cooked to perfection, the sea bass was beautifully seasoned, had a decadent crispy skin, and the broth-like sauce was light and tangy. The Aragosta, Risotto Nero, Salsa Zafferano, grilled Omani Lobster on a bed of squid ink risotto and saffron sauce, was a real treat of amazingly balanced flavours and soft, melt-in-the-mouth lobster. The Saltimbocca Alla Romana, veal escallop and speck pan seared and served with a sage glaze and polenta fries was lip-smacking.
We were also served the classic Pizza Bufalina, complete with a crispy thin crust, buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. An interesting thing about the pizza crust dough is that after it’s worked, it proofs for at least 48–72 hours in the chiller. This allows for the use of very little yeast, which is the hard part to be digested from the stomach. And so, the pizza crust remains light and airy.
Then came the desserts. And my, were they amazing! The traditional Tiramisu was complete with espresso coffee-soaked Savoiardi biscuits layered with fluffy mascarpone cream – simply to-die-for. The Tortino Amarena e Cioccolato was a crowd-pleaser with it’s soft chocolate cake, creamy ganache and Amarena cherries, topped with vanilla ice-cream; a flavour profile that was reminiscent of the much-loved black forest cake, but jazzed up with the goodness of high quality ingredients, and a contrast of textures. The Cassata Gelato, vanilla Semifredo, candied fruits and crispy meringue was a summery, refreshing sweet treat that ended the meal on the perfect sweet note!
Cassata Gelato Tiramisu Tortino Amarena e Cioccolato
Every dish was a masterpiece. Every element on the plate, no matter how great or small, showed the amount of love and care that went into creating each plate. The new menu is testament to the fact that the freshness of ingredients and the understanding of flavours and combinations trumps all! Commenting on the menu, Chef Daniele said, “The menu is completely different from the previous one. It took about four and half months of studying and researching about the freshest products available in the market. It is much simpler than the previous, because we decided to change direction, keeping all the dishes very affordable. We are focussing on getting the freshest product and combining them in the best way possible. It’s simple Italian food, very rustic, beautifully presented and with a lot of research behind it!”
As we sat there, with Chef Daniele regaling us with stories from Italy, of Sundays spent baking bread, roasting meats and pheasants, and families gathering for a large hearty meal, we were awestruck, both by his accounts of Italy’s rich food traditions, and the food we had the pleasure of relishing… A meal we’ll never forget!