Liz O’Reilly encountered a fusion of exceptional flavours on a recent trip to Novikov.

Walking into Novikov Restaurant and Beach Club, at The St. Regis Doha, I was immediately struck by the abundance of greenery, giving the place an outside-in feel, with plants arranged around the walls and cascading from the ceiling. The lighting is also a distinct feature with cocoon-like, mesh lanterns casting a subdued but welcoming glow as they hang from an interesting wagon wheellike structure above.

With the return of balmy desert evenings, we chose, like many others, to enjoy the buzzing al fresco dining area where laughter drifted from neighbouring tables and contemporary music added to the atmosphere.

On the outside terrace, a bamboo-panelled, pagoda-style roof, decked with round wicker lights, spoke of Novikov’s origins and General Manager Alessandro Zavarise explained how the concept was born in London’s Mayfair, in 2011. The brainchild of Russian hospitality veteran Arkady Novikov, whose vision was to have two restaurants in a single venue – one serving Mediterranean cuisine, the other focussing on a pan-Asian menu. Over time, guests in one would request items from the other and Novikov’s international outlets now offer the best of both worlds – which we discovered in Qatar with a menu boasting the likes of beef carpaccio with rocket and truffle alongside yellowtail coriander, from the Raw Bar, or classic Caesar Salad alongside a selection of dim sum and more.

Culinary Combinations

We began our feast with Wagyu tacos served with guacamole and chipotle. The shells of the crispy, mini tacos perfectly complemented the melting beef within, the creaminess of the avocado and the smoky heat of the chipotle drawing out the excellent succulence and flavour of the meat.

Next to the table was burrata with ripe pomodoro, the quintessential Italian flavour of oregano and baby basil leaves all coated in super-high-quality extra virgin olive oil with a sprinkling of Maldon salt. Breaking through the solid outer casing of the cheese, I watched in delight as the creamy inner ran onto the plate before plunging my fork into one of the sweet, pepper-flecked tomatoes and scooping up the velvety goodness. Superb. As we waited for our next delicious morsel, Alessandro served us one of Novikov’s signature mocktails containing passionfruit, dragon fruit, coconut water and alcohol-free gin. Pretty, pink and decidedly moreish, it was a very welcome taste break between courses.

Arancini are a popular Italian street food and a great favourite of mine, so I was delighted to see these bite-sized breaded risotto spheres heading towards us. But, like with so much else on the menu, these are not just any arancini, they’re Novikov arancini, which means they come with truffle and wasabi mayonnaise to draw out the crunchiness of the outer coating and the creamy, oozing centre. The truffle lent a sweet smokiness to the cheese adding that certain something to an already fabulous dish.

The rare fungi made another appearance in the Hamachi Yuzu Truffle Roll, a sushi roll with soya mayo, avocado, spring onions and truffle dressing. I’d requested minimal rice, the better to fully appreciate the superbly tasty filling combination which, with the tiniest dab of wasabi to accompany the rich, slightly sour fish, made for the perfect mix.

The Seared Salmon Avocado Roll that arrived alongside was equally impressive, though we decided to take the fish raw rather than cooked to make the most of the creaminess that comes from its high fat content. Served with soya, mirin, avocado and sesame seeds, the sweetness of the mirin played on the nuttiness of the seeds to truly bring out the best in this luxurious, slightly citrusy fish.

Sweet Sensations

Having seen the dessert menu, we decided to forego a proper main course so we could do full justice to the sweet offerings. And what a good decision this turned out to be. Swathed in a cloud of seriously Instagrammable dry ice, a tray of goodies arrived at the table and we couldn’t wait to dive in.

The chocolate fondant cake, oozing and indulgent, and the sticky toffee pudding, with lush, sweet dates giving a nod to regional mores, were immediate hits at our table. I was also intrigued by the Matcha Brûlée, which is something I’ve not tried before. The addition of green tea gives a pleasant, earthy bite to cut through the rich smoothness of the brûlée. Served alongside a generous helping of fresh fruit and indulgent, creamy dollops of vanilla and homemade Nutella ice cream, each sweet offering was a triumph.

I have to say though, for me, the Mango Tiramisu was the star of the show. Since I don’t like coffee, I often feel slightly deprived when my friends are gleefully tucking into the traditional version. So, I took full advantage of the coffee-free option with its light but creamy mix of ladyfingers, mascarpone and deeply satisfying mango purée. A total triumph that I’d be happy to repeat.

Not surprisingly, we lingered over dessert with our teas and coffees as the terrace slowly emptied around us. Then, as we were ready to leave, Alessandro was back offering to show us the newly opened beach part of the beach club, which looks stunning – sun loungers, blue waters and amazing food, what more could you want.

It was the icing on the cake of our visit to an extraordinary venue where east meets west and offers the best of both worlds. ✤

GO: CALL 6691 6867 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION.