On Friday March 22, Italian eatery Bocca launched a new Friday lunch menu that will soon catch the attention of health conscious diners in Abu Dhabi. Why? Their organic menu featuring starters, mains and desserts are made with completely organic products.
A trend that comes from what is called the Green Revolution, organic products are grown and made without pesticides, chemicals, additives or any unnatural treatments. Unfortunately, many food items found today reach our dinner tables via a long process of chemical treatment.
Apart from the outcry about the health risks potentially caused by chemical methods, many fans of organic produce argue that it has a significant impact on the quality and flavour of ingredients and foodstuffs. We certainly found evidence to support this claim on the Friday menu at Bocca with many common items, such as pasta and tomatoes, clearly packing more of a flavour punch than their non-organic counterparts.
Although promoted as a brunch, the only food station you will find is one with all sorts of fresh ingredients for making a salad. The rest of the menu is delivered to your table. Included in the items are mini pizzas made with tuna, mushroom risotto, lamb cutlets, beef carpaccio and seafood dishes. We sampled most of what was laid out before us and were pleasantly surprised. Even organic meat seemed to have a different flavour to its industrially-produced relatives. Everything tasted fresh and it was palpable that the health benefits of eating organic certainly enriched the dining experience.
Broken up into starters, mains, seconds and dessert, the menu is full of options that could satisfy a large gathering of different preferences.
All items are brought out in sharing portions, essentially bringing the buffet to your table, which is a welcome change from the norm.
The organic lunch is part of a worldwide initiative by the Hilton group to supply health conscious customers with adequate choices. As awareness about the health benefits of eating organic is growing across the globe, having the option to dine on purely organic produce is a prime solution to a market niche.
One of the biggest drawbacks that people face when opting to go organic is the substantially bigger retail cost. A box of six ‘regular’ eggs will set you back around Dhs3, whereas the same amount of organic eggs will cost Dhs16, although as organic products become more common-place on store shelves and are in larger demand, the price will invariably decrease. Currently the main source for natural foods in Abu Dhabi is Organic Foods & Café (www.organicfoodsandcafe.com), which sells a rich host of edible goodies that come with no health hazards or genetic modifications.
It is through a partnership with this store that Bocca is able to serve the menu it does.
For those who are adamant about switching to naturally grown foods, the experience is sure to leave a bigger dent in your wallet. Nevertheless, the health benefits incurred from making such a decision cannot
be undermined.
It is unfortunate that many food products we innocently buy today may be subject to bizarre chemical processes, such as genetic modification, in order to be mass-produced and provide a longer shelf life.
Ultimately, anyone who chooses to adopt the organic lifestyle will not only benefit from a healthier future, but also enjoy a richer culinary experience. The lunch at Bocca offers city dwellers an excellent option for enjoying a savoury meal without the chemical implications.
Organic lunch is Dhs299, Dhs149 per child. Noon-4pm. Bocca, Hilton Abu Dhabi, Al Khubeirah (02 681 1900).
More organic eats
Mazaraa Organic Products
Sell a host of fresh organic produce from Green Houses in Abu Dhabi.
Off Khaleej Al Arabi street, 6th street (02 447 9933).
Carrefour
The branch in Marina Mall has an organic section, usually filled with pasta, rice, cereal and other packaged goods.
Marina Mall, Ras Al Akhdar (02 681 3694).
Ripe
As well as a regular weekly stand at Jones the Grocer in Al Raha Gardens, Ripe has a great online catalogue and store that delivers on a weekly basis.
www.ripeme.com.
