Tasty… That’s the key word that Bistro 64 has imbued in all the elements of dining – whether it is the tastefully adorned foyer with its now famous angel wings presenting photo opportunities for diners, the dramatic dome skyline in the main seating area, the profusion of colours in vivid sketches on the walls, the al fresco dining area with its breezy ambience, the confluence of music and colour pops within or the aromatic food that makes it to the table in eye-pleasing avatars.
We knew we were in for a sensorial experience when the warm welcome at the door opened, literally, to a riot of colours – warm and bright hues that speak the language of creativity. There is a youthful verve and vigour in all the little details packed into the restaurant and the staff know just how to translate it in the affairs of dining…even entertaining (as we found minutes into our luncheon rendezvous). Strains of guitar chords roused us from our comfortable seats and drew us to the central atrium where a corner section is devoted to music aficionados. Our entertainer for the day was one of the waiters
who strummed guitar and sang popular songs that rang through the restaurant.
We occupied the seats facing the front section of the lively Jawharat Qurum complex and enjoyed the laidback feel around the parking lot, facing the serene shoreline. There is a holiday feel about this section of the town that can easily transform even the busiest working day into a languorous one. Bistro 64’s vantage position, as the first outlet within the complex, makes it a perfect destination, with the added bonus of live music to enhance the experience.
‘Food for every mood’ is what the restaurant promises in its menu, which is creatively designed as a stack of gramophone records. Interesting pun-inspired dish names take the fun youthful element to a colourful realm. If food indeed had a happiness quotient it would be resplendent in the collage of colours at the new Bistro 64.
We set our luncheon in motion with ‘Passion-It’, a tangy confluence of passion fruit and orange; ‘Red, red, mine’, a cooler with watermelon, mint, lime and fizz; a lime, mint and cucumber blend of ‘Feeling blue’; and ‘Biscky’, a rich shake with vanilla ice cream, milk and biscuits – the last one is all that you would need to quell your hunger if you have a small appetite.
But we are endowed with large appetites and we were ready for the big feast put on for us by the restaurant. The first to arrive was ‘Gunpowder’, an explosive starter on all counts. It is a mound of freshly cut hot potato fries served with beef chilli con carne, gunpowder sauce, cheddar cheese and jalapeno. We also savoured the vegetarian platter of gunpowder, which, as the menu reads, ‘the silent way’, is sans all meat. Although vegetarian options are limited, since the cuisine is mainly Italian and American, the kitchen is designed to cater to the demands of diners and dishes can be turned to suit different palates.
The second act on our table had equally creative and zany names to keep our smile intact. We tucked into a dish named ‘Peppersome’ – a cute medley of red and yellow bell peppers, packed with tuna and blue cheese sauce. The vegetarian in the group got the very cross-border named ‘Veg my pijja?’ – a thin crust pizza, served with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, zucchini, olives, mushroom, onion, capsicum, broccoli and cherry tomatoes. The ‘Big MissSteak’ that followed is a must try item for all meat lovers. This juicy steak, grilled with pepper steak sauce and served with roast baby potatoes, broccoli and cherry tomatoes is divine, to say the least. The perfectly grilled steak has the flavours that hit the foodie spot; it is sure to convert even fastidious diners.
And for all other diners who are wont to reply ‘anything’ to the trite ‘what will you have?’ query, Bistro 64 has a dish that is titled just that – ‘Anything’. There is, however, nothing dismissive about ‘Anything.’ The creamy texture of the mashed potatoes, the crunchy sautéed vegetables and the succulent grilled chicken breast topped with mushroom sauce is an easy comfort food. ‘Anything’ is what we intend to ask for, at our next visit here…
We finished our lunch with molten chocolate cake, which is yet to make it to the menu. Served with a helping of ice cream, the chocolate is best eaten warm to get that melt in the mouth feel.
Happy food, indeed…
