THE MAG CONCIERGE

  • 07 Apr - 13 Apr, 2018
  • Mag The Weekly
  • High Life


LUXE RETREAT

Laucala Island, Fiji

This 3,500-acre private island has been owned by two multi-millionaires (Malcolm Forbes and Red Bull’s Dietrich Mateschitz) who have turned a natural paradise into a holiday heaven. Amid flower-strewn forests, there’s a golf course, a thatched spa in the cool jungly forest, stables of thoroughbred horses, a panoply of pools, and a dive centre with 14 boats and a submarine. Five restaurants serve delicious dishes from teppanyaki wagyu beef, to exquisite morsels created using ingredients from the island’s farm. With only 25 villas – the most romantic perch above crashing waves and the biggest set atop the island’s peak – each guest feels as if they have the island to themselves. Every inch is looked after by 350 Fijian staff who, when they aren’t smiling or proffering fresh fruit juice, are delivering warm banana cake or just-cleaned shoes before vanishing to leave you watching distant waves phosphoresce in the moonlight.


TABLE TO BOOK

Meat The Cheese

Simply put, this “urban cheese cellar lounge and steakhouse” is the perfect place to land for a quick getaway with friends and family. The chairs are comfy, there is ample of light inside and a feel-good vibe to the place. On a mildly hot day last week, my friend and I decided to check out the place that has the town talking. Meat The Cheese is located in phase 6, DHA, Karachi, an area where you will find a few other eateries as well. The space is a bit small and it might take you a while to find the restaurant, so here’s hoping that they soon branch out and are able to cater to bigger parties at the same time, simply because no one should miss out on the deliciousness they have to offer. We started with Wicked Mushrooms – stuffed with cheese and pepperoni, what looked and tasted like whole cremini mushrooms (but when its so tasty, who cares!), they had crunchy deep-fried coating and were served with honey mustard dip. The dip complemented the mushrooms so well, as it was light and didn’t over power the flavours at all, unlike the acidic sauces at other restaurants. For the mains, we went for the Latino Jalapeño – a thin crust pizza with a generous serving of olives, sausages, onions, mushrooms, juicy red and yellow bell pepper and a yummy pizza sauce, garnished with rocket leaves and spread with the goodness of melted blend of cheese, on request. Needless to say, the pizza tasted amazing! The cheese really put an enhanced spin on the entire flavour on the dishes. Yes, it has a strong smell just as all good cheese have, but once you get past that, there is only gastronomical high waiting for you. Tender Loving Loin was our other pick – soft and juicy tenderloin steak, seasoned only with salt and pepper, was served with pan seared baby potatoes and sautéed vegetables and pepper and blue cheese sauces. We waited a bit too long to dig into the steak which is why it became a bit chewy, but it still tasted pretty good. We had melted cheese added to the steak as well. When your friend has already had lunch and still helps herself to multiple servings, that’s when you know the food is a success. – Sidra S. Khan 



WHAT'S IN THE MENU?

Enchilada

This is a rich, relatively mild Thai curry. According to Thai food expert David Thompson, the dish originated in 17th century Central Thailand through the Persian merchant Sheik Ahmad Qomi. Some theories contend that its name is derived from the Malay word “masam”, which means "sour". Due to its Muslim roots, this curry is most commonly made with chicken, but there are also variations using duck, beef, mutton, goat, and vegetables. The flavours of the massaman curry paste come from spices that are not frequently used in other Thai curries. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cumin, bay leaves, nutmeg and mace would, in the 17th century, have been brought to Thailand from the Malay Archipelago and South Asia by foreigners, a trade originally dominated by Muslim. These are combined with local produce such as dried chilli peppers, coriander seeds, lemongrass, galangal, white pepper, shrimp paste, shallots and garlic to make the massaman curry paste. This paste is first fried with coconut cream, and only then are meat, potatoes, onions, fish sauce or salt, tamarind paste, sugar, coconut milk and peanuts added. Massaman is usually eaten with rice, in a meal together with other dishes. There are also traditional versions using oranges, orange juice, or pineapple juice as additional ingredients. A 100g serving of beef massaman provides approximately 183 calories; 8g fat, 13g of protein, 15g of carbohydrate, 2g of fibre, 4g of sugar, 204mg of sodium and 27mg of cholestrol.

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