Cuisine Couture Takes Kuwait: Why Eating Dessert is "Posh"

When I think of the word posh, my mind can’t help but revert to an image of Victoria Beckham: pursed lips, giant sunglasses, sky-high strappy heels. So when I heard the name “Posh Café,” I thought it must be an oxymoron- even if unintended. Victoria hardly seems like a person who would frequent a common café (or who eats much of anything for that matter.) Yet, I was told that the food was delicious and the desserts were decadent. Plus, the restaurant is owned by the same parent company that franchises Figs. Oxymoron or not, I knew I had to try it. I ventured over with a friend on my day off.

Our corporate chef is one of the coolest culinary anomalies ever. He heralds from Hong Kong and has the skill and palate for sophisticated Asian dishes. However, he spent significant time in England, which exposed him to European food styles. And now he works in Kuwait. He knows the Kuwait market intimately and the preparations that they favor. He takes fusion to a whole new level: weaving Asian touches into traditional Euro and American favorites, all while catering to the Middle Eastern clientele.

The first dish I tasted, “lobster toasts,” exemplifies his dexterity. The dish consisted of three fried mini sandwiches of sorts. The structure sort of resembled an oreo (albeit a gourmet, savory one.) Lobster meat flavored with chive, coriander, and other herbs sat between two quarter-sized discs of fried bread. Black and white sesame seeds studded the top layer. Thus, the dish brought together all of Andy’s cultural influences. The lobster seasonings and sesame seeds provided the subtle Asian flair. The small portion and sophisticated protein choice gave it the European touch. And the choice to fry it made it unequivocally Kuwaiti. (Here, the people eat everything fried!) I loved the dish. Not only did it tell Andy’s personal story in a single bite, but the flavors interacted perfectly. The herbs in the lobster played off of the richness from the fried preparation. Moreover, the sesame seeds provided an enjoyable crunch.

I also shared an order of sliders with my friend. We chose the barbequed sliders that promised to be slow cooked in a house-made barbeque sauce. Apparently, Andy has a touch for Southern cooking as well. The barbeque sauce rivaled some of the best briskets I’ve had in well-known BBQ joints.

The climax of the meal, however, was dessert. As a dessert enthusiast (and dare I say, connoisseur), I was permitted to taste a wide array of Posh’s sweet offerings. We began with Andy’s “signature:” cheesecake in a jar. Although moderately lactose-intolerant, I threw caution to the wind and decided a bite or two wouldn’t do irreversible damage. I am so glad I went for it!!! My friend and I agreed that it was UNBELIEVABLE. Many cheesecakes go overboard with the additions. By adding items like oreos, chocolate, or fruit, they mask the flavor of the cheese. This one did not. Sprinklings of graham cracker and fresh blueberries enhanced the rich notes of the cheese rather than covering it. And like the lobster toasts, the cheesecake was a study in texture. The graham cracker dusting on top lent crunch to the creamy layer of cheesecake below. The bite was harmonious and perfect.

My personal favorite of the day though was the strawberry short cake. It took the form of a layered cake: three layers of vanilla cake with frosting and fresh strawberries in between. The vanilla cake proved perfectly light and fluffy. The frosting, too, was airy; it seemed to wisp away in my mouth. The dessert reminded me of a classic vintage recipe; completely and perfectly old school, an homage to kitchens of the fifties.

And the fun didn’t end there! We tried a carrot cake that also had a vintage vibe. It had spices and raisins of more traditional carrot cake recipes rather than the overly sweet commercialized versions that are so prevalent today. My friend declared this dessert her favorite after the cheesecake and claimed the rest of the plate for herself. In addition, we tried a nutella mousse. While tasty and a beautiful presentation, the high amounts of dairy and cheesy consistency proved a bit much for me, as I’d already indulged in the cheesecake. Our final dish was a dreamy pecan pie. Unlike the other desserts, this one came warm. Usually I can pass on pecan pie because it seems as though the flavor in the pecan filling comes from artificial ingredients like sugar and sweeteners. This pie, however, relied on the pecans themselves. It was pure nutty goodness. The crust, too, was flawless. It was the perfect thickness: thick enough to compliment the robust pecans, but not so thick that it overpowered them. Plus, I like a crust that is just on the brink of burned, slightly crisp. This one achieved that effect.

I certainly took plenty of pictures that I plan to share with you! However, my browser is still set to Arabic and the uploads are extremely difficult. I’ll post them when I get the chance!

While stuffing one’s face with dessert might not be considered “posh,” I certainly enjoyed everything that Posh Café had to offer. From freshness to fusion, spicy to sweet, it will satisfy your every culinary craving.

Cuisine Couture Takes Kuwait: On the Town with Lady B and Cuisine Couture

“Crashed on the floor when I moved in, this little bungalow with some strange new friends….” –Vanessa Carlton, White Houses

OK, so “strange” might not be the best word choice, but I didn’t write the song. Fascinating. Unique. Free-spirited. Welcoming. Any of those would be better choices to describe the group of Kuwaiti girls I now feel lucky to count among my friends. Initially I gravitated toward their affinity for life and generosity, but the more I learn about their worlds and who they are the more awestruck I become.

Last week, I had the chance to experience two events for bloggers with one of my friends. Although introduced to me as Bibi, I soon discovered that Kuwait knows Bibi by another moniker: Lady B. “Lady B” curates a multifaceted fashion and lifestyle blog. Her knowledge proves vast and dynamic, she reports on clothing collaborations, fashion happenings, and blog events. She styles her own outfits and posts her creations. She often transcends the world of fashion completely! For example, she features a place to get incredible dessert in a weekly “sugar fix.” Her website is alive and full-blown. She has advertisements, a store, and often receives invites to sought-after events. You can visit it here: http://www.ladybq8.net/

I had my first exposure to Kuwait’s blog culture a few weeks ago when Figs catered the party for social media personalities. The blog world here differs markedly from that in the United States. In both places, it seems that everyone is a “blogger.” After all, I got my start posting about personal cooking adventures, restaurants I visited, and wine I enjoyed. But there lies the difference. In the U.S., blogs are fundamentally a personal endeavor. While an individual’s blog may ultimately become famous or respected, it ultimately falls on the individual to find the scoop, go out to the restaurants, and take independent initiative. As a result, many blogs- or at least the respected ones- prove unbiased, based on personal discoveries and recommendations. Here, bloggers are wooed. Every business opening holds at least one event for bloggers. Food! Models! Glitz! The idea is that if the store shows them a great evening, they will secure a wonderful review.

Bloggers here can be full out pop culture celebrities, appearing on magazines, and being paid exorbetent amounts for appearances. As a whole, bloggers comprise a social group. The same faces frequent the events. Here, the goal is to operate as an elite team and to make sure you’re invited to the same events as the other bloggers are. In the U.S. many bloggers are anonymous. They try to seek out the undiscovered. Crossing paths with another blogger is a red flag; it means your scoop might not be fresh.

Lady B took me to two events which I enjoyed immensely. Both were designed exclusively for bloggers and we were on a guest list. The first was for the launch of L’Occitane’s new collection. There was a dazzling array of colorful macaroons, chicken shaped into portable cones, and skewers of tropical fruit. Workers in Parisian attire encouraged us to design our own scents and phtographers snapped promotional shots of the event. The second was located in Kuwait City, an opening of a boutique. Models walked around showing off the clothes. Again, a beautiful food and beverage spread greeted guests. It was an event fit for queens, which here bloggers practically are! I LOVED the collection: idiosyncratic, colorful, and indigenous to Kuwait.

I report this not to pass judgement on either blog culture. It is yet another interesting difference between parts of the world. I am continually fascinated by the subtle divergences I encounter with each passing day. Furthermore, I admire Lady B for her commitment to remaining unbiased despite the constant courtship. She told me stories of politely declining to write a review after an invitation because of a less than spectacular experience. In Kuwait, that can blacklist you from events and soil your reputation so the step was courageous.

And, I suppose this post is a bit ironic- akin to the movie Inception in a way. It’s a post on blogs within a blog . It’s one humble bloggers observations about bloggers. Take it as you will.

“Crashed on the floor when I moved in….”

Cuisine Couture Takes Kuwait: Cater. Blog. And party!

Kuwait seems to defy all laws of time and space. Sometimes time never seems to elapse at all; people drift in slow motion with no particular destination or arrival time in mind. Tasks that could take minutes manage to take days. Other times, the country moves with lightning speed. One morning I walked in the mall to discover that an entire wing that had previously been nothing but plaster walls had transformed into an entire new offshoot, a gold market. After being ill and away from the restaurant for days, I expected things to be the same as when I left them, existing in the limbo of daily life here. However, things felt different as soon as I entered.

“Where is everyone?” I asked, noticing a significant lack of servers.

“They’re at the catering event at the University. Tonight we’ll also have less people because other servers are going to the evening catering event,” the Assistant Manager informed me.

Catering? Since when did we do catering? He quickly got me up to speed: the restaurant had always had the idea since its opening, and now that business had somewhat stabilized they were going to see if they could enact it. The two events today were trials, a first attempt to see how it would go. In the evening, Figs would cater a party for food and lifestyle bloggers, a perfect opportunity to garner publicity for the cuisine.

I knew that I had to be a part of it even though I was still nursing the remains of my illness. As guest relations manager, I feel it is important that I am up to date on any restaurant developments. Usually I am, but the sickness had struck in the days this suddenly transpired. In addition, I hoped that maybe I could come in handy. My knowledge of Todd English from the United States and my own experiences as a food blogger might be of use. Why not? I gave my manager a call and he agreed to let me come as long as I felt up to it physically.

Once more, I found myself with a backstage pass to a side of the food industry I had not fully considered before. Though the event began at 7, an array of chefs from all restaurants, servers, drivers, and other staff assembled at the restaurant at 5. They arranged massive wheeled coolers in the back hallway behind the restaurant. Then, they began moving food that had been pre-prepared from the kitchen and into the coolers. That took hours. It might sound simple but consider the following. Every single condiment, salt, herbs, any garnish, had to be accounted for. Like in the photo shoot, the components of the dishes had to be grouped together and labeled. And they somehow had to make it so that refrigerated items had a place in the cooler. It was like a giant jigsaw puzzle, but in the end every last food item was accounted for.

A catered event transcends food. In this case, we needed to bring all of our own cooking equipment as the party was located in an office building. The chef rounded up burners, microwaves, pans, and all items we would need in the space. The operations manager worked with the servers to pack extension cords, tables, and other miscellaneous items. They ultimately required an entire small truck, akin a small Uhaul, to fit everything.

I rode over with our corporate chef, Andy, and arrived after the servers and chefs had started to set up in the office. My jaw dropped as I walked in the door; the entire team was literally crammed in a small office, the restaurant recreated on a smaller scale in a mere room. Our “beverage section” stood to the direct left as I walked in the door. Bartenders worked hidden behind walls of soda cans, glasses, and juice. To my right, less than a foot away, was the “kitchen:” a table for plated food up front with another table with burners and equipment behind it. The chefs, too, were encased by boxes of food, the coolers, and, of course… office furniture. The servers, corporate chef, and I managed to find a space crammed between these two areas. (I spent much of my time in the back wedged between a bookshelf and shoulder-to-shoulder with a bartender.) It was truly a sight to behold.

The event proved sleek and sexy: the soft glow of a blacklight gave a blue tint to the party. Curved modern shoulder-height tables stood around the room for guests to lean and eat on. Club music drifted from a DJ booth in the corner. Guests signed a wall of the office in permanent markers- graffiti style- giving the space even more edge. When the hum of conversation started outside, our servers began going out with mini versions of some of our most coveted menu items: mezze platters, grilled shrimp, veal tenderloin, cocktails, sliders. I was mesmerized; the talented chefs had managed to recreate these complex plates as h'ors doeurves. Every component was accounted for in bite-sized potions.

I slowly made my way around the room, mixing my usual guest relations duties with the vibrant milleiu of a party. As I chatted with the bloggers, I made sure they were enjoying the food, having a good time, and publicized the restaurant. Although working, I had a blast. As a blogger and food writer, I found myself sharing stories with some interesting people. An amazing array of blogs were represented, and I learned about influential social media personalities in Kuwait. It was a great opportunity to network professionally and personally, both for the restaurant and myself.

Throughout the evening, the talented, dedicated chefs and servers hustled to send dish after dish out into the party. I counted at least 20 of our signature menu items and there were at least 50 people at the event. The climax of the evening was seeing some of our most famous, intricate desserts go out as bite-sized goodies. The “s’mores” dessert was recreated in all its glory: ice cream, smoked graham cracker, AND TOASTED MARSHMELLOW (perfected with a blow torch in the back) were all accounted for. Mini fried apple pies and chocolate tarts pleased the crowd as well. Like in the restaurant, the contrast between front and back of the house proved almost comical. Outside the doors of the “kitchen,” a chic, casual affair was underway. Behind the door, a loud, fast, full production unfolded at light speed.

Adam, the guest relations manager who worked with me from the American team, told me that I should “learn at least one new thing a day.” I thought back to his words affectionately as I considered everything I had learned in the span of a single evening.

Party on.