All-American dining at its finest

As Ramadan approaches, it’s time to start compiling a list of Iftars that you want to try. For fans of All-American feasts, Firebird Diner by Michael Mina should definitely be on yours.

When you think of typical American food, burgers and fries are a given. The Four Seasons’ Firebird Diner has managed to keep its Iftar menu in line with its retro theme but offers a twist on classic dishes. It offers so much more than you might expect.

The last thing you want after a day of fasting is to indulge in heavy and rich food. Firebird’s menu starts you off with proper comfort food, but it’s light and sets you up nicely for the following courses. It’s a really unexpected and unconventional Iftar and is actually quite exciting. 

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You have to try this for yourself

We started our meal with a grilled cheese sandwich dunked in tomato soup. Sounds kinda simple, right? Wrong. The skill was evident in making sure the sandwich wasn’t too heavy and the soup wasn’t too rich. It’s a fine balance and Firebird had already won us over.

Next came the chicken lollipop and tempura prawns, followed by rice and perfectly cooked asparagus. Keep in mind; these are all just the starters, so it’s a good idea to pace yourself. Every dish was prepared beautifully, and it was nice to have a wide range of flavours and textures. Every bite was different making the meal a really interesting experience.  

The mains consisted of grilled chicken on a bed of mac ‘n’ cheese, BBQ braised babyback ribs and grilled salmon with new potatoes. Each dish looked gorgeous and tasted even better. The chicken was the only low-ish point (and that’s scraping the barrel) but it might just have been because the ribs set the bar for main courses. For life.  They were so good, they deserved a round of applause, but all we can really say is, just try them. And thank us later.

Just when we thought we were getting all fooded out, the desserts arrived. The chocolate torte was creamy and rich, but the strawberry shortcake ice cream combo really took us by surprise. It was stunning; light and refreshing and the best way to round off our extensive meal.

Going back to basics

It’s not just the food (although that is reason enough) – the setting is another excuse to visit Firebird. The red leather couches and tiled floor transported us back in time, and to make it even more authentic, there was even a jukebox! What more could you want?

Firebird is also launching a ‘Business Breakfast’ set menu, which we assume would probably make us late for work, if the Iftar offering were anything to go by.

Firebird defies stereotypes that old-fashioned American dining consists of heavy and unhealthy food. The Iftar menu offers tasty, comforting and interesting alternatives, and in short, it’s good food that will make you smile.