58
sur la terre good tastes
Officially opened on June 17, 2009 by His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Governors, The Capital Club offers its discerning, selectively-chosen members a combination of the most elite dining, relaxing and business experiences in the entire country. While taking a tour of the Club, we were immediately stunned by the breathtaking panoramic views through windows that bask the Club’s interior in either sunshine or starlight. At ground level, Manama may seem at some parts to be shrouded in dust and complicated by a heaving sea of humanity, but from above, its petite sprawl is truly inspiring. These views, however spectacular, still take a decidedly second place to the grandeur that glows inside the Club. The waiting area to the left of the lifts and the bar to the right are the first forays into the refined marriage of natural beauty and manmade cultivation. Meeting us at this focal point of finesse were the establishment’s General Manager, David Williamson, and Guy Guillemard, Chief Executive of Signature Clubs International, the parent company of the Capital Club. After a quick chat and a refreshing, freshly-squeezed orange juice later, we were whisked away from our seats by Membership Director Sonali Thadani and taken on a comprehensive tour that spanned both of the Club’s floors. Our journey began at the top, with the Signature Grill, where we would later be taking lunch. Serving cuisine with a classic-cum-contemporary European twist, Signature reminded us of one of those traditional supper lounges that found popularity in the early 20th century, and have once again become all the rage. Plush, leather cushions rest amidst robust
woods and rich granite, and under modern chandeliers. Whether set in an intimate alcove or an open dining space, meals are relaxed and made all the more delicious by the succulent surroundings. Around the Signature Grill, we received our first look at the multiple private meeting rooms, all of which are equipped with flat-screen televisions and mostly include business tools, such as whiteboards and telecommunications functions. Most of us should be so lucky to hold business meetings in such rich environs. Walking downstairs, past the intricate chandelier that hangs like a crystal carpet vertically between both floors, we immediately entered what will prove to be the favourite for the gentlemen members of the club. As Ron Burgundy once attested, true masculinity can only be reached via a verve rife with “rich mahogany and many leather-bound books,” and the library lounge on the lower floor has both in spades. The Club’s second restaurant, Anan, is closer to the cultural cuisine of the Middle East region. Focusing mainly on Lebanese fare, Anan is only slightly less ceremonial, but is no less sumptuous. One of the most uniquely arresting features of the Club comes in perhaps the strangest place of all: the bathroom. With sweeping vistas of Manama spreading out before you through windows similarly grand as those surrounding the interior restaurants and meeting rooms, never has the simple restroom been so freeing. The one constant in all of this diversity is the element of class and poise, which is exactly what Guy Guillemard was looking to create in the Capital Club in Bahrain. Having worked to create and facilitate similar lifestyles in