The new season calls for a palate refresh! and that’s exactly what Executive Chef Corey had in mind when introducing over six brand new dishes at BEDU.
Adding his modern twist to traditional Middle Eastern cuisine, the new lighter dishes offer the same impactful flavour, synonymous with the menu, but bringing in seasonally sourced ingredients and a refreshing update to long-standing signatures.
Adding to the famous arsenal of savoury yoghurt dips is the Pistachio & Garlic Labneh (HK$55). Hung for six hours, the labneh is silky smooth, with an added crunch of crushed pistachios and dukkha seeds, flavoured with cumin, coriander and white sesame. Best enjoyed as a base for bigger protein dishes, or simply mopped up with toasty homemade flatbread.
Seafood is a popular choice on the BEDU menu, so the introduction of the Salmon Kibbeh Nayeh (HK$145) is much-anticipated. A modern take on the authentic Kibbeh Nayeh - originally made with minced beef - fresh diced salmon offers a delicate spin on the hearty traditional dish. The silky raw fish is mixed with quinoa grains and served with a zesty pomegranate, white balsamic and beetroot dressing, poured tableside. Guests are encouraged to toss together and scoop up with paprika and mint sourdough crisps.
The much-loved chicken skewers have also had an upgrade, the new Harissa Glazed Chicken Skewers (HK$140) bring a little extra fire with a Harissa marinade (Tunisian hot chili pepper paste). Coating the juicy chicken thighs before they are brined, baked, then finished off on the grill adding a smoky char on the outside and a succulent bite. To balance, an airy labneh made with local black garlic cools the heat, whilst fresh dill cuts through the spice.
Chef Corey also gives the classic mountainous Lebanese cucumber salad a makeover, replacing the traditional ingredient with to-die-for tomatoes. BEDU’s Ox Heart Tomato (HK$120) is a bright salad with refreshing punches of sweetness and zest, embodying springtime on a plate. Selecting only those ripe to perfection, the ox heart tomatoes are sweet and tart with just a hint of tanginess. Meddled with seasonal watermelon radish, raw red onion, mint and parsley, the salad is then doused in a sambuca anise and cardamom dressing for a little extra acidity.
While most Middle Eastern desserts are more sticky and sweet, Turkish Kisses (HK$90) is better suited to the warmer climes of Hong Kong’s Spring. Chef Corey cleverly extracts the flavours of marshmallows without its toothsome sweetness by whipping it with Greek yoghurt and mascarpone cheese, giving it a light and airy consistency. It is then garnished with slightly acidic bursts of sliced strawberries and watermelon, dressed with rosé and dill before adding flame-torched toasted marshmallows atop.
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