Fine dining, cosy ambience, nutritious and beautifully plated food. Welcome to Acacia! Fernanda Langhammer went to this eatery to understand how sophistication can perfectly marry with a nourishing meal.
Healthy eating is usually, mistakenly, associated with lack of flavours and not really interesting dishes. However, there is an exciting new concept in the country: Acacia at Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som, which will make you radically change your mind.
Located in a unique immersive wellness resort, Acacia is a dining destination like no other. It offers a cuisine that was created in partnership between the resort’s expert nutritionists and Chef Mayssam Abdulkhalek and his team. The dishes are designed using fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients and combined for best nutritional absorption and ideal calorie count. I have to add that they look absolutely gorgeous as well. During my visit, Sous Chef Sukesh was in charge of the kitchen and the plates looked (and tasted) absolutely amazing – a palate and visual journey into the world of healthy eating in a fine-dining concept.
On entering the eatery, you experience the haute cuisine vibe despite being situated in the Discovery part of the resort, which is designated for families. The décor has grey tones and indirect and dim lighting for a cosy atmosphere. The restaurant functions only in the evenings for dinner, and you can opt to sit in the private couch areas or face the kitchen, which is completely open and gives you a magnificent view of the chef and his team working on your dishes. I particularly love to see them orchestrating pans, ingredients and spices like alchemists/magicians.
Corina, the Assistant Restaurant Manager, and Hussein, who was in charge of my service, were the stars of the night. They suggested and explained each dish with so much passion and knowledge that it was impossible not to get excited about the food I was eating.
I guess a good start would be the incredible mocktails, the Hibiscus Rose Lemonade that arrived at the table inside a dome full of smoke. When Hussein removed the lid, the smell of roses and sweet scents emanated, creating a sensorial experience. The drink is ideal for a summer night and is made with hibiscus syrup, rose, lemon and coconut water – a beautiful pink and refreshing liquid. I also had the Sama Drink (sama meaning sky in Arabic), an orange juice-based concoction to which a shot of carrot juice is added, making it look like the sunset in a glass.
As in most restaurants, the first food item was bread and what a bread! I was mind-blown by how it’s possible to achieve such a soft texture inside and crunchy crust in a gluten-free version. The flavours change every day, such as the accompanying dip. I had the multiseed, saffron and charcoal options; they were absolutely delicious by themselves or with the added cashew and caramelised onion dip.
My cold starter was the classic Tuna Tartare, which was made simply with tuna and avocado showcased in cubes and mashed. The hint of coriander essence, black pepper and lemon gave extra dimension to the fresh ingredients. I also added the mix of balsamic vinegar and olive oil served with the bread, a suggestion from Hussein, which was an excellent call. The acidity of the vinegar and the smoothness of the oil complemented this dish, playing with my taste buds. For the hot starter, I had the Seafood Cream. A creamy soup prepared with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern crustaceans and organic coconut cream poured on top of cooked lobster pieces. The cream is placed in an iron pot and the theatricality of it reminds you that you are in a fine-dining establishment. The comforting flavours and delicate lobster bites make it a sophisticated dish. In such a clean eating concept, the microgreens (that they grow in the kitchen) have space to stand out and add an extra touch to all dishes.
From the vegan menu, I picked the Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lentils. I have to confess that I am not the biggest fan of dolmas (as this dish is traditionally called), but that makes me try them every time I have the opportunity, to see if I might change my mind. And I have to say that I finally have. Acacia’s version brings the preserved grape leaves filled with green lentils, which, in my opinion, is a great twist, surrounded by dots of sundried tomato blended in coconut yoghurt. It was a light, fulfilling dish with exciting flavours.
If you are a meat eater, they have lamb and tenderloin options, but I wanted to stick with the seafood and ordered the Grilled Hamour with Carrots. When you read carrots, you might think, what a dull side, but there is nothing boring about it. The carrots were presented in three ways: pureed, pickled and dehydrated. It was interesting to notice that the different textures resulted in various flavours. The pickled option had a hint of cardamom, while the crispy one had an earthy taste and the puree was sweet and smooth. They complemented the cooked-to-perfection salty fish dressed in lemon and olive oil. As they say, less is more!
And if you think that sweets are not allowed in a conscious-menu restaurant, you couldn’t be more wrong. Despite using coconut sugar, a bit of honey and being dairy- and gluten-free, my three options were incredible. The Chocolate in Textures was a chocolate concoction with ice cream, brownie and dense mousse domes of Valrhona chocolate. The Date’s Tribute, as the name suggests, is composed of a Medjool date filled with cinnamon custard, date jelly and pistachio ice cream – a delightful combination. Last, and my favourite, was the Spirulina Ice Cream. Made with this highly nutritious seagrown algae usually added to smoothies, it was a refreshing and sea-inspired way to end this fabulous high-end dinner.
I would happily drive the one hour and fifteen minutes from Doha in a heartbeat when looking for memorable food that is nutritious, delicious and won’t make you bloated. You might get hooked, just like me, after trying food that fuels you and makes you fully satisfied – delectable fine dining with a fantastic feel-good sensation – you don’t find this approach to cooking at every corner.
For more information or to make a reservation,
please call Acacia at Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som on 4477 6500.
@zulalwellnessresort