It is a rare find to discover a contemporary resort that can evoke the nostalgic elegance and romantic charm of the classic Caribbean estates as genuinely and authentically as The Regent Palms - indicative of a bygone era, the Regent Palms is an absolute vision of grandeur, beguiling by day, and bewitching by night. From the moment you enter the Mansion Lobby you are immediately propelled back in time, enchanted by the absolute appeal and impressive beauty of the inimitable architecture reminiscent of centuries-old Caribbean Great Houses. As your gaze continues across the promenade-flanked formal gardens you take in The Mansion, 'the social hub' of the resort featuring The Regent Palm's signature dining experience, Parallel23.
The softly lit Green Flamingo Bar is comfortable and intimate, oozing with grace and class engendering the ambiance of a private drawing room with an abundance of dark mahogany wood and luxurious furnishings. Grace and class are reinstated in the dining rooms, the first boasting the excitement and fervour of an exhibition kitchen, while the other exudes vivid colours in a more quiescent atmosphere. The epitome of al fresco dining can be experienced on the terrace overlooking the captivating gardens in all its illuminated splendour, or in the outdoor 'dining room' underneath a magnificent dome surrounded by lush tropical beauty all beneath a celestial Caribbean canopy of stars.
The maestro, as he is affectionately called, awaits his evening patrons. Executive Chef Torsten Rumprecht has indeed earned this esteemed and prestigious distinction having showcased his culinary talents all over the world. Now performing at Parallel23, Chef Rumprecht shares his all-encompassing global experiences and influences with his culinary mastery touting an avant-garde menu, offering visionary and artistic dishes with a level of presentation exemplifying what can best be described as virtual masterpieces, augmented by an impressive selection of boutique wines from around the world.
Musing over the menu, each item reads more tempting than the last and moreover, a selection of enticing Chef's Recommendations accompanies the Parallel23 menu, a culinary composition of sorts, so absolutely eclectic and exclusively innovative a conundrum was a foregone conclusion .
A piping hot basket proffered two equally tasty bread selections - a light and flavourful bread laced with zesty herbs and spices, and dinner rolls with the rich and intense flavour of black olives. Compliments of Chef Rumprecht, we enjoyed a tantalising spoon of Grouper Ceviche, "a whole lot of flavour in one bite" it was very refreshing with a lively lemon kick.
Our opus began with an "absolutely fabulous" and exquisitely sliced coffee and cocoa cured beef carpaccio. Served with an orange and olive chutney, baby greens, ginger caramel and yucca crisp it was delightfully light and perfectly spiced. A jumbo lump crab cake garnered rave reviews for its delicate flavours complemented perfectly by the avocado and mango salsa and the piquant flavours of the spiced green peppercorn remoulade. Seared tuna tataki encrusted in a blanket of cumin, sesame and citrus simply melted in your mouth - together with a duet of chili and teriyaki dips and a seaweed salad, this dish was spectacular. A delicacy seldom seen on island menus, the pan-seared fois gras was simply in a word - decadent. Served with roasted peaches, a vanilla and black pepper sauce and toasted lavender brioche, this was an undeniable marriage of flavours that "were meant for each other". Our selections aside, there are several additional appetizer offerings all equally tempting and representative of Chef Rumprecht's ingenious and savvy culinary style including a chilled lemongrass gazpacho; local spiced pumpkin soup with crispy crab ravioli; a traditional Caesar salad; roasted baby beet and goat cheese salad; a crispy calamari salad with banana and spiced nuts; marinated West Indies chicken satay and a Caicos lobster risotto. A 2005 Sanford Pinot Noir was a wonderful accompaniment to all of our appetizers, a light bouquet that was "easy on the palate".
Completely besotted with the evenings' preview and Act 1, we were now anticipating the main event. An ardent lover of duck, my husband raved over the deep flavours of the island-spiced breast of duck, rare and completely tender, the wild mushroom ragout side was amazing. The duck was set atop a sweet potato and goat cheese ravioli and served with a mild pink peppercorn and sweet passion fruit emulsion. An incredibly thick and absolutely divine chargrilled chimichurri marinated swordfish steak induced an enthusiastic "Wow!" from my dinner companion. Served with herb crusted potatoes and a pepper and olive tapenade, she claimed, after living here 19 years, she had never had swordfish this good. Seven fire-roasted jumbo prawns with caper berries, green and black olives and roasted peppers lounged on a bed of spaghetti with basil oil and a spicy tomato sauce, deep with slow-simmered, rich tomato flavours. Named for King Oscar II of Sweden, Veal Oscar is an internationally celebrated recipe traditionally prepared with veal, crab, asparagus and a béarnaise sauce. Chef Rumprecht adds his own little Caribbean twist to this classic - a bed of purple potato galette forms the foundation of this dish, with two very tender layers of veal separated by asparagus and a delicious tomato chutney, topped with succulent medallions of vanilla roasted Caicos lobster and finished with a to-die-for black truffle béarnaise sauce - a celebrated creation to be sure! Grilled Australian lamb chops with a Barolo and lamb jus; Omega 3 Atlantic Salmon with a strawberry and cherry tomato risotto; pan-roasted Caicos bank snapper with a shrimp and chorizo ravioli and an eggplant fritter tower with a tomato ragout are just a few more of the entrée possibilities. A full-bodied yet delightfully light and fruity 2006 Adelsheim Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley was the perfect companion to our veal, duck and seafood selections.
For our last indulgence, of which there were oh, so many to choose from . we opted for the Parallel23 dessert platter to share, a combination of their favourite desserts that embraced our proverbial sweet tooth with a creamy and sinfully rich dark chocolate and raspberry pyramid; a smooth and velvety white chocolate and Bailey's crème brulee; a luscious warm banana caramel pudding with coconut gelato and crème anglais, and a refreshing and stimulating palate cleanser of tangy key lime pie. A quartet worthy of ravishing. Parallel23 also offers a Chef's gourmet chocolate tasting plate; pineapple banana beignets; warm pecan pie; a tropical summer fruit soup; homemade ice-creams and sorbets and a distinctive and savoury selection of artisanal cheeses. The final decadence? A variety of international coffees; a spectrum of rums and for the cognac connoisseur, an impressive array of Courvoisier, Hennessy and Remy Martin.
A veritable culinary coup indeed - our compliments to 'the maestro' for a glorious evening of gastronomic grandeur! Encore!
Review by Mandy Rostance-Wolf
Reprinted from "Where When How - Turks & Caicos Islands"
March/April 2008
