Overview:
Memories opened up recently on the third floor of Bahrain's City Center complex. The restaurant's menu consists of dishes originating from countries all over Asia. With there already being an Asian restaurant on the same floor just several meters away, I decided to give it a try to see if it can hold up against its competitor, Thai Chi.
Service:
I must say, Memories's service was pleasantly surprising. The appetizers arrived after a mere 5 minutes from ordering. The main course arrived 15 minutes after that - overall, 20 minutes for everything to arrive. This is an acceptable and above-average time, as we ordered 2 appetizers, 4 orders of rice, and 3 main courses. The waiter had a vast knowledge of the dishes on the menu and would give us advice according to what we were looking for. Another waiter even asked us if we needed anything half-way into our meal, something restaurants tend to neglect nowadays. Another employee, which I am guessing is the manager, asked us how the meal could be improved after we were finished. This implies that the restaurant is not too lazy to progress, which is a good sign. Memories is well on its way to earn its well-deserved 5 in service.
4.5/5
Presentation:
When the food arrived, I noticed that someone put some time into its visual appeal. The appetizers were placed in a cushion of fried rice noodles, festooned with carrot shreds on the side. In fact the food looked so aesthetically appealing that it looks like it was taken straight out of the pictures in the menu (if the menu had pictures). The main courses were also ornamented in a similar manner. One comment I would like to add is that the food didn't come steaming hot. It was warm, yes. But, whatever happened to the waiters rushing over to the table with piping hot entrees who's steam waft into one's nostrils and excites the salivary glands? It seems as if this image only appears in my fantasies, and can never be a reality.
4/5
Atmosphere:
Pretty much all of City Center's restaurants stumble in this category. It seems as if the fusion atmosphere is prevailing nowadays. Unfortunately, this is not good in my opinion. With practically every new restaurant bearing a modern decor, nothing is left to distinguish the Asian restaurants from - say - the Italian ones. In fact, the Cafe Italia next door sported a very similar ambiance. I like to feel in Asia when I am dining in an Asian restaurant, and likewise in Italy when I am eating at an Italian restaurant. It seems this style is dying nowadays and almost every restaurant is starting to sport these black/white curvy chairs and funky designs on the walls. Perhaps it's just a matter of taste...what do you think?
3/5
Food:
The appetizers were very light and enjoyable, getting my taste buds ready for the main course. The wontons and spring rolls were fried to perfection; they were not doused in oil - quite the opposite. The Szechuan Chicken was complemented with some oriental vegetables such as capsicum, carrots, and chili peppers. What throws this food's score off is the fact that the food contains a very strong sauce. The dominant flavor the sauce holds covered up the taste of the meat and vegetables. Soon, the sweet chili sauce was all I could taste. I even began tasting it in the other dishes. The food is exquisite, just one piece of advice: use less of the sweet chili sauce. Other than that, the food was very light, but not light enough to have you leaving on an empty stomach.
4/5
Pricing:
Expect to pay about 6 BD per person. The portions were relatively small compared to the other restaurants that I have reviewed. I don't see the justification of a 4 BD appetizer platter that only contains a handful of nibbles. The main courses also seemed small, but this is perhaps due to the large plates that the food was served on. The rice portions were larger than what I anticipated. They are roughly double the size of the portions at Hong Kong. Overall, the pricing is satisfactory.
3/5
Overall: 18.5/25
Think I was harsh? generous? Let me know with a comment below!
Reviewer: Yousif Al-Said
