Stepping into Maxim is like doing the time warp. You almost feel obliged to don a pair of flared trousers to blend in with the red velvet. This is not a restaurant of contrasts. The red-velvet-clad walls melt into the red velvet seating, leading to a scarlet carpet. Dominating this French restaurant is a large central chandelier, which wouldn’t appear remiss in an outmoded Vegas hotel, along with the oil paintings in gilt frames that adorn the velvet walls. It’s small, intimate and somewhat dated, but somehow it works.

We peruse the menu; which is succinct, but remarkably manages to feature a variety of passé dishes to complement the décor. Starters to tempt include carpaccio with salmon caviar, ravioli of quail and a selection of soups. However, crab imperial (sounding suitably ’70s) catches my eye, and my partner takes a fancy to the marinated Norwegian salmon.

From the main course options, both the pan-fried red mullet and beef tenderloin sound appealing. However, there’s a section entitled ‘Old time favourites at Maxim’, and it seems only fitting to immerse ourselves completely in the ‘Maxim’ experience, so we dive in and order our main offerings from here.

Each table is candlelit and features a red rose, and with a pianist tinkling the ivories in the background, this is an ideal setting for a romantic liaison. Of course, you can’t help but reminisce over past times in this
heady crimson eatery, and we are soon discussing the merits of Starsky over Hutch when our starters arrive. Service here is at just the right level, despite the intimate nature of the restaurant; it’s attentive, but
not overbearing.

My crab imperial is served covered, and the domed china lid is whisked off to reveal a small bowl. I bypass the dollop of crème fraiche and dip into the breadcrumb topping. Underneath is a delicious mixture of crab and corn in a creamy tarragon crème fraiche with a delightful zesty lemon kick. It’s truly heaven in a bowl, and I devour it quickly negating the need to share.

My partner is busy tucking into his salmon, but I manage to sneak a taster and it too is divine. Smooth and almost buttery in texture it’s served with a shot glass of cream, which is not required to enhance the perfectly moist slices. The menu specifies tempura fried spinach leaves, but sadly the accompanying limp greenery is straight from the fridge and had seen brighter times. Next we are treated
to a rather sharp and bitter lemon sorbet ‘to cleanse our palates’, which indeed it does.

Memories of hostess trollies come rushing back as a portable stove is wheeled to our table and the fun really starts. My partner ordered steak diane, flamed at our table. The next few minutes are an impressive mixture of fire and delicious mouth-watering aromas, as the scent of onions, mushrooms and brandy-seared steak compete with wafts of bubbling cream and red wine. But the spectacle of cooking is definitely more exciting than the dish itself. A large cut, it’s evident that it was precooked before arriving to be flambéed. The result is tough and chewy, even with the rich indulgent sauce. Accompaniments are more inspiring, with seasonal new potatoes, tender sauté mushrooms and a parcel of al dente carrots bound with a leek ribbon.

My dish in contrast is outstanding. Served under a large silver dome there is a moment’s hesitation, for effect, before the waiter reveals this old time favourite; lobster thermidor. Well presented, it’s a large offering; so fresh from the kitchen you can see the Parmesan cheese bubbling and beckoning. The chunky morsels of lobster are delectable, and the creamy béchamel sauce is so addictive that I scrape every drop from the lobster shell. This highly recommended dish is complemented by identical accompaniments to that of the steak, but this is in fact a dish in itself.

Dessert is a must for my still- hungry partner, who gave up on his steak half-way through. Despite my gentle urging, he veers away from ‘Old time dessert favourites’ (which feature such classics as crepe suzette and black cherries flambé) and still craving savoury he opts for the cheese board. Shame, as I fancied another tableside flaming, but the mille feuille seems a lighter alternative for me.

This time we are both equally disappointed. There appears to be a mix-up in textures with the cheese board; the cheeses seem dry at the edges and the crackers somewhat stale and moist. The mille feuille, although impressive in presentation, is also overly dry and bland in taste, its only saving grace the moreish accompanying mango and chocolate ice cream.

Presented with a rose at the end of our Maxim dining experience, we leave with mixed feelings about this iconic restaurant at the Ramada Plaza Doha. It’s obviously a popular place, busy with diners craving nostalgia and a desire to regress back to days when plush red velvet smacked of elegance and eating out was only reserved for special occasions. However, with so many new and modern dining establishments now gracing Doha’s shores, we wonder, will this restaurant continue to stand the test of time?

The bill (for two)
1x Crab imperial QR76
1x Marinated salmon QR75
1x Lobster thermidor QR245
1x Steak diane QR200
1x Evian large QR30
1x Mille feuille QR45
1x Les fromages QR60
Total (incl charges) QR731