In search of the perfect lazy weekend dining experience, Amica Sicilia finds a feast for all senses at Al Messila Resort & Spa’s extravagant Yum Cha Saturday brunch.
As soon as we step across the threshold, it’s as though the whole world goes quiet. The roar of our fast-paced lives in the city fades; the air is cleaner, the light clearer. Birdsong rises in the unfamiliar peace. This ambience is the magic of Al Messila Resort & Spa – literally the place ‘where water flows’. The stunning resort is set in 33 acres of forested grounds – a modern refuge nestled in the city.
Our visit has a purpose, experience the latest offering of this urban Eden, and a new concept on the Doha brunch scene – Yum Cha Saturday at the Deli Kitchen. Yum Cha is a traditional Cantonese custom, now a staple of modern life in another buzzing and gleaming international metropolis – Hong Kong. The name means ‘drink tea’ in Cantonese. It’s an invitation across generations and continents to take a moment to sit, talk, and eat mountains of steaming dim sum while washing it down with gallons of tea. Here, with the blessing of warm Doha days, the traditional hot black or green brew are allowed to be transformed into tall glasses of iced tea, laced with peach, lemon or milk. And under Michelin-starred executive chef Pino Lavarra and Asian speciality chef Som Thappa, Deli Kitchen’s spin on Yum Cha successfully splices Cantonese flavours with Sichuan spice and Singapore swing.
Our corner table takes in the full sweep of Deli Kitchen’s high, sleek and modern airy hall. From our left, light floods in from windows looking out over seemingly infinite gardens; to our right, the open kitchen stretching the length of the room. Tall-hatted chefs juggle searingly hot woks, which sizzle and flame as they toss ribbons of noodles into the air and summon the elusive wok hei, ‘breath of the wok’, heat and flavour working in perfect harmony.
At Yum Cha Saturday brunch, an empty table is an impossibility. As soon as we are settle, a traditional dim sum pushcart heaves into view, piled high with tottering towers of bamboo baskets. We cleanse and prepare our palettes with a zesty Yum Moon Sen, a tangle of almost transparent bean thread noodles and shredded vegetables, brought to life with lemongrass, ginger and Thai basil. Then comes a rare delicacy – Chongqing veal salad. The meat is simmered for nine hours until tender, falling from the bone, before being seasoned and sliced, waferthin, so it melts in the mouth.
Just as we are making an impression on the first round, it’s dim sum time! The pushcart returns, bamboo lids are lifted revealing tier upon tier of treasures. Under one, steamed Siu Mai, a dim sum staple filled with three different options: chicken, shrimp, or mushroom. Their softness contrasts with the crispy, and fragrant spring rolls, straight from the hot pan to our plates. Another basket holds beautifully wrapped pandan leaf parcels of fish and rice; we unfurl them one by one and lick them clean. However, lifting the final lid takes our breath away: a cluster of bright jewels, with fiery orange and deep red dumplings filled with prawns and crowned with gem-like micro-pearls of caviar, that burst their umami flavour.
Our table is getting incredibly crowded, but the pushcart returns. That was just the warmup. Enter: Sichuan Mala chicken, roasted whole with chillies and aromatics, sugar and soy, before hot oil is poured over it for a crispy, glossy bronze exterior hiding juicy meat within. Beside it, sweet and sour beef with tongue-tingling Sichuan peppercorns, Chinese black vinegar and ginger, and Char Siu spare ribs – the iconic Cantonese barbecue balancing melting fat and tender meat, its outsides dark and deliciously caramelised.
But the highlight of the meal comes on a trolley of its own—a whole steamed sea bass, perfumed with ginger and spring onion and tempered with garlic. Skilfully filleted at our table, the fish is flaky, fragrant, and mouth-watering. Our forks find every last morsel.
As the shadows lengthen towards the golden hour, it’s time for dessert. The final trolley of the day wheels up bearing a trio of scented delights. I dive into a pool of sunshine in the form of a silky-smooth mango pudding, bursting with fruit. Its complement is a crumbly pastry and vanilla custard baked into a sweet little tart. And, to finish, a delicate homemade coconut ice-cream finds the sweet spot.
Entirely satisfied, grinning in well-fed oblivion, we step out into the gardens to walk off our feast. As cool breezes drift through the trees, we saunter lazily beneath the shade of the acacia to the whispering of a hundred fountains.
For reservations or more information,
please call 4445 0000 or
Whatsapp 5505 9901.