Wednesday, Sep 09, 2015

From the entrance at Feast restaurant at the Sheraton Grand hotel, I could tell this would be a great brunch.

There were food stations as far as the eye could see and as we were welcomed by some of the friendliest staff I’ve ever encountered in Dubai. My friend and I felt instantly at ease, and were looking forward to a fantastic afternoon.

And indeed it was. The new Feast Friday Brunch is a tasting brunch in which guests can try various drinks that perfectly complement the range of dishes on offer. And chefs make sure to visit each table with small dishes and offer suggestions of which drink would suit which dish best.

The restaurant is on the sixth floor of the new hotel on Shaikh Zayed Road and its beautiful high windows give some great views of Dubai. It is bright and light and spacious, so no one is crawling on top of each other trying to get to their dish of choice.

We found our seats and after getting drinks we ventured out to find our starters.

“It is really a foodie’s brunch,” chef Raymond Wong told us later.

And he was right. Starters consisted of seafood chowder and a cauliflower and saffron soup that blew my mind. It was rich, creamy and earthy and I didn’t want to stop eating it. There was a lovely duck pate that was moulded into mushroom shapes with a fruity red casing and white chocolate dots. They looked so cute I had to eat it. It was delicious with the bread that was brought to our table.

While seated, the chefs and waiting staff also came and said hello and gave their recommendations for our next courses.

There was a Thai food station and fresh seafood and also British dishes such as beef Wellington and a delicious lamb dish that was served with a number of accoutrements.

The lamb was succulent and well-cooked. I also tried the beef wellington, which was a little disappointing. The pastry was soggy and the meat was a bit too pink for me. The pomegranate chicken had a pleasant refreshing taste and I wasn’t expecting the tangy fruitiness to match the chicken, but it did.

Feeling stuffed, my friend and I wandered to the dessert area, where a number of small dishes were beautifully displayed. There was everything from ice-cream pops to tiramisu, macaroons and other favourites. The tiramisu was divine; moist and creamy. There were lots of sweets and we were also offered special ice-creams made on a nitrogen plate — a quirky change from the usual ice-cream pops.

As a huge fan of cheese, the island of dairy delight was a treat for me. And it was accompanied by a delicious grape beverage. I had to indulge, I’m afraid.

And, you know what, I’m glad I did.

With flowing bubbles and a troupe of friendly and accommodating staff, this is one brunch I’d definitely bring visitors too. Heck, I’m having my next birthday party here.

The Details

Where: Sheraton Grand Hotel, Shaikh Zayed Road

Price: Dh295-Dh495

Call: 04-5034444

By Christina Curran, Pages Editor

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