Six of the best… Friday brunches

If it’s Friday, it’s got to be brunch. Never mind what that says about the excesses of the expat life, there’s time enough to ruminate over such minor details as you lay groaning on the sofa watching reruns of “Dr 90210”.

The UAE has turned brunch into a sort of elevated art form, so to save you the trouble of deciding where to go this weekend, we pick some of the best.
 
Plane fun

Live jazz, shucked oysters and plenty of bubbles: what more do you need for a ripping Friday brunch? Spit-roasted duck, lamb, cold cuts, grilled lobster and salmon, eggs Ben and everything from crêpes and waffles to a chocolate fountain, say the folk at Traiteur. The hotel offers four brunch packages from 12.30 to 4pm, from Dh375 per head, but advance reservations are essential and can be made at dubai.park.hyatt.com.

And this being Dubai, the hotel’s thrown in an extra carrot, too: brunch guests (brunchers?) will be entered into one of those automatic weekly draws to win a 40-minute sightseeing tour for two people over the shiny emirate. Good job they don’t serve the food on the plane. We know what a disaster that’d be!
 
In the bag!

Recession-struck punters having a hard time deciding between paying for brunch or a new pair of shoes (never mind the sex, you always need a new pair of shoes!) might want to check out the new Dh150 brunch at the City Centre Hotel & Residence. They describe it as classic European cuisine with a twist, and what you get is breakfast favourites, smoked salmon, exotic salads, sushi and Arabic mezzeh, as well as Shepherd's Pie, a pasta selection, lamb, Thai-style dishes and more. There’s also live music and a dessert buffet.

From 12 noon to 4pm, it leaves plenty of time to hit the mall afterwards! Email H2022-fb1@Accor.com to reserve a spot. 
 
Spoilt for choice

Imagine the most extensive buffet you can think of. Then imagine as much bubbly as you can put away. Put those together with some Chinese acrobats and a Cuban band and you’ve got the Bubbalicious brunch at The Westin Dubai.

Spread over three of the hotel’s restaurants – Blue Orange, Hunters and Spice Emporium – there’s more food than your eyes can handle, from stunning juicy roasts to freshly grilled seafood and a slew of pan-Asian delights. French, English, Indian, Arabic, Thai, Japanese… we lost count of the number of cuisines (and live stations!) on offer.

And at Dh450, inclusive of all you can eat and drink, it’s also one of the best deals in town – if you can handle the rather vibrant crowd. Be warned: it can get a little noisy. But then, some might say that’s part of the fun.

From 1pm to 4pm, log on to westinminasehayi.com
 
Capital times

Brunches in Abu Dhabi, we’ve found, either doesn’t quite deliver on the promise or turns into a rather expensive affair. But if you don’t mind the drive (either from Dubai or Abu Dhabi!), the Fairmont offers one of the best brunches we’ve been to in the capital. Instead of competing with their product down the road, the hotel group simply puts the focus on the food, with unlimited malt- and grape-based beverages.

For Dh299 plus taxes, you get your standard variety of cuisines – European, Japanese, Arabic and Indian – but almost everything we tried was packed with flavour and certainly not watered down to appeal to the uneducated diner. The sushi was particularly imaginative, and there were a few unusual seafood choices on the buffet, but it was dessert that proved the highlight. The macaroons are a particular treat.

Good value and a nice day’s drive – perfect! Email dining.bab@fairmont.com
 
Raging on

The brunch that gave Dubai its reputation, a Friday afternoon at Yalumba really does turn into a raucous party – and we’re not surprised that people get up to all sorts of shenanigans afterwards!

Which is a pity, because the quite stellar food is overshadowed. This restaurant’s mix of appetiser buffets and main courses doesn’t just mean you can sit back and be waited upon, but your steak does come served exactly as you like it. That you can order as many main courses as you like only adds to the fun. This being an Australian restaurant, the rather limited menu is quite varied – so you can tuck into hot curry or roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. And do try the kangaroo.

From 12.30 to 3.30pm at Dh479, log on to diningatmeridiendubai.com for details. 

Food only

Going out on a bender tonight? Dutch-run More is a quiet, civilised place to recover from any Thursday night excesses. It may be unlicensed, but the food is generally rated as quality nosh at casual dining prices. For Dh95, you get unlimited hot and cold drinks, breakfast, salad and a buffet lunch and dessert.

From 11am to 4pm, morecafe.biz

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.