A UNIQUE PLACE ON THE ISLAND

OHLALA’s team enjoyed an incredible evening at The Quarry, and Fernanda Langhammer tells us all the details about this novel destination.

Do you like to watch shows in a private environment? Or are you looking for a place with a lounge vibe, good music, exceptional food and an array of drink options? I know it sounds impossible to have this all in the same place. However, in Bahrain now, you can find such an exciting concept at one address, a site called The Quarry. The restaurant/bar/lounge/ entertainment destination (it isn’t easy to define this superb place) is located at Al Dana Amphitheatre. The Quarry is a brand made in Bahrain by Bahraini owners that supports local artists.

A quarry is typically a large, deep pit from which stone or other materials have been extracted. And they couldn’t have found a better name for this place. From the outside, I couldn’t possibly predict what I was about to discover. After walking down a long concrete ramp, I reached The Quarry entrance. Behind the automated doors was this massive, well-lit and sophisticated space. When I arrived, there was still some daylight, so the natural light from the ceiling took over the area where I sat with my work colleagues – such a beautiful scene. The Quarry is open from 5pm onwards from Wednesdays to Saturdays for now.

I was still in a state of awe when I was introduced to Brian, our attentive host responsible for taking me on a tour of the place. Yes, you read that right, a tour. The space is divided into different areas to accommodate everyone’s preferences. There is a sector dedicated to malts and The Quarry has a wide selection of them. The area is cosy and, despite being a bit removed from the main stage, it is the perfect spot to enjoy a more tranquil night in the company of your favourite enhancers. Near the counter in this part of the restaurant, there is a big glass window from where you can peak at the stage in the Al Dana Amphitheatre; how cool is that?!

Moving to the restaurant space, we entered a closed area with glass panels creating the perfect setting for a dining scenario. This is a non-smoking room for those looking for an undisturbed dining experience. There, they also prepare their fresh loaves of bread and have a wide variety of nuts, cold cuts, a meat ageing area and cheeses. A Mexican beverage bar, a staple in many Central and South American drinks, is also available for those lovers of this agave plant extract.

After crossing the restaurant enclosure, you find another bar with a casual atmosphere and probably the best tables to just enjoy a drink and a few snacks. Brian and I then reached the stage area which has a careful setting created to give you the best view of the shows. Right in front is a big platform that accommodates the 25 members of their resident show and receives international names in the likes of The Gipsy Kings, Eric Gales and Adriatique. They have a Q Night Show happening from Wednesday to Saturday from 9pm onwards. And if you want total privacy, you can book the VIP round sofa corner that becomes more exclusive when the velvet curtains enclose the space.

At this point, I have to highlight a few things: everything you eat there, from the aged meat to the ice cream, bread and butter, is made in-house; you can order from the main menu, no matter where you choose to sit; the setting is never the same, so it will be a surprise every time you go and last, but not least, the music that is being played on stage can be heard from every corner of this luxurious gallery. As the night arrived, I noticed a beautifully lit stone wall in front of me – a reinforcement to the quarry reference.

According to Brian, the cuisine served has a mix of international and European roots with The Q (how they affectionately refer to the place) twist. The first dish our party tried was the Tenderloin Carpaccio, thin layers of impeccable beef drizzled in truffle mayo, parmesan cheese, parsley aioli, a hint of mustard and crunchy fried capers. You can picture how the slices were so incredibly tender they melted in the mouth with the perfect combination of ingredients. The second was a Seabream Ceviche made with cucumber, yoghurt, chilli and unexpected coconut flakes. It had a delicious herby taste with the right tart hint. The third appetiser was the classic Burrata Salad with cherry tomatoes, pickled onions and a crispy and delightful grilled potato focaccia.

We were having a fantastic time when the main courses arrived. First, we had the Seabass X Ravioli; the fish was firm with a crunchy skin accompanied by a ricotta stuffed ravioli. The different textures and flavours resulted in a well-balanced dish. We were then served a simple Spaghettini Arabiata with spicy tomato sauce, garlic, basil and parmesan cheese (a lot of it). The truth is that it wasn’t that simple; it had an intense flavour of great piquancy. One of my colleagues, who is not a pasta enthusiast, chose it as the star dish of the evening, so I guess that says it all. The Wiener Schnitzel was a paper-thin veal schnitzel with a crispy coating accompanied by cranberry jam and tartare sauce. It was served with parsley potatoes, another favourite.

If you have any diet restrictions, the team at The Quarry is ready to accommodate them with remarkable creations. We had an amazing vegan miso eggplant that tasted divine. Perfectly cooked with a smoky flavour and crunchy vegetables – a delicious dish for plant lovers!

For dessert, we had the White Chocolate X Strawberries composed of ice cream, whipped cream, fresh strawberries and white chocolate – a mouthful of yumminess that was both sweet and slightly tart thanks to the fruit. We also had the exquisite Peach X Basil with peachy basil sorbet, peach mousse, almond crumble and white chocolate – everyone’s favourite for its singular combination.

It was time to say goodbye to the lovely team at The Q, a goodbye full of I’ll see you soon! Most definitely a place to go if you are looking for something different that you would usually only find in the world’s biggest capitals – if you actually manage to come across something like The Quarry anywhere else.

For more information or to make a reservation,
please call The Quarry on 1745 4445.
@thequarrybahrain

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