PLAY Restaurant & Lounge Review
AskMen MiddleEast > Fine Living > Food & Drink > PLAY Restaurant & Lounge Review
Is 'Mediterrasian' cuisine something to get excited about?
Dushan Milinovich
PLAY Restaurant & Lounge boldly claims that "...in PLAY, you will never know what you will have today." There's great power in that statement, and also a sense of dread, as many other venues across the city tend to throw so much fanfare into their dishes, that they almost entirely forget about the basics such as flavor and texture. The venue's mix of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine is certainly an unusual one, but it's this almost forbidden pairing that leads to some of PLAY's most interesting dishes and tastes.
We started with some light beverages recommended by our server, while taking our time to pore over the menu in greater detail. You might find yourself feeling a rising sense of confusion and uncertainty while reading the unfamiliar headings here. No appetizer, salad, fish, or meat courses are offered as on a traditional menu, instead replaced with "Partager", "Crudo", and "Zesto" to name a few. It's a confusing mix of French, Italian, and Spanish, with the only familiar titles being "Raw Bar", "Maki Rolls", and of course the desserts. Thankfully the staff are quick with recommendations and explanations, so you'll be sure that you're ordering something that you will enjoy.
The first of the twelve headings on the menu is "Partager", a French infinitive meaning "to share". Appropriately named food items include Edamame, Steamed buns, Gyoza, and the popular Pita Surprise. The Pita Surprise is exactly that, surprising you by exploding into smaller pieces and ending up on your plate (or worse, your lap). Small bites are certainly recommended in order to retain the structural integrity of this appetizer, so keep this in mind. The duck gyoza was presented in such a way that a thin batter had been poured into the pan to create a crispy skin that bound the gyoza together – after a little bit of cutting we were able to extract the individual dumplings, which were well flavored and beautifully crispy on the outside. The first set of dishes were pleasantly tasty, and prepared us for the next round, "Crudo". Meaning 'uncooked' in Italian, this is where you'll find dishes such as Ceviche, Salmon Tataki, and raw Wagyu. We opted for the salmon tataki, which was lightly seared and drizzled in a sour jalapeno dressing that melded both tangy and spicy flavors to form a perfect accompaniment to the fish.
We chose the Crispy Duck Salad from the "Luce" section, which had a rather strong plum dressing on it, but paired beautifully with the fatty meat and seasonal salad leaves. From the "Aceite" section we chose the Black Cod Croquettes, which had a delightful miso flavor to them and were beautifully crispy. We also ordered a side of Truffle fries, which were lovingly dusted with truffle salt and parmesan cheese.
The offerings in "Jardiner", "Zesto", and "Mariscos" were quite interesting, but we deferred tasting the cooked vegetables, pasta, and fish. Instead we leapt over "Tierra" to dive into the "Raw Bar" and "Maki Rolls." The Fatty Tuna served here was succulent, soft, and tasted like the vastness of the ocean, almost instantly melting in our mouths. Any sashimi after the Fatty Tuna would certainly be unable to compare, so we followed with maki rolls of crab and salmon. They were well-constructed and tastefully balanced, requiring no soy or wasabi to enjoy them. Emerging from the ocean into "Tierra", we did finally try the beef. The Stanbroke Angus Beef Ribs were perfectly cooked, with a crisp sesame coating and spicy dressing, served with a refreshing spring onion salad.
While the food and drink at PLAY will certainly keep you transfixed, one thing that will occasionally break your attention is the live entertainment. Ambient music usually plays in the background during the course of your meal, but every half hour or so you'll be treated to a live singing act as you dine. The word 'treated' is used lightly here, as the live entertainment should absolutely be removed from the venue, or have their music list scrutinized properly before they perform. Our two entertainers for the night initially started off with a light mix of soothing numbers, before breaking into separate renditions of some Opera music followed by Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You". For an agonizing couple of minutes, you'll feel like you're in a karaoke bar instead of a fantastic dining venue, so we sincerely hope that the management reconsiders their choice of live entertainment.
With a final bit of lemon sorbet being all we could muster to sample from the dessert menu, our meal at PLAY came to an end. This wasn't a meal in the traditional sense, but more of gustatory exploration. Dining here certainly isn't on the cheap side, especially when you start factoring in your accompanying beverages. Despite this, PLAY is certainly an experience to remember, and worth checking out for that special night out.
PLAY Restaurant & Lounge, The H Hotel – call 04 336 4444