Gaia: do the big things matter more than the little touches?

GAIA at DIFC – PR image

The issue with new Dubai restaurant GAIA is reflected in the name; the use of upper case letters echoes the focus on the glamorous aspects of opening a restaurant that unfortunately leads to finer details going amiss. GAIA in DIFC is under the helm of Dubai-based chef hero Izu Ani (think Carine, Lighthouse, Izu Brasserie, ex-La Serre and La Petite Maison) and his long-standing Greek chef de cuisine Oresti Kotefas with the backing of Bulldozer Group. The press release promises, “a modern taverna that serves authentic Greek cuisine with a contemporary approach. With a harmonious approach to flavours, carefully prepared plates are served in layers, so that each dish complements the previous to create a gastronomical experience.” Big words to match big letters.

The evening begins with one of my pet hates; security on the door and an intimidating mass of hosts and hostesses dressed to impress. I have a booking and the welcome tries to be friendly but they cannot help but look me up and down to see if I ‘fit’ into the fashionable enclave that lies within.

We are confidently shown to a table, but alas, it is not there. We stand there for what feels like an eternity, while being stared at by other diners. A table is found stuffed away in the corner and I have the smells, sights and noises of the kitchen galley to contend with for the rest of the night. Not to mention the fact that my slender frame does not even fit through the gap between the tables. For the rest of the evening, I must move the table if I wish to get in or out. In all honesty, I should have left there and then but I am here to review and I do not want to let FooDiva down.

Water is served without the option of choosing the cheaper option and predictably, local water is not available. I question the lack of choice and am informed that I can change the water if I wish. Too little, too late as the damage is done. It is clear where I, the diner, sit in the contest of profits versus customer choice. We order our food and hilariously, my wife’s main course arrives almost immediately. It is whisked away and in the madness of this, the expensive lobster salad is dropped and the bowl smashes on the floor. An intentional nod to the Greek tradition of plate smashing perhaps? Annoyingly, wine is not poured at the table which is a disappointment as I would love to see the label of the Greek Chardonnay.

We order fried seafood; a combination of calamari and whitebait. We order it because we love whitebait. When it arrives without any whitebait, we question this, and are told that whitebait is unavailable, so the kitchen has replaced it with the “freshest fish”. I still don’t know what fish it is, but it is bland. I query this and nobody seems to care (yet). The meatballs taste fine in their minty, tomato sauce but there is no reason to make me order this dish again.

For the main course, I am given assistance by a so-called ‘fishelier’. This is a title bestowed upon a man who might know about fish, but when I think about the training and expertise that goes into being a sommelier, I am reminded of the disparity between a nutritionist and a dietician. The ‘fishelier’ does not know if the fish is sustainably sourced or any information about the origin at all. It may have been a language barrier, but he tries to hook me onto some expensive monkfish despite me saying John Dory is one of my favourite fish. To cook it, he would use olive oil and salt, as that is all it needs, I am informed. My John Dory is served on a cold plate, is overcooked, under seasoned and anaemic – all that for a pricey AED300. The side dish of Mediterranean vegetables is the star of the show; an AED30 bowl of deliciousness. My wife eats more of my side dish than her own lobster salad (just bits of lobster in a salad, with a neutral dressing).

At this point, we are given complimentary desserts – but not ones that we could order ourselves – as they just appear after the mains. I would prefer to see a dessert menu and maybe order one of my own choosing, but I appreciate the intended gesture. The pistachio millefeuille is lightly whipped cream in some pastry and is somewhat refreshing. The coconut cake is served too cold and the vanilla ice cream is way short on flavour. I would expect to see flecks of vanilla in a high quality, restaurant-made ice cream.

We are asked for feedback by the plethora of supervisors and managers, which we give, and the bill is adjusted to remove the fried fish, the John Dory and obviously, the desserts are free. At this point, the concerns of the management are genuine and I think the team is shocked and disappointed to get it so wrong. We are invited to return in the future as a guest at the Member’s Club.

The atmosphere is dazzling at GAIA and the location in DIFC’s vibrant restaurant scene is excellent. Even when we leave after 10pm on a weekday, customers are at the door waiting for tables. The fish market looks sublime; the bar is packed and buzzing; and larger groups of people seem happier than the two diners squished into the corner. The price point if we had paid for all of our courses is AED375 per person (without alcohol) which is pricey, and this can increase significantly if you choose a different fish. The team cares enough to try and charm its way through the evening, but some serious work needs to happen to get the waiters understanding the food and to weave in the little touches that would lift food to another level. Chef Izu’s Lighthouse in D3 does this brilliantly with subtle herbs and citrus notes to bring their fish dishes alive. Service is confusing and chaotic with far too many people unsure of their role. As for the food, we are not presented with the promised harmonious flavours, careful plating, or anything that reflects a gastronomical experience. That is the problem with grand promises; they set the expectations very high for the diner. Overall, a disappointing FooDiva knife rating of 2 out of 5 for GAIA.

The decadent interior (expect a Greek version of La Serre) fits into the wealth of DIFC, but are these big things hampered by the lack of small touches? What matters to you when dining in high-end restaurants; the grand gestures or the finer detail?

Matt Broderick.

Who is guest reviewer Matt? A married man with an obsession for French wine and food, he loves nothing more than trying new restaurants and dishes with his wife and friends. Travel plans are always made around food and he can remember what he was doing on any given day by recalling the meal that he ate. His favourite chefs are Michel Roux Jr., Michael Bremner and Tom Kitchin. You can follow him on Instagram @finediningmatt

 

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It pains me to publish this review of @gaia_dxb from guest contributor @finediningmatt because 1? I am proud of my Greek-Cypriot blood, and 2? I (and my guest reviewers) are fans of @chefizu’s concepts. Anyway, impartiality is what I thrive on, and honest feedback is essential for this industry to mature. I had best let you read it (link in profile). ? “The issue with new Dubai restaurant GAIA is reflected in the name; the use of upper case letters echoes the focus on the glamorous aspects of opening a restaurant that unfortunately leads to finer details going amiss. GAIA in DIFC is under the helm of Dubai-based chef hero Izu Ani and his long-standing Greek chef de cuisine Oresti Kotefas with the backing of Bulldozer Group. The press release promises, ‘a modern taverna that serves authentic Greek cuisine with a contemporary approach. With a harmonious approach to flavours, carefully prepared plates are served in layers, so that each dish complements the previous to create a gastronomical experience.’ Big words to match big letters.” ? What matters to you when dining in high-end restaurants; the grand gestures or the finer detail? ? PR image @gaia_dxb?? #foodivareviews

A post shared by Award-winning food critic??? (@foodiva) on Nov 10, 2018 at 10:18pm PST

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