Pet’s Plates

Buddhamann
Corinthia 

Food: 9/10  
Location: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Value: 8/10
Overall: 10/10

Molecular gastronomy defies culinary norms. It is food alchemy. This creative, highly imaginative modern cuisine refers to an avant-garde way of cooking that blends science with the art of cooking, creating an innovative dining experience.

Chemistry, physics and food ingredients come together to produce modernist dishes that surprise with their unusual and sometimes unbelievable twists on traditional tastes, textures and cooking methods. The shockingly beautiful dishes that are the product of this type of cooking often instil awe and wonder.

Molecular gastronomy possesses a philosophy of its own, surprising and delighting the senses in a world of endless potential and possibility. This is haute cuisine.

At Buddhamann in St George’s Bay I was about to savour a Mai Tai cocktail. But this was no ordinary cocktail. This was a Mai Tai spherification. Excitement abounded.

The technique of spherification is the brainchild of Ferran Adria, the celebrated revolutionary chef of elBulli fame. This Michelin 3-star, world-famous Catalonian restaurant has been closed since 2011 but Adria is, none-theless, still renowned as a pioneer of the molecular gastronomy movement.

In his words, the idea behind this experimental cuisine is “to provoke, surprise and delight the diner”. Under his artisanship dishes as we know them have been completely deconstructed and reinvented, solids have been turned to liquids and flavours have been magicked into lighter-than-air foams.

The gelled molecular spheres of Mai Tai at Buddhamann were beautifully presented, each placed delicately on half a fresh lime. They were luscious, bursting in the mouth and instantly releasing the warmth of a traditional Mai Tai.  And what of the food? After enjoying some very agreeable pre-dinner drinks on the gorgeous terrace with a view overlooking the St Julian’s coastline, we turned our attention to the menu.

There is a lot going on here and I mean that in the best possible way. Buddhamann presents an exciting fusion of ethnic, Asian flavours with dishes that have been refreshed and reworked in such a way that they at once feel innovative and modern and yet retain a certain authenticity and familiarity.

On reading the menu, our taste buds were well and truly whetted.  And then a strange thing happened. All of us at the table seemed to be thinking the same thing as regards the delicate business of ordering food when everything on the menu has effectively tickled your fancy.

A unanimous vote was cast. Although the main course dishes sounded wonderful, we were so captivated by the intriguing starters that we decided to stop there and look no further.

A truly sensory and surprising dining experience

Our meal would thus consist of an assortment of beautiful starter dishes. From the outset, the army of waiting staff were impressive in their attentions, their courtesy and in their impeccable knowledge of both the food and the wine. We felt we were in safe hands and gave them carte blanche to dictate our dining experience.

Our meal of starters began to arrive and we dearly hoped that the food tasted as good as it looked. After the thrill of the Mai Tais, we moved on to the salmon sashimi.

It was glorious and accomplished in its different textures. Delicately sliced salmon slivers marinated in white miso were served on a salmon skin cracker that was crispy and light, each bite freshened by a hint of lime. The cuts of tuna were equally as delicious and served alongside some smoked Japanese Wakame seaweed jelly that was sweet and a delight to eat.

The duck confit and foie gras crispy wanton was delightful and packed with flavour. Biting into the perfectly crisp pastry casing revealed a meltingly soft foie gras and confit centre. It was simply divine! A red currant and aged mustard emulsion completed the dish.

Virtually anything can be tartared, as long as you’re cooking with good quality meat or fish. The tuna tartare and guacamole dish was heavenly, spiced with a pickled green chilli jus and served with a wafer-thin and extremely light mini ‘air-baguette’; another conception of the elBulli kitchen.

The large futomaki sushi roll of crab rolled with mango, red chilli and coconut jelly was composed of the freshest ingredients and provided a perfect balance of flavour.

The boneless quail tandoori was quite exceptional! It shall forever remain etched in my memory. Cooked in a traditional tandoor oven, the resulting meat was extremely tender and sweetened with a sauce of red currant, pomegranate and ginger.

Beautifully plated, the flamboyant lobster popcorn platter was a showstopper and worthy of a table centre piece. The colours were sensational and the taste lived up to the gorgeous presentation. The bite-sized fried morsels of sweet lobster were just moreish, tossed in a lemon and chilli marmalade that added just the right touch of heat. We ended our dinner with some pineapple carpaccio. It was simple, refreshing and delicious.

Buddhamann food is about far more than just filling up. The entire meal had been absolutely fabulous and the night had resulted in a truly sensory and surprising dining experience. We took time to truly enjoy every minute of this lavish meal.

There is a boldness to the cooking here, a solid confidence. I like their approach to food.  Each dish was original and quite faultless and cooked with flair and finesse.

The wow factor was certainly not lacking. This is precisely the sort of food that would photograph beautifully.

Buddhamann is an expensive place to dine at, but it is not overpriced. When you consider the exceptional quality of the food, the fine ingredients, the outstanding service offered by the staff and the stylish location, the restaurant’s priceyness all suddenly seems rather reasonable.

I would like nothing more than to sample each and every item on the Buddhamann menu. I’ll be back again and, next time, I’ll make it a point to reach the main course offerings.

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