High-quality ingredients, stylish décor and a warm welcome were on the menu when Liz O’Reilly visited Mr. Tailor Steakhouse.

Heading to Mr. Tailor Steakhouse through the lobby of the Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha, it was good to see the property so busy and buzzing with the excited chatter of multinational guests, their different languages lending a festive vibe to the impressive space.

Once inside the restaurant, I was immediately impressed with the amount of thought that has gone into providing numerous different seating options, from an opulent mirrored drinks area, where black-and-white illusion flooring gives an Art Deco feel, to semi-private booths, tables and banquettes in a more open area, ensuring every type of gathering is catered for.

The plush green and cream seating is both comfortable and striking and the atmosphere is very much chic and refined with an undercurrent of fun. The music choice – vintage David Bowie on my visit – adds to the sense of slightly off-beat hipness, while shards of light from a glittering chandelier bounced off numerous black-and-white images of Hollywood icons exciting discussion about who’s the absolute coolest – it’s Marlon Brando, in case you were wondering.

We chose to make the most of the gorgeous winter weather and took a seat outside to await the selection of dishes the chef had prepared for us, beginning with an amazing amuse-bouche of octopus brioche – a morsel of tasty, chewy octopus in a crispy and a flaky croissant-like bombe – accompanied by three different butters, one of which was dotted with flavourful black nori, a fresh combination to which I kept returning.

The Haikado Scallops that followed were almost too pretty to eat. Cooked and presented on the shell, with smoke billowing for the perfect Instagram shot, they sat in a delicious creamy sauce with matsutake mushroom and Ikura caviar. The seafood was tender and sweet, perfectly complemented by the tart saltiness of the caviar. And the quality of this dish gave a great indication of what was to come.

Beef Cecina, aged, cured meat, was served hanging from a cute mini stand accompanied by shaved curls of Swiss cheese. Fabulously rich and lightly salty, a generous dollop of homemade kumquat marmalade really brought out the flavours of both meat and cheese, a genius, palate pleasing stroke.

Beef Tartare plated at the table and served with super thin toasted sourdough topped with a quail’s egg was simply sublime, the perfect combination of seasonings rendering the high-quality raw meat superbly tasty and digestible.

Next up, Wagyu Maki introduced a whole range of elements – a topping of fried asparagus strands added a salty, crunchy touch providing the perfect textural foil to the beef, which was buttery, tender and flavourful. Combined with avocado and cucumber, wrapped in a wafer-thin layer of beef and set atop a nori leaf, this whole experience was a treat for the taste buds that was subtly elevated by a topping of black caviar and an amazing homemade sauce, the ingredients of which are a closely guarded secret.

I honestly could have eaten just these; they were beautifully satisfying and the whole range of flavours incorporated in each roll gave the feeling of having enjoyed a complete meal with each mouthful.

For our final savoury dish, we chose the 8+ Wagyu fillet which was a celebration of the Earth’s bounty. The deep marbling oozing flavour-filled juices, my knife literally slid through the tender, succulent meat bringing an explosion of subtle gaminess. Served alongside it was a rich marrow bone, the umami creaminess perfectly offsetting the intensity of the meat. The accompanying king oyster mushrooms added a sweet, harmonious depth alongside a crunchy vegetable selection and the bright, herbaceous tang of chimichurri, which cut through the richness of the plate.

There really should not have been room for dessert but I am a big fan of raspberries and simply could not resist the Belgian Chocolate Raspberry Cake – although, I have to admit, I didn’t try very hard.

A thing of great beauty, the rich mousse and sponge cake was topped with sticky chocolate ganache and fresh berries alongside chocolate crumb and raspberry coulis. I can honestly say, I am smiling just writing about it. If it’s possible to taste dark sweetness, this was it, and the berries and other fruits alongside provided a wonderful contrast. We really could not have asked for a better conclusion to our meal.

From arriving at the chic drinks area with its gold and green high stools, to the warm welcome and personal attention from the chef to the wonderful quality of absolutely everything we were served, Mr. Tailor was an experience of cosy, sophisticated gastronomy from beginning to end. I cannot recommend it highly enough and can’t wait to return. ✤

GO: CALL 4429 8666 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION.