Restaurant review: Bean There Bistro

If you've never heard of 'fine casual' dining, it's one more thing you can thank the millennials for. Restaurants are constantly innovating formats and the age of young adults wanting to enjoy the luxury of fine dining without having to shell out as much for the food is what seems to be driving this fairly recent trend. Now, Abela & Co - aka the same guys who bring you the famous IKEA breakfast (bet you didn't know that!) - are the latest to hop onto the fine casual bandwagon with their newest retail concept: Bean There Bistro at Millennium Airport Hotel, Garhoud.
One of the key components that fine casual places borrow from fine dining concepts is great décor - and the interiors at BTB are gorgeous. It's possible I'm biased: I love elements of wood because they just make you feel right at home - and this place has loads of wood, right from the furniture to the shelving and slants. A 'self-maintaining green wall' at one end - which has customised plants affixed to it vertically, and which has its own irrigation system (such magic!) - really adds to the ambience like a breath of fresh air. Add the large open windows through which sunlight streams in gloriously, and you'll just want to make the couch under the green wall your new workspace. (There's outdoor seating, by the way, which we're sure will be a right hit once the cooler climes set in - but for now, my colleagues and I are happy to settle at the long communal table in the room.)

BREATH OF FRESH AIR: The restaurant has a 'self-maintaining' green wall
The menu tasting session starts off with the signature Beef Bacon-Wrapped Dates that are stuffed with toasted almonds and sprinkled with crumbled blue cheese. Definitely not a combination we'd have thought works, but it does - and the dish is a must-try just for the unique salty-sweet mix it brings to your palate. Colleague One and I find the Vegetable Pakoras (with mint chutney) and Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls (with blue cheese dressing) tempting enough to finish off, while Colleague Two is singing the praises of the sautéed golden brown Crab Cakes (with sun-dried tomato aioli) because she could taste "actual crab meat, as opposed to the frozen crab sticks that are often used to make crab cakes".
A variety of mains are brought out next, and I have to take a slight detour here to say: ever since I started my '90 per cent veg' journey a year back, I've usually had to settle for a bland salad or a plain pasta at most restaurants, as they struggle to dish out innovative offerings for their non-meat-eating customers. I love that that wasn't true here. Sure, the veg mains did consist of salads, sandwiches and pastas - but the difference was that each one seemed very well-thought out, and not just cobbled together and plonked on the menu for the sake of it. In my book, that's what's going to make me come back again.
It's rather hard to not recommend any of the veg offerings either: whether it's the Quinoa and French Lentil Salad or the Marinated Beet and Goat Cheese Salad; the Caprese Ciabatta (i.e. vine ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and aged balsamic on deliciously grilled ciabatta bread) or the open halloumi and moutabel sandwich; or even the Penne Con Tomate Fresca (with its eggplant, cherry tomatoes and basil slathered in sauce) - pick blind, because you're honestly good to go.
Of the dishes my colleagues sampled, the slow-cooked Crispy Half Chicken "stole the show" with its excellent seasoning and interesting sides of ratatouille and garlic mashed potatoes. The restaurant also offers what they call Travellers Chicken, which takes its inspiration from both India and the Caribbean isles - but although the meat is quite tender, it couldn't beat the aforementioned star. Colleague One declared the salmon "very good", especially with its beurre blanc (white butter) sauce. The BT Burger is prime Angus meat served on a brioche bun with fries that will fill you right up; it's very well done but, as Colleague Two pointed out, just as good as any other out there. The last sampler, the Lone Star Chili Pot, consisting of tender minced beef seasoned with chillies, onions and tomatoes, ticks all the boxes that this comfort dish should - these guys, however, serve it with corn bread. There's something you won't find everywhere!

SAVOUR EVERY BITE: (from left to right) Quinoa & French Lentil Salad, Lone Star Chili Pot, Red Velvet Cheesecake
The desserts menu offers options you'll get at most places - but they're way too good to even think of missing. Each of us had our firm favourites, so we couldn't really pick a winner. Colleague One loved the Apple Delite - warm, sautéed apples with caramel sauce, served with a hint of cinnamon, in a jar. Colleague Two was lost to the world, thanks to her cup of rich and creamy dark chocolate mousse. I'm willing to bet though that if you try the wonderfully moist red velvet cake like yours truly did, you too would tip the scales in its favour. It has a slight twist that makes it special, which I won't reveal, but here's a hint: it's all in the frosting!
Prices are slightly upscale, but that's typical of a fine casual place, which usually values items somewhere between the fast food and fine dining range. One last word: despite all we ate (and we only did so because it was a menu tasting, not a review, like we're used to!), the dishes still sat fairly lightly on the stomach. We were promised healthy food - I believe they delivered.
What we liked: Refreshing ambience, well-thought out vegetarian options
What we didn't like: We're hard-pressed to tell
Cost for two: Dh150-200
Contact: Bean There Bistro, Millenium Airport Hotel, Garhoud, Tel: 04-7028735
Rating: 4/5
karen@khaleejtimes.com