Admired for its impossibly fresh seafood and superb beachfront setting, Catch at St. Regis is strengthening its position as one of the finest restaurants in Abu Dhabi by launching a new monthly series of deliciously paired menus. Set to delight foodies and grape connoisseurs alike, the venue will present a new menu each month inspired by grapes from a different, world-renowned vineyard. Launching on Friday, 25th February, the series is kicking off with a bespoke pairing menu inspired by Cloudy Bay, a winery found in the Marlborough region of New Zealand.
Together, Executive Sous Chef of Catch at St. Regis, Chef Remon, and Restaurant General Manager, Anika de Jongh, have curated an exquisite journey of outstanding tastes. The ‘Beyond the Taste – Cloudy Bay Wine Dinner’ menu offers a five-course fully immersive experience, bringing the distinct character and grape flavours of New Zealand’s leading wine region, to the shores of the Gulf.
The Beyond the Taste – Cloudy Bay dinner promotes the bursting and outstanding tastes and ingredients, perfectly balanced with complementary aromatic grapes. In honour of the occasion, the chic venue will be decked out to reflect a peaceful New Zealand countryside scene, while Anika will take to the floor to introduce each grape to her guests in person.
The gastronomic menu begins with a Sea Bass Ceviche starter served with bell pepper dressing, pickled onion and sweet potato, and paired alongside a vibrant and citrus laden Sauvignon Blanc. This is then followed by a picture-perfect plate of the restaurant’s famous sushi. Diners can enjoy the Surf ‘n’ Turf Sushi Roll (prawn tempura and wagyu beef, cream cheese, yakiniku, and truffle mayo), matched with the vineyard’s much-loved Sauvignon Blanc Te Koko before the evening leads on seamlessly to the hot appetizer of Braised Short Ribs. Adorned with pomelo fruit, pickled carrot and sesame seeds, these succulent ribs are presented with a glass of a silky Pinot Noir, boasting juicy notes of gentle spices and floral hints.
Then, after a quick palate cleanser of lime sorbet, the culinary and grape tasting worlds come together in perfect harmony once again for the main course. The Black Cod served with potato espuma, charred scallion and shishito pepper sauce, is a truly impressive dish. Paired with a Chardonnay, offering gentle citrus and white peach characters, it becomes even more tremendous still.
Finally, the evening culminates with the truly indulgent Raspberry Silk desert, featuring a glorious display of hazelnut sponge, raspberry mousse, yogurt bavarois, raspberry coulis and almonds. Presented to diners by Chef Remon himself, this refreshing sweet treat is perfectly matched with a nuanced and expressive Noble Riesling, a delicate, ethereal grape with laces of apricot, orange and a subtle cocoa aftertaste.
“Good food and a glass of grape are a treat on their own. But the magic happens when the tastes come together to deliver an unbelievable experience,” explains Anika de Jongh.
“A menu pairing is much more than detecting a flavour profile and prescribing a flavour to it. It requires great skill to guide our guests as they go beyond the tastes and heighten their experience to ensure that an explosion of flavours is appreciated in all forms. Being able to host paired dinners is always a great pleasure and it’s a passion of mine; I love to match different dishes with different flavours. It takes a lot of thought and a great knowledge of food to complete such menus.”
Born and brought up in Namibia, Anika’s passion for wines started when she began working in a boutique hotel in Zermatt, Switzerland. She then went on to complete wine courses in Introduction to Wines and Wines of the World at the Cape Wine Academy in South Africa as well as WSET2, before settling at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi and quickly being promoted to Restaurant Manager.
Meanwhile, Egyptian-born Chef Remon brings over 16 years of culinary experience in the hospitality industry.
He added: “The landscape of New Zealand is quite rich and diverse, and so is the marine life. We wanted this menu to reflect the distinctive character of the country’s cuisine, the freshness and the many bursts of flavour, and then compliment this with the richness of the grape pairings. Ultimately, we aimed to create an experience that embodies the spirit of New Zealand.”
The five-course menu is available for up to 30 guests, priced at 650 AED per person inclusive of all taxes and fees. The series debuts on Thursday, February 25th, with guests being greeted with a signature drink from 6.30pm, while the dinner will run from 7pm until 9.30pm. Details about rest of events in the series will follow at a later date.
Reservations are required for all bookings. For more information, guests are asked to email restaurants.abudhabi@stregis.com or call 02 694 4553.
