Nathan Outlaw at Al Mahara is a seafood lover’s delight
By Eduan R. Maggo Editor – Country Guides Dubai is no stranger to luxury, or celebrated chefs. What was missing, though, was a speciality restaurant focused on the treasures of the ocean. That all changed this week with the opening of Nathan Outlaw at Al Mahara, Burj Al Arab. The UK chef joins the crop of almost two dozen chefs in Dubai with Michelin-ratings elsewhere. And his seafood expertise fills a void.
It’s no surprise that his signature tasting menu is devoid of land creatures — the rest of the (refreshingly) sparse menu has but a handful of terrestrials, and vegetarians are advised to warn the outlet ahead of time. But this is also Outlaw’s greatest challenge: serving meat eaters in an environment where anything more than two seafood courses is practically unheard of, course after course without them feeling that something’s missing.
So, we can all stop looking — Nemo, Dory and their parents, cousins and friends have all been found. They’re at Al Mahara.
He starts off with meaty, almost translucent scallops, beautifully cut, with a gentle sweetness enhanced with an earthiness derived from baby pickles and capers. On another plate he combines the fresh flavour of perfectly seared yellowfin tuna with controlled sharpness of a pickled ginger carrot mix.
This is followed by a personal favourite — crispy oyster. This dish fits Outlaw’s (mostly successful) study of different taste profiles — the sweetish cucumber mayo that’s added as a sauce goes well with the acidity of a cucumber pickle, all accented by the saltiness of iodine-heavy Russian sturgeon caviar.
It is but one example of Outlaw’s mastery of sauces and dressings. But in this context his signature crab sauce is a let-down. Served with toothfish, red pepper, olives and tarragon, it comes across as a poor man’s lobster bisque. It lacks that wow element one would expect, and its sweet elements did little to bind the disparate elements of a very neutral fish, overseasoned steamed spinach and Kalamata dressing. Add to this the distinct taste of the peppers and olives that the fish can’t match — the dish is all over the place.
The staff are obviously well-trained and go about their work imperceptibly, although I consider it a faux pas to serve a dish knowing the diners have taken a break from the table. Returning to dome-covered plates, we thought a palate cleanser had been served only to find a lobster risotto waiting, and this would be the one dish you don’t want to sit. While I appreciate the interplay between orange and lobster in a simple buttery sauce, congealing risotto just doesn’t work.
That said, there’s nothing but praise around the table for dessert. The English staple sticky toffee pudding incorporates candy-like dates for local flavour, with clotted cream to balance the sweetness.
Yes, the British chef brings something special to Dubai. Does it warrant a sequel? Probably not. But there’s no reason to outlaw him just yet.