I was given the option to choose the venue for another farewell do in my honour hosted by The Empire Hotel’s former Executive Director, Hajah Norhayati bte PDH Husin.

In the list was a place I have never been to since it opened about a year ago or so — Saffron, the one and only Mediterranean restaurant in Brunei.

A very small group of close friends and colleagues were in attendance that night which made the dinner more intimate and relaxed. No formal speeches or testimonials . . . everyone was there just to have fun and enjoy the food . . .

Let’s have a look at the wonderful feast we had that night . . .

STARTERS

The starters we ordered in fact outnumbered the mains! These got us reminiscing once again about Falafel, the former and only Mediterranean restaurant in Brunei located at The Empire Hotel.

Vegetable Sticks and Hummus.

In Arabic, “hummus” means simply chickpea. The dish described in this article is more properly called hummus bi tahina (”chickpea and sesame”) or musabbaha.

It is a popular breakfast food, especially when combined with another dip named ful, which is based on crushed fava beans. It is also used as an appetizer dish to accompany main courses, and as part of a mezze.

Hummus is relatively cheap to make with either dried or canned chickpeas. Dried chickpeas are usually soaked in water overnight then simmered for an hour or more. It is also possible to cook chickpeas in a pressure cooker without the pre-soaking. The cooked or canned chickpeas are ground, using a food processor or hand blender, with olive oil, lemon juice, and tahini. A bit of the water in which the chickpeas were boiled may be added to reach the desired consistency. Garlic, salt, parsley, onions, cumin, and/or chili powder may be added.

The vegetable sticks and hummus were accompanied by Baba Ganouj [not in photo], a classic Middle Eastern dip made of roasted eggplant. Traditionally, the eggplant is first roasted in an oven for approximately 45 minutes. The softened flesh is scooped out, squeezed to remove excess water, and is then pureed with the tahini. There are many variants of the recipe, especially the seasoning. Possible seasonings include garlic, lemon juice, ground cumin, salt, mint, and parsley. When served on a plate or bowl, it is traditional to drizzle the top with olive oil.

This is a healthy snack that can be eaten in a variety of ways, including as a dip with whole wheat bread or crackers, spread on pita, or added to other dishes. It is usually of an earthy light brown color.

Falafel

Falafel is a fried ball or patty of spiced fava beans or chickpeas. It is a highly popular form of fast food in the Arab East. Falafel is also very common in Israel, being regarded there as a national food. The word “falafel” comes from the Arabic word “filfil” meaning pepper.

Falafel is also traditionally served as a filling ingredient in a pita bread wrap [i.e. sandwich], and the term “falafel” commonly refers to this sandwich by synecdoche; falafel in a pita is typical street food. Along with the falafel balls, which may be crushed onto the bread or added whole, various toppings are usually included. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a mezze. During Ramadan they are sometimes eaten as part of an “iftar,” the meal which breaks the daily fast after sunset.

Saffron’s very own Mediterranean Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken.

Crispy Fried Seaweeds with Almond Nuts.

Nothing much I can say about this dish except it was really wonderfully crispy and yummy!

Spinach Samosa. Filo puff pastries filled with spinach.

MAINS

Main courses at Saffron are served quite interestingly on beaten stainless steel show plates with matching conical dome covers.

Beef Stroganoff. Tender beef with mushroom and sour cream sauce served with crispy deep-fried potato strings, zucchini sticks and

Fish Skewers with Basmati Rice and Yoghurt Dip.

DESSERT

Caramelised Banana Split with Chopped Hazelnuts.

Another fun and tummy-filled night . . . Terima Kasih Hajah . . . !