THE Ritz Gourmet Lounge, the newest jewel in the crown of the wide selection of dining venues at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa, opens its doors after a six-month intense renovation. Inspired by the golden age of Cesar Ritz and Auguste Escoffier who came to fame in the late 19th century, The Ritz Gourmet Lounge embraces the heritage of these two pioneers in international hospitality with a dedicated menu influenced by some of Escoffier’s world classics served in a splendid royal ambience. The famous Swiss hotelier Cesar Ritz referred to as the “king of hoteliers, and hotelier to kings,” partnered in the late 19th century with Auguste Escoffier, a well-respected French chef known for his “haute cuisine’. His cooking style is described as elaborate and fancy, and he made a name of himself as the head chef of the restaurants located inside the famous Ritz hotels at that time.
“We are always looking into creating exceptional guest experiences and bringing something unique to our hotel,” says Mark Neukomm, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa. “With the newest edition of our very much anticipated The Ritz Gourmet Lounge, we not only offer the best of home-made French influenced delicacies celebrating the heritage of one of the two most influential personalities in hotel business but also a stylish al fresco shisha experience at our especially designed terrace lounge like no other in Bahrain.”
Situated in the hotel’s arcade, The Ritz Gourmet Lounge is easy accessible from either the separate Sports Club entrance or The Lobby. The authentic French interior design has been created in reminiscence of the Belle Epoque, the ‘Beautiful Era’, a period in French history which started around 1890 and ended in 1914. All beverages are served in crystal glasses from Cristal de Paris while the culinary offerings are presented on exquisite bone china ware from Wedgwood, UK, famous for its elegant design.
The highlight of the 74-seat restaurant is the shisha terrace lounge serving exotic and newly composed flavours in oversized contemporary Meduse pipes, made of Czech hand-blown Bohemian Glass which has been held in high regard for centuries.
A dedicated shisha sommelier assists with choosing the perfect flavour depending on each guest’s personal preferences and recommends a selection of drinks and refreshments to accompany this finest shisha experience.