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Dubai restaurants are some of the finest around, ranging from those which specialize in contemporary haute cuisine to others offering authentic local delights. Perhaps is not surprising to find in this milieu of taste and wealth, one of the best grills in the United Arab Emirates. Nor is it a stretch of the imagination to find this grill distinctly elemental. And the invocation of the elements is more than a mere nod to the contrasts and differences in the fine cuisine of Fire & Ice at the Raffles Hotel. The elemental is a driving force behind the entire dining experience.
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| Like some contemporary thaumaturgy of a Teutonic myth, reworked via 21st century Europe and Japan, Fire & Ice embraces the four elements of earth, wind, fire and water to bring about a modern menu which is as dramatic as it is delicious. The award-winning head chef behind this arresting approach to dining is Cedric Darthial. |
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Raffles Dubai
Sheikh Rashid Road, Wafi
P.O.Box 121800
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Tel : +971 4324 8888
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The menus are his invention and in their entirety capture the passion and essential appeal of great ingredients treated as they ought to be. Layered on top of this quintessential reverence for prime ingredients treated with care, is a talent for the incorporating the full spectrum of great culinary traditions, from the fiery dragon's realm of Nitro Wagyu Beef to the rarified air of a Foie Gras Tower, East meets West as readily as water follows the flames. This is food to ignite the imagination and let the soul swim in cool waters, taking breaths from the stratosphere, yet nourishing with the fertile richness of the earth.
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| Fire & Ice is a wizard's cave where the magical wand belongs to the chef who casts his spell over each dish, turning the most fastidious gourmet into a willing follower. Wizard Chef Darthial's menus begs the complete capitulation of the willing converts. Whether you're in the mood to be seared with fire, cleansed with water, revitalized with air or embraced by earth, there is a degustation menu for every whim and desire. |
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| Those who seek the fiery morsels will begin their fervent feast with the now famous signature dish, Nitro Wagyu Beef. A tender delight, perfectly marbled and served with Homemade Ketchup "Espuma" and Vanilla Goat Cheese and Beetroot Jus, not to forget the Tomato Caviar Consommé. The lingering embers of the first course are soon revived with by the Pan-Seared Foie Gras with its Strawberry Inferno, Balsamic Blaze and Lemon Zest Salt. |
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Each course stokes the flames for the next until you arrive at the Nitro Hibiscus Soup created with Sichuan Pepper and a variety of berries, it is a wizard's curtain call leaving a diner singed with satisfaction and aflame with the magic of a culinary genius.
Diners who pull back from the fire, who seek the cooler climes of water, are in for a treat of equal magic. The first course is Toro Sashimi, a gem from the ocean, though it hasn't escaped warmth entirely, for it is served with Tomato Salsa, Ponzu Jelly, Sakura Cress and Wasabi and Lime "Espuma". The second course casts away the warmth of the wasabi with a Chilled Lobster Medallion, succulent and serene, and so beautiful with its Soya Glass Noodles, Black Sesame Sorbet and Deep-Fried Tofu.
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| From the quiet depths of the rocky sea-bed it's into more tumultuous waters with the Seared Langoustine. A short swim before you get to the Wild Sea Bass, a prime fish which has been conjured into culinary life by the Warm Rhubarb Jelly, Shellfish Fricassée, Roquette Tempura and Cilantro Oil. |
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| As you get closer to shore, the Vanilla Sea Salt Marinated Veal drops anchor in an exotic land. A dish fit for a ship's captain, it is realized with Soft and Crispy Chestnut, Chanterelle Mushrooms and Lime Eggplant Confit. After a long journey though exciting waters and uncharted territory, the Apple Seaweed is a sweet homecoming. A confection of Frozen Sour Apple, Crispy Seaweed and Toffee Jelly, it's the perfect end to a long journey and a great welcome to a distant shore. |
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| Those who prefer to engage the creatures of air and water from a distance, letting them find their way to another's plate, can safely take to the Earth menu. A menu which offers vegetarian delights of profound delectation and invention. Every course is available with paired wines from one of the best wine cellars in the city. Sommelier Nicolas Murcott is the wizard's apprentice and resident keeper of the fine selection of great vintages from both the New World and the old. What trip through the elements doesn't require the accompaniment of a great wine. |
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| Fire & Ice is one of those rare restaurants which has committed to a bold dining experience. Even rarer is the fact that from the moment you arrive there is no doubt that Fire & Ice is not merely a name offered to entice diners, but something of driving force behind the manifold creations which celebrate the elements and the creatures who variously inhabit them. |
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