Melissa Nazareth dined at Gallery 21, an aesthetic paradise tucked away in Bahrain’s artistic district and popular restaurant hub Block 338.

Gallery 21 has four concepts: Gallery 21 Restaurant, Genwa Moroccan Lounge and Restaurant, Art Gallery, and Mai Tai Lounge by Trader Vic’s. My colleague and I went there for lunch. We sat at Gallery 21 Restaurant, a sprawling Mediterranean garden, with live walls, ridged columns, French windows and garden statues. The palm trees added an Arabian touch, gently reminding us that we were still in Bahrain. We learned that the ‘convertible roof’, which is a glass roof through which the light streams in, is a recent development. It can be opened in cooler weather. There are two rooftop areas as well, including the Mai Tai rooftop.

The whole venue has an artistic aesthetic, from the striking exhibits at the Art Gallery to the interior decor detail such as the lit, wooden wall fitting in the lobby; designed as what appeared to be the keys of a piano. The showstopper was a vintage convertible car, black and shiny with crimson upholstery and metallic accents – truly a work of art!

Our lunch started with the Arugula Salad, an interesting combination of peppery local jarjeer or arugula with salty feta and parmesan shavings, refreshing cucumber, sweet and tart dried cranberries, sharp and tangy pickled onions and toasty pine nuts. They say, the soul of any salad lies in the dressing and this was tossed in a zingy-sweet jarjeer pesto and honey balsamic dressing – soulful indeed!

Next, came the Gallery Combo Bits, a great platter to share. It featured unique creations: Cigar Smoke Ribs, a thinly rolled, crispy filo pastry stuffed with tender, flavourful pulled beef; Jalapeno Chicken Popper, which had a bit of a kick to it and was my favourite from the lot; sweet potato and tuna balls, which my colleague particularly enjoyed; a deep-fried, Doritos-crusted feta brick, which gave this simple cheese a modern, fun touch; and rice blocks, fried and topped with crab, which tasted quite a bit like sushi. The thin-crust Tandoori Chicken Tikka pizza followed. It was cheesy but light and the chicken was succulent and mildly spiced. After this, we were presented with Seafood Royal, which featured lobster tail, jumbo prawns, seabass, salmon and baby squid, all grilled. I particularly enjoyed the seabass, which was oh so fresh and cooked to perfection. These treasures of the sea were accompanied by wilted spinach, creamy mashed potato and a lemon butter sauce. However, the seabass, moist and flaky, didn’t need any accompaniments. The long slices of fried plantain used as a decorative element were crispy and moreish.

We then moved on to mains, the first of which was Fish Sayadieh. We were told it’s a very traditional Lebanese dish, evident from the burst of flavours in the first spoonful. In true Gallery 21 style, it was presented in a modern way – the rice as a cake in the centre, fenced by cubes of salmon, garnished with crispy, caramelised onions; traditionally, the rice is plated first and topped with the fish. Gallery 21 doesn’t play with the authenticity of the flavours but presents traditional creations in a contemporary style, making it appealing to a wider audience. There’s a plate for every palate here! We loved the smokey, sweet flavours from the onions, which added texture too, as did the nutty cashews tossed in the rice.

The seabass, needless to say, was fresh and complemented the lightly spiced rice. Our second main course was the Sous Vide Baby Grilled Chicken. Sous vide is a cooking technique that immerses vacuum-sealed protein into warm water to slowly cook meat or fish to a very consistent level of ‘doneness’. It’s no surprise that our chicken was perfectly cooked, juicy and tender with white insides. Our server informed us that it was marinated in chicken bone broth among other elements. The sauce, savoury and thick, was flavoured with spices such as paprika and herbs such as rosemary. Complementing and balancing this powerhouse of flavours were egg fried rice and grilled veggies. The former was presented in a fried tortilla shell and garnished with crispy-fried okra spears – don’t skip these!

Our last dish was BBQ Glazed Beef Short Ribs. Sat on a bed of minty pureed peas was a rack of melt-off-the-bone short ribs. The skin was crispy and the meat melted in my mouth. The BBQ sauce lent a shine to the ribs, spotlighting the hero of this dish, as well as a moreish sweetness, which was balanced by the tangy dehydrated cherry tomatoes. On the side, there was a baked potato, topped with sour cream and melted cheese, the perfect carby co-star to this hearty protein. Our luncheon adventure extended beyond sunset and, as the day turned into night, the restaurant transformed into a completely different space, with purplish-hued lighting and golden chandeliers.

As well as a wide selection of classic dishes and a pretty Afternoon Tea offering, Gallery 21 also has an extensive take-away menu. Further, they host gatherings of various scales, brunches and business lunches. ✤

GO: CALL 1771 1600 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION.