The top deck’s tables are full. A breathtaking view of the vast Arabic Sea sets a casual, yet magical, scene. Wafts of the charcoal-grilled steaks below rise to meet the guests in waiting. Modern Arabic music drifts in the air, covered by the chatter and celebrations of the evening.
Built in Calicut, India, Al Boom Steak & Seafood Restaurant set sail to Kuwait in 1979 and opened as a restaurant in 1982. Chef David Harnois brings global flavors to life aboard an exact replica of dhows that sailed the Arabic Sea until the twentieth century.
Inspired by Indian, Arabic, European and American cuisine, Harnois only brings quality to the table. Substitutes aren’t an option for the chef, especially when it comes to his meat and seafood selections.
“Quality is everything to me,” Harnois says. “I’d rather take something off the menu than have to find a substitute.”
He trusts the Certified Angus Beef ® brand to bring consistency to the table every time and a no-fail option in the Radisson Blu Hotel’s kitchen for all his chefs.
“We have a lot of young chefs coming through,” Harnois says. “I know that if I choose Certified Angus Beef, I’m going to get exactly what I got last time. It’s an assurance for me.”
Introduced to the brand in Russia, the chef knew he wanted to serve the brand when he took over Al Boom in 2003.
There was no one else using it in Kuwait. As demand grew, so did availability.
Today, guests at the restaurants recognize the logo on his menu and are starting to see it in other places.
“There is assurance and recognition with the brand. People know what they are going to get and where it comes from,” says Harnois.
The Certified Angus Beef ® brand’s logo is printed on his menu because he knows, as well as his guests, that if it’s not CERTIFIED, it’s not the best.
It keeps them coming back to Al Boom.
The crowd has shifted a bit over the last few years. Younger groups of friends come for an evening out and more families gather around the tables. International delegations often visit the renowned Kuwait restaurant.
What hasn’t changed is the desire for great beef.
The ribeye, tenderloin and sirloin traditional cuts are the most popular. The chateaubriand and the tomahawk are a couple of the specialty cuts on the menu, drawing those with adventurous palettes.
“You know you’re going to get quality with Certified Angus Beef,” Harnois says. “It might be a little more expensive, but you’re going to get what you pay for. Today, tomorrow, day after day, it will be the same product so you don’t have to worry. It’s consistency.”
In the changing global landscape, one constant in the kitchen is a good thing. Especially when it brings in the raving reviews and guests back to the top deck night after night.