Chef Filippo Rassetti talks about his latest menu at Luna Dubai

Four Seasons Hotel Dubai International Financial Centre has launched a new menu at the rooftop lounge, Luna Dubai. Chef Filippo Rassetti talks about some of the highlight dishes from the new menu.

Smoked Short Rib Croquettes with jus and “srirachonnaise”

If something takes four days to make, it simply has to be worth the effort and patience required to make it. In this case it is worth the wait in gold. It all started when the Chef overheard one of his team members boasting about trying the best croquettes in the world at a rival establishment. The challenge was on and this masterpiece was born. The short rib is marinated for 24 hours, smoked for 12 hours, and braised for another 12 hours the next day before they are moulded into croquettes on day four. The result is a croquette that bursts with unexpected smokiness and flavor, the type that makes one pause for a second and really relish the moment. The srirachonnaise sauce is the perfect accompaniment, adding both sweet and spicy notes to complete the flavor trident.

Spicy Tuna Tartare served on a tapioca crisp, with spicy sauce, sesame, chives

This recipe is an evolving one that has been experimented on with incremental changes for years. The fish is a fresh Maldivian yellowfin and is marinated in kombu water, ponzu and chili paste to achieve the perfect acidity and spiciness level. To add a crunchy texture, the tuna is laid on a house-made squid-ink tapioca crisp, giving guests the option to treat this gourmet classic as a finger food.

Salmon Café de Paris with za’atar mash, beetroot, asparagus and light bisque sauce

Café de Paris butter, a flavored butter most commonly associated with steak, is mischievously used in this stand-out salmon dish. Luna’s take on the butter features 32 ingredients that completely coat the salmon fillet.  Mascarpone mash potato, pickled onion, baby beetroot, asparagus and a garnish of za’atar give freshness to the dish. A light bisque and herb oil split-sauce is brought in, to give sweetness and balance the overall acidity.

Takoyaki Bites feature flavored octopus bites, bonito flakes, Japanese mayo, tonkatsu sauce

The takoyaki bites are methodically prepared over a period of three days. The homemade dashi is refrigerated for 24 hours to achieve the required taste. On the second day, the dashi is added to the batter with pickled ginger and ground bonito while the octopus undergoes a six-hour sous vide. On the final day the octopus is chopped and moulded into the takoyaki balls.

The Risotto with Porcini mushroom, truffle, chanterelle (V)

Chef Rassetti took stock in perfecting his risotto dish. Quite a literal statement, it actually is the stock used to cook the risotto that makes it so special, with kombu water and porcini mushroom creating an immersive flavor mixture. Porcini mushroom, girolle mushroom, shimeji mushroom and summer black truffle are all used, with a home-dried porcini powder really pronouncing the excellent fungi blend.

Truffle Caesar Salad

Featuring baby gem, sourdough croutons, truffle dressing, salted ricotta, anchovies, parmesan crisp

It is way more than truffle that makes this particular caesar salad out of the box. Using baby gem wedges instead of romaine ensures that every bite is fresh and fragrant. White truffle oil, Japanese mayonnaise, Parmiggiano reggiano and French Dijon mustard make up the dressing while spinach powder sprinkled on the dish adds a pleasant earthy flavor. The star of the show is the grated ricotta salta, which replaces the typical parmesan.

Sushi Imperial at Luna Dubai

A burst of color and art, this dish features rich ingredients including gold, truffle and ikura. The immersive umami flavors are complemented perfectly by Japanese pickles.