Brunch at The Palace | Las Brisas

“A lavishly imagined dream, Emirates Palace offers you a magical place to enjoy the quintessence of 5-star luxury hospitality and authentic local experiences.” Emirates Palace

What better way to welcome the weekend than an alfresco poolside bbq brunch at the magnificent Emirates Palace Hotel. With the temperatures now perfect outdoor dining makes its welcome return to the capital, the Palace Brunch at Las Brisas (meaning The Breezes in Spanish) commences again this coming Friday at its East Wing relaxation pool location.

Myself and the other half were invited to the brunch preview this weekend, whisked by club car from the main entrance past the VIP gate and helipads to Las Brisas in the East Wing of this enormous property. We were greeted at the entrance with mojitos made to order, what a perfect way to start an afternoon of complete and utter indulgence. We were seated at one of the heavy wooden tables that are scattered around the scenic poolside terrace surrounded by the perfectly manicured gardens, under the shadow of undulating date palms and the iconic hotel building itself.

Alongside an exquisite array of freshly prepared seafood, salads, grills, international cuisines and delicious desserts accompanied by premium beverages, the family-friendly brunch offers a children’s supervised play area for the younger members of the family. Happy children equals relaxed mums and dads, it was great to see the kids having their faces painted, chasing bubbles and enjoying pony rides, there was even a clown and balloon creations. A live band with with a wide-ranging repertoire kept the atmosphere up tempo, a fabulous lady saxophonist played wandering between the tables which certainly kept the adults entertained too.

What I love about brunch is that it caters for all palates and dietary needs, whilst I munched on soft and squidgy vegetable dim sum with a tangy chilli dipping sauce, the other half was eating his way through a plate of fresh lobster followed by a selection of grilled meats. With a plateful of lamb chops, chicken and beef, he was in meat heaven and was still talking about the succulent meat options during the cab ride home.

Other notable vegetarian options were the shot style glasses filled with caprese, fresh guacamole and salsa served with tortilla chips, salads, pear shaped crispy covered mashed potatoes, mini yorkshire puddings and mixed vegetables including a very tasty leek and potato dauphinoise all washed down with a crisp rose and a glass or two of fruity sangria.

My usual brunch dessert dilemma ensued, what to choose and more importantly what not to miss. The salty caramel profiteroles were amazing, the rich and chocolate Palace cake was moist and tasty, the bright pink macaroons perfectly chewy and soft all at the same time and of course the chocolate fountain, who can resist juicy strawberries covered in oodles of creamy milk chocolate, not me that’s for sure!

Even though I was completely full I can NEVER resist a good cheese selection, unfortunately by the time I got there the more soft and gooey cheeses had been removed because they had melted in the heat I did manage to find a couple of pungent options that took my fancy, my only quibble was there was no crackers (a regular occurrence at brunches, it’s a bugbear of mine and there’s a simple fix, to enjoy cheese you need crackers or savoury biscuits) so I had to grab more of the lovely handcrafted bread instead which wasn’t too much of a hardship.

Is the Palace Brunch one for your brunch bucket list? Absolutely! There’s something very special about dining at the Emirates Palace, stepping inside Abu Dhabi’s most exclusive hotel is always exciting, the grandeur of its opulent interior, the unprecedented level of service and the top notch cuisine. Where else can you brunch surrounded by picturesque pools with a view of a private beach whilst sipping bubbles, eating the finest food and having your every need catered for before you even realise you needed it, drinks refilled, napkins folder, cutlery replaced, you get the idea. If you are entertaining visitors this brunch is a must do, create some long lasting memories with family and friends in one of the capital’s most spectacular locations.

Palace Brunch at Las Brisas

Location: East Wing Relaxation Pool, Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi

E-mail: restaurants@emiratespalace.ae

Telephone: 02 690 7999

Every Friday: 12.30pm-4pm

Cost*: AED 290 per person including soft drinks, AED 350 per person including hops and grapes and AED 480 per person including bubbles (Children under 10 years FREE, children aged 10-12 years AED 145)

*Prices are subject to 10% service charge, 6% tourism fee and 4% municipality fee.

Dress Code: Casual (shorts are permitted at the pool brunch but like us you have may trouble getting your knobbly knees past security at the main gate).