Good – but not as good as ‘promised’: Restaurant Plums @ The Ritz Carlton (2. November 2017)
The plums is, apparently, among the best restaurant in Manama. And while i must admit that it is really decent, I wouldn’t rate it among the best. They are definitely taking care of you in the process of you entering the hotel and they assist you very well in bringing you to the restaurant of your choice. Once arrived, it was a bit of a ‘no responsibility’ moment so it took them a bit to assign us to a table. Once that was done and we had placed our order, a “scallop mousse” was served as an amuse bouche and it was definitely tasty.
The “beef tartare (prime beef, French seasoning, fries, egg yolk)” (14.50 BHD) is a bit on the more expensive side but it is worth trying it. The beef is cut rather chunky but due to its taste and smoothness, that doesn’t impose a problem or dampens the experience. The creaminess of the egg yolk mixed under the beef really makes it a decent starter.
The “French fries” on the other side which are served as a side to the tartare wouldn’t be necessary respectively are rather dull and not that appealing.
As a main, I went for the “Irish Grass-fed dry aged tenderloin, 220gr” (21.00 BHD) which was – well, not really all that great. The beef is admittedly tender but although it looks grilled, it doesn’t taste much like it was grilled and it lacks this ‘own meat taste’. So it is tender meat, yes, but dull in flavour. Which is really a pity. Plus, I am personally not a 100% sure that it was really 220gr … but then again, I didn’t weigh it, so no clue.
The “creamed spinach” (2.60 BHD) looked very tasty. Unfortunately, I was so focused in the conversation we’ve had, that I completely forgot to try the spinach. A true pity.
For dessert, we asked for a “cheese plate” and that was really a joke. I mean, it looked somewhat decorative and artsy but really? That is all you have / can get? The cheese was nothing special, lacked variety, and the dry cookies and grissini were really a disappointment. At least there were fresh strawberries which I liked for dessert.
The bread and spread was nice as they served two different types of butter (not sure which ones anymore).
The highlight of the evening was the bottle of “Tignanello, 2013” (200.00 BHD). Especially as the original plan was that we’d share it but then it turned out that I would have to drink it almost alone as my table company was having a flight later that evening. Worth trying definitely, but 200 BHD seems a bit over the top to be honest.
When it comes to the service, they were really trying to make things happen – no question with regards to that. So there is a service orientation and flexibility to find a solution for the guest’s wishes and requests, however, there was one issue at hand in terms of the ‘regular service’. There was really no attention in terms of the table, no re-filling of wine, no re-filling of water. Not what I would expect from a Ritz Carlton.
All in all, the Plums is a decent restaurant with a nice atmosphere, service oriented towards fulfilling your wishes but not so much in terms of doing their ‘actual job’ which is serving you in a restaurant the way you are supposed to be served in a restaurant. And while the food is decent, it is definitely not as good as you would expect it to be, respectively as it should be. Luckily, the Ritz Carlton has a couple of other restaurants in the hotel which I am intending to try soon.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Plums @ The Ritz Carlton
Bldg. 112
King Mohammed VI Ave
Block 428
Al Seef District
Manama (BH)
Tel.: +973 17 58 64 99
E-Mail: rc.bahrz.restaurant.reservations@ritzcarlton.com
Homepage: http://www.ritzcarlton.com
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
