Vive la patisserie!

The only thing missing in Brasserie Quartier is the low hum of short blade ceiling fans - just one thing short of perfection in creating an elegant, classic French restaurant ambience. It's one of the reasons we love Cafe Belge in DIFC. There's something calming about sitting under a ceiling fan. Call me a nostalgic fuddy duddy, but I'd take that over contamination-happy, manufactured central air any day.

In true Dubai fashion, there's quite a bit of pomp and ostentation in the St. Regis, perhaps to ensure you always make an entrance when you walk in. The Brasserie is much more tasteful - calm forest green booths and plenty of crisp whites and off-whites from the marble tops to the chic chairs. It makes you want to sit and ponder over your meal and enjoy it leisurely as opposed to scarfing it down.

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The staff maintain a fine line between doting and aloof, which, I guess, is a good thing. Moments after being seated, we were brought our drinks and given menus - simple, one page affair here, just the way we like them. There's a pretty good deal on business lunches, not available on the Saturday afternoon we were dining on, but still worth remembering for when the occasion arises. The menu is split into small plates, entree, sandwiches, salads and seafood platters. My lunch date decided to skip appetisers, so I ordered the Soupe à l'Oignon, or, in common parlance, the French Onion Soup. Now, I haven't had many French onion soups in Dubai, so I can't really compare with much clarity, but I can say that this was spot on in taste and not adulterated with any thickeners. Just onions, gruyere - a bit too much of it, in fact, making it a bit of a chore to eat - and a rich broth. A+ for taste, but good luck trying not to scald your tongue.

While I was trying to navigate the mesh of cheese and onions in a bowl, my date ordered herself the Fettuccine de Sarrasin aux Fruits de Mer (Seafood Fettuccine) and the Turbot à la Grenobloise for moi. There aren't many places in Dubai serving this delicate flatfish, so take the opportunity on offer and try it. There are also red meat (the skirt steak with chunky fries looked particularly good) and poultry options for those less inclined to seafood.

The fettuccine was overcooked and had turned pasty, which was a bit disappointing, but the seafood was fresh and tasty. The whole melange is present, from clams to octopus and shrimps, and it's all wonderfully briny and perfectly cooked, with a hint of chilli and parsley to round off the flavours. The Grenobloise - a classic French preparation with capers, butter, parsley and lemon, usually served with flatfish like sole and turbot - had just the right amount of bite from the acerbic capers and citrus freshness from the lemon. The fish was wonderfully flaky, with a well-done skin, but it wasn't seasoned. And neither were the new potatoes. Thankfully, the Grenobloise made up for that oversight.

Some of that aloof service suddenly returned in a flurry, clearing plates and what not, followed by a dessert cart full of delicious looking treats. We were tempted to try them all - and in case that isn't enough, there's a whole bakery/patisserie area that demands a whole afternoon by itself. Try the raspberry croissant. You can thank us later. We also tried a Crème Brûlee made with passion fruit - very good - and fruit cake served with the mandatory Crème Anglaise.

About two spoons into our desserts is when we realised that the real magic at Brasserie is at the patisserie - almost everything we tried was just top notch: a true pastry chef at the helm no doubt. The food could have been significantly better executed, especially considering this isn't just another fine dining spot in town, but is

attached to the St. Regis. However, we would definitely brave the extravagantly ostentatious hotel just for the delectable pastries. In fact, it might just be one of our new favourite afternoon tea spots.

rohit@khaleejtimes.com