Morimoto at Mondrian Doha takes Ailsa Whyatt on a delicious and unexpected food journey.
Years ago, I was lucky enough to take a trip around Japan and was blown away by the welcoming hospitality of the people, the stunning scenery, the cultural richness and the glorious efficiency of the railway system. And the food. My goodness, the food. I was actually concerned that having visited Japan, sushi would be ruined for me forever because no place I had ever eaten outside of Japan had ever managed to achieve the softness of sashimi fish that I experienced there. Enter Morimoto, Mondrian Doha.
As luck would have it, I have been invited to this wonderful establishment to relive my Japanese memories. As we are welcomed in, the host greets the kitchen and wait staff with a loud ‘Irasshaimase!’, Japanese for welcome. In return, we are greeted with the same cheerful response and then shown to our table. Our host Jenny, explains that all guests are greeted in this manner to set the tone and welcome them into the setting of Morimoto.
We are handed hot towels, scented with lemongrass, to cleanse ourselves, and are just admiring the brass lighting, mirrored walls and intimate spaces of the restaurant when we are greeted by the enigmatic Paulo, the hotel’s Multi-Outlet General Manager. He selects some signature mocktails (mine is the Kumamoto Mule – a delicious blend of Japanese citrus kabosu, passion fruit and a fresh ginger foam that packs a zingy punch) before serving us with a selection of appetisers.
Some sizzling hot Pan Fried Chicken Gyoza announce their presence way before they arrive at the table – these little parcels of perfectly soft chicken thighs are hot! A light crunch to break through the gyoza, complemented by the ginger scallion topping and a side of spicy sauce to add ‘hot to the hot’, is a scrummy opener for the table.
Next up is my personal favourite, Whitefish Carpaccio, in which beautifully thin, melt-in-the-mouth slices of suzuki (Japanese for seabass) have been delicately seared with hot sesame oil, dressed in yuzu soy and adorned with micro cilantro in a kabosu dressing and a yellow Japanese kiku flower. Incidentally, the kiku flower is symbolic of rejuvenation, longevity and transformation in Japanese culture. The dish certainly rejuvenates me, and the flavours are truly transformative. For an extra lift, fresh yuzu is grated on à table and the zest is dusted over the top. Heavenly.
We are then served the Signature Tacos, or hamachi (yellowtail fish) tacos, as Jenny refers to them. They have been delicately made using gyoza shells, giving a fabulously gentle brittle crack as you bite into them, unlike the hard snap of a tortilla shell. The flavours of the shell go perfectly with the yellowtail, which has been marinated with yuzu kosho, made with yuzu zest, green chilli and salt condiment, and layered with guacamole droplets, jalapeños, cherry tomatoes and micro cilantro.
No meal at Morimoto would be complete without the Nigiri Selection, which is brought forth on simple white earthenware so we can fully appreciate the colours of the wonderful fish. We are treated to incredibly soft lean tuna, which has been marinated in house soy, delicate yellowtail, fresh salmon, seabass with fantastic ponzu jelly and scallions on top and finally, torched salmon with its decadent truffle and mayonnaise.
Our final savoury of the night is Chef Morimoto’s signature dish of Lobster Sushi Rice Risotto. Sweet al dente lobster pieces are set in a rich risotto with a parmesan foam that is thick and creamy, yet somehow light at the same time. Sous Chef Dasanth comes out to talk us through how this dish is created: cream and parmesan, which is ‘foamed’ around the plate using a ‘Sea Foam’ pressurised bottle device. For the risotto, sushi rice is gently cooked in lobster stock, combined with tender sweetcorn kernels and shallots, and then placed into the middle of the plate, having had a brief but important dalliance with some butter, crème fraiche and more parmesan. The final touches of succulent Canadian lobster, green herb oil garnish and micro herbs are then added. It is a warming, innovative and beautiful dish – from flavour to ingredients, all the way through to its presentation.
To top our meal off, Paulo brings us a Baked Soufflé Cheesecake. Small admission of guilt, I am not a baked cheesecake fan. So often, it is solid, stodgy and unimaginative and thus, I would never order it. Oh joy, therefore, when this cheesecake comes out. It is incredible. The lightest cheesecake I have ever had, blowtorched to perfection with a crunchy caramel-like crème brûlée on top and, if that wasn’t enough, fresh and vibrant raspberry and mango sauces to make the taste buds sing, and a similarly delicious raspberry sorbet, fully packed with flavour and served on a vanilla soil (crushed biscuits), for texture. If I were not so full by this point, I would be tempted to order another one! An absolute triumph of a dessert, thank you. We leave the restaurant extraordinarily full and satisfied and just have time to offer a heartfelt wave and say arigato (thank you) to the chefs in the open kitchen, who have truly produced wonders for us tonight.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you want good sushi in Doha, you go to Morimoto. However, I would argue that Morimoto is not only a place for the traditional Japanese delights with which we are so well accustomed and which absolutely remain a delicious mainstay of the menu, it is also a place to experience lesser-known and wonderfully creative Asian and Asian-inspired dishes. From carpaccio to tacos and risotto to robata, there is a hearty and warming ‘Irasshaimase!’ to greet you, with an intimate setting and serious food for the soul.
For more information or to make a reservation, please call Morimoto at
Mondrian Doha on 4045 5555.
@morimotodoha
@mondrian_doha