In what can only be described as ‘the most perfect product of conscious coupling’, IDAM by chef Alain Ducasse, at its fifth floor perch atop the iconic Museum of Islamic Art in the Qatari capital of Doha, is just that. And then some more.
For its Mediterranean-Qatari fusion cuisine, with a touch of French je ne sais quoi, is all about muted elegance steeped in the Islamic golden age, totally devoid of pretence and unnecessary glitz. Much like the I.M. Pei-designed museum it is part of. IDAM, itself is born out of the synergy between a culinary world icon like Ducasse with the minimalist forte of another genius—Philippe Starck, who has designed the restaurant’s interiors.
This translates into an almost all-white colour palette, with an Arabic calligraphy printed black carpet and giant hoop chandeliers standing out against the otherwise subdued vibe of the place. There is also a great sense of verticality here with imposing geometric glass panels that partially run from the floor to the museum’s dome. Look beyond this glass curtain and one is afforded an unobstructed view of the blue waters of the Persian Gulf below.
Seated on ivory leather-upholstered, high backed-winged chairs, with stylishly mismatched water goblets placed in front of each of us, my party of eight and I were visiting for a weekday lunch. We plumbed for the slightly abridged four-course menu for QAR280 (£64) plus per person. For those with more time and inclination, there’s also a rather indulgent six-course one at QAR520 (£119) plus per person, but we never once regretted making the four-course option our pick.
We were soon informed that the word IDAM in Arabic translates as ‘generosity towards the care and attention paid to guests’ – a philosophy this restaurant lives up to with all its might. With a plethora of additional free bites and sips (strictly of the non-alcoholic kind, we were in a museum dedicated to Islamic Art, after all!) thrown into the fray, some punctuating a particular course, while others a delicious interlude between, all these added up to much more than just the four courses we had bargained for.
So, what unfolded before our eager eyes, as a build up to the first course, was a procession of pre-meal canapés and amuse bouche renderings. The former seeing everything from a very subtle tasting camel meat and foie gras-piped tartelette topped with camel meat floss, to perfectly crisp fondant potato cuboids stuffed with pureed artichoke.
The amuse bouche was a more-ish morsel of a beetroot gel sphere holding forth a mousse of goats’ cheese and celery. We chased this with a tiny vial containing an icy granita made from dried karkade (hibiscus) flowers and the omnipresent loomi (black Arabian lime). It was here that we began to see such token Qatari influences form the leitmotif of the meal.
Generosity, once again, showed up in the portly seared scallops that made up the appetiser course. The molluscs were drizzled table-side with a seaweed and beef broth for the ultimate surf ’n’ turf indulgence. We ate these using Puiforcat flatware and the rather quirky Le Thiers by Chambriard knives.
Ever the meat lover, I was wowed silent by the next, all-vegetarian, course of stewed ox heart cabbage. This one came plated, surrounded by a moat of an umami-rich seaweed (there we go again!) sauce, all topped with puffed rice, chopped green onion and a pistachio praline, that made for a multi-textural extravaganza.
For mains, I opted for the red snapper in citrusy grapefruit jus and roasted fennel. I found the slab of fish a tad tough textured and bland tasting, the singularly discordant note in an otherwise symphonic meal. I pinched a bite of the roast chicken main option off a friend’s plate and FOMO took over my entire being. It was perfectly tender and juicy, with its sides of celeriac and romaine lettuce in a rich, creamy sauce and showered with shaved, cured duck egg yolks grated ‘in situ’ by the attentive and well-informed servers.
For afters, it was a pick between the pear, smoked with black tea and black cardamom, and served with a buckwheat condiment or the signature Ducasse-esque soufflé. As I was still craving some more French-Qatari fusion, I went for the latter. This time, I made the absolute perfect choice and was presented with a gossamer delicate date soufflé that was perfumed with exotic tonka bean and served alongside a laban (fermented milk) sorbet, piped into a dainty rosette.
Just when we began to think ‘this is it!’ a server wheeled in a tea trolley laden with different types of tea from the Arabian-founded Tchaba Tea brand. There was also the super strong Arabic coffee for those of us who so preferred, however, I was content to sip on one of the signature blends of the tea that comes with yet another course of a wafer thin apple galette with a splodge of clotted cream. It is safe to say that I was in sybaritic heaven.
Days after my meal at IDAM, I chanced upon another meaning of the name. Apparently, in Bahasa Malaysia the word ‘idam’ conveys a sense of ‘intense longing’. A sentiment I feel to this very day for a meal that is, on so many levels, an elevated one.
Factbox
Address: 5th Floor, Museum of Islamic Art, Corniche Promenade, Doha, Qatar
Phone: +974 44224488
Website: idam.com
Instagram: @idambyalainducasse
Images courtesy IDAM and Raul Dias
