MIDDLE EAST 10 BEST BRUNCHES DESTINATIONS
Forget eggs and orange juice – brunch in the United Arab Emirates is a seriously lavish affair with epic buffets, exotic cooking stations, oyster bars and unlimited bubbly. Traditionally held on Friday
afternoons – the beginning of the weekend in the UAE – many all-inclusive brunches are now also available on Saturdays. Most brunch blowouts start around 12pm and end at 4pm, with prices ranging from £40 to £450 per person; rates are hiked up considerably when the package includes free-flowing booze. Competition is fierce among
the top hotels to deliver the best brunch, so while prices might seem steep, standards are high. Carolina Svensson, product and purchasing manager at Travel 2, says: “I'd recommend arriving early and eating slowly, to be able to sample as many of the dishes as possible.” Brunch is a long-established
tradition in the UAE and a must- do experience for any visitor to the region. Just be certain to remind clients to loosen their belts before tucking in.
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BEST FOR A BRUNCH WITH A DIFFERENCE: JUMEIRAH MINA A’SALAM, MADINAT
JUMEIRAH, DUBAI “Begin the weekend on a high note at one of the city’s most extravagant Friday brunches,” suggests Carrier reservations manager Vicky Holding. Fans of Heston Blumenthal’s madcap
cooking will go bonkers for this brunch’s new liquid nitrogen station, which serves up chilled treats including ice creams and sorbets. Clearly a brunch that doesn’t take itself too seriously, there’s also a Mad Scientist cocktail station and a Do Nut Judge stand, offering sweet and savoury doughnuts. Diners eat alfresco on a sun-splashed terrace overlooking the resort’s pretty lagoon, while kids enjoy turtle- feeding sessions nearby. COST: From £76 including soft drinks to £94 with alcohol.
jumeirah.com
2
BEST FOR PERUVIAN FOOD: TESORO AT TAJ DUBAI, DUBAI For those in search of a healthier dining option, point them in the direction of the Taj Dubai’s Tesoro restaurant for its fresh Peruvian brunch, where a raw bar is heaped with sushi and ceviche, Peru’s refreshing national dish of fresh fish marinated in citrus juices. When the temperature cools, the brunch extends outside with surf and turf barbecue stations, while there's chocolate fondue for those with a sweet tooth. The feel-good factor is enhanced by the sweeping city views and the funky soundtrack provided by a DJ, who combines spinning records with playing the saxophone and Peruvian cajón drum. COST: From £45 with soft drinks to £89 with bubbly.
tajhotels.com
Children are well catered for at this family-friendly Friday brunch, where a huge kids’ area houses a bouncy castle, colouring corner and giant flat-screen TV. As well as face painting and cake decorating, there’s a candy buffet with vampire teeth, gummy worms and marshmallows. Tell clients to turn up hungry because four restaurants take part in this mega-meal, where counters groan with Bavarian-style treats and Asian delights. COST: From £49 for adults, including soft drinks, and £67 with alcoholic drinks; £11 for kids aged from six to 12, while under-sixes go free.
marriottdiningatjw.ae
3 4
BEST FOR GRAND PRIX FANS: ORIGINS RESTAURANT, YAS VICEROY ABU DHABI,
ABU DHABI Petrol-heads can soak up the F1 atmosphere at the recently launched Refuel at Our Pit Stop Brunch at Yas Viceroy’s Origins restaurant, where staff are kitted out in race overalls and guests are treated to knockout views of the Abu Dhabi race track. Cooking stations offer cuisines from the world’s most famous race courses: think paella from Spain, sushi from Japan and wiener schnitzel from Austria. Diners can finish up with traffic-light
BEST FOR KIDS: THE MARKET PLACE, JWMARRIOTT DUBAI, DEIRA, DUBAI
cake pops and mini racing cars made out of chocolate. COST: From £40 for a Mocktail Brunch to £176 for a Cristal Champagne Brunch.
viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
5
BEST FOR BIG APPETITES: THE RITZ-CARLTON ABU DHABI, GRAND CANAL,
ABU DHABI Dine like a king at the opulent Ritz-Carlton, where last year brunchers sipped 13,200 mojitos and devoured 3,800kg of lobster. Worthy of the hype, this award- winning brunch has more than 30 cooking stations that serve up everything from Wagyu beef to succulent oysters. For children, there’s a dedicated kids’ station, as well as 50 tempting puddings, including candy floss, popcorn, waffles and chocolate fountains. There’s even a welcome pack to keep younger guests entertained. The fun continues with an after-party at Sorso Bar. COST: £72 for the house beverages package and £54 for the soft drinks package.
ritzcarlton.com
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BEST FOR JAPANESE FOOD: NOBU, ATLANTIS THE PALM, DUBAI For those craving a Zen
brunch option, recommend this swish yet laid-back Japanese restaurant, where diners can graze on sushi, sashimi and miso soup, as well as an array of pimped-up western favourites, such as blueberry and yuzu
15 October 2015
travelweekly.co.uk 71
TOP TIP Imperium at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray holds a Saturday jazz
brunch with Creole cuisine and live music
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