Wednesday, October 9, 2013

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Best Dubai brunches: The good, the very good and the 'drunch'

Posted: 08 Oct 2013 09:09 PM PDT

The multi-hour banquet has become quite the Dubai institution
Yalumba, Le Meridien Dubai

It's Friday in Dubai: the first day of the weekend (the break runs Friday-Saturday in the UAE) and the clock's struck midday. 

The distant call to prayer forms a somewhat ironic soundtrack to the (mainly) expat revelers making for the week's main event: brunch.

But don't get confused: a Dubai brunch is not a "meal eaten between breakfast and lunch."

Rather the best Dubai brunches are an all-inclusive, multi-hour banquet frequented mostly by glammed-up expats and held at hotels citywide one day a week, every week.

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The big come-down

"People work so hard in Dubai they come to rely upon brunch as an extended come-down after a heavy week," says Sally Hawkins, an expat for six years.

British-born James Leetham agrees: "Dubai is very transient: there's a welcome party, a leaving party, a birthday party virtually every week.

"Brunches are an easy way to get lots of people who don't necessarily know each other in one place."

Risqué image

Al Qasr, where the brunch drinks look like dessert (or the other way around).In the United Arab Emirates -- where only non-Muslims can drink alcohol, women are expected to dress modestly and it's illegal for anyone to be drunk on the street -- brunches retain a slightly risqué image.

But, says another expat, John Roper, for some that's exactly the point: "It's a rebellious streak in place of the UAE's restrictions and tight rules."

Come 11.30 a.m., then, all over Dubai, it is not uncommon to see gaggles of foreign girls in thigh-skimming dresses tottering out of apartment towers to flag down a cab to brunch.

"Everyone always puts in more effort when going for brunch," Hawkins says.

"It's a great opportunity to eat like a pig and have a drink or three while pretending to be classy."

It's not uncommon for good-time Harrys or Jemimas to spend $100 plus on a brunch -- the limitless drinks quota ups the entry price.

It's important to note that the food spread put on at many of Dubai's best brunches stands up on its own. But if drinking, be aware of the culture and tight regulations around alcohol in Dubai and the UAE.

Dubai has a reputation as a cosmopolitan city that boasts Western influences, where visitors can drink at bars and restaurants and unmarried couples can share hotel rooms, do remember the country adheres to Islamic laws and traditions.

Having sex outside of marriage and public consumption of alcohol are both violations of the law in the United Arab Emirates.

More on CNN: CNNGo in Dubai: The extravagant edition

"Your Louboutins look cheap"

Some brunch-goers handle the atmosphere better than others.

"At Yalumba a fight broke out between two girls after one told the other her Louboutins looked cheap," recalls Belinda Harrington.

"Everyone headed out to the terrace to see what the ruckus was all about but first I remember stepping over a tattooed man who was sitting on the floor crying."

While Dubai brunches often carry with them a less than appetizing reputation for debauchery, they also serve an important social function for lonely expats.

What follows is a selection of the best Dubai brunches -- aimed to please all sorts of wannabe brunchers and presented in no particular order. Please feel free to cheer or diss the selections or suggest your own favorite.

Saffron

Best Dubai brunch - Atlanties on the Palm, DubaiLeave room for dessert at Saffron.
Set in that symbol of Dubai extravagance, Atlantis on the Palm hotel, this brunch is a Mr Hyde to Traiteur's Dr Jekyll.

Favored by groups keen for a good old-fashioned knees-up, a DJ blares out disco beats while the food (Time Out Dubai estimates 220 dishes) is as abundant as the product at the manned drinks stations.

The watermelons filled with punch give a taste of the mood.

SaffronAtlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai; 12.30pm-4pm; +971 4 426 2626; Dhs435 ($118)

More on CNN: Best falafel in Dubai -- and the woman behind it

Traiteur

The classiest of Dubai's brunches, you won't catch any exile depravity here, rather linen-clad Europeans swanning about the upscale food counters (eggs Benedict, snails, lobster...) with flutes of Veuve Cliquot while, outside, yachts bob on the harbor.

TraiteurPark Hyatt hotel, Deira; 12.30 p.m.- 4 p.m.; +971 4 602 1234; Dhs495 to Dhs670 (around $135-$182)

Toro Toro

The sit-down style and a la carte menu at this slick Latin outfit make it one of the less raucous -- but no less glam -- brunch options.

Fare spans quality ceviches and churassco-style meats, while the drinks are limited to quality South American wine and cocktails.

Toro Toro, Grosvenor House, Tower 2, Dubai Marina; 12.30 p.m.-4 p.m.; +971 4 399 8888; Dhs400 (approx. $109)

Al Qasr

Best Dubai brunch - Al Qasr, DubaiAl Qasr: Just part of the multi-restaurant offerings.
For sheer La Dolce Vita scale and excess, Al Qasr can't be beaten as a brunch setting.

Life-size gold horses line the hotel's driveway, while inside the colossal brunch spreads itself over three restaurants. There's also a chocolate room and a huge, sea-facing terrace where cocktails are an added extra to the free-flowing bubbly.

Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai; 12.30 p.m.-3.30 p.m.; +971 4 366 6730; Dhs525 ($143)

Double Decker

Held in a British pub, the menu here tickles the taste buds of homesick Brits: Yorkshire puddings, roast beef, sausages  -- but unlikely to be washed down with tea.

The rowdy atmosphere and cheap as chips prices mean it's mainly a brunch for the young crowd or people with an undying appetite for tomfoolery.

As James Leetham recalls: "At Double Decker, someone threw my flip flops over the wall, I tickled a fat man and stole a watering can."

Hmm.

Double Decker, Al Murooj Rotana, Downtown Dubai; 12:00 p.m.-3 p.m.; +971 4 321 1111; Dhs170 ($46)

Yalumba 

Best Dubai brunch - YalumbaThe frenzy at Yalumba is not always around the food.
Brunch might equal breakfast + lunch, but a lot of the action at Yalumba is not always around the impressive food counters. 

A clue can be found on the back of Yalumba waiters' uniforms that records the number of bottles he or she's uncorked so far.

Balloons, party hats and noisemakers line the tables, your less snooty variety of Brit makes up the crowd and a DJ gets under way at 3 p.m.

You get the picture.

YalumbaLe Méridien Dubai, Garhoud, Dubai; 12.30-3.30pm; +971 4 702 2455; Dhs499 ($136)

Mina A' Salam

Billed as "family friendly" (read: an indoor kids' zone packed with games, sugary snacks and manned by nannies), this waterside haunt attracts a mixed crowd.

With fish and chips on the menu and a room dedicated entirely to pork (yes, really), the food is geared to the expat.

Drinks perks include Slush Puppy-style machines spawning icy cocktails.

Mina A'Salam, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai; 12:30-4 p.m.; +971 4 366 6730; Dhs465 ($127)

Warehouse

This good-time venue sells its brunch in one word: "Drunch."

Need we say more? Inside it's like a noisy nightclub where it is not uncommon for punters to lose the plot by lunchtime.

The staff happily gee on revelers until 4 p.m., when the post-brunch crowd spills over in more ways than one on to the dance floor.

A sobering spectacle for anyone beyond their mid-20s.

WarehouseLe Méridien Dubai, Garhoud, Dubai; 1-4 p.m.; +971 4 702 2455; Dhs299 ($81)

CNNGo in Dubai: The extravagant edition

Posted: 08 Oct 2013 07:00 PM PDT

This month's CNNGo show goes glam with a tour around Dubai's extravagant gold markets and record-holding skyscrapers

In addition to the city's obsession with gold (think 24K gold facial treatments), the gravity-defying and extravagant experiences to be found in Dubai have proven its appellation "City of Gold" true.

From skydiving in Palm Islands to the city's first desert conversation reserve, CNNGo explores the luxurious side of travel in Dubai this month.

Al Maha Resort, Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve

 Al Maha Resort, Sandier than your usual safari.The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve is the first in the country and only area protected by law.

The purpose of the national park is to protect several endangered species -- including the white Arabian oryx, which is indigenous to the Arabian Gulf.

The Al Maha Resort is an eco-friendly hotel complex based within the national park.

Al Maha ResortDubai Desert Conservation Reserve, Dubai; +971 4 832 9900

More on CNN: Penguins, golf courses, waterslides... six things that shouldn't exist in the desert


At.Mosphere Bar, Burj Khalifa:

At.mosphere bar, DubaiIs it the alcohol or is it the altitude sickness?Situated on the 123rd floors of the Burj Khalifa -- the world's tallest building -- At.Mosphere Bar reveals spectacular views across the whole city of Dubai. 

At.Mosphere Bar, 122-3F, Emaar Boulevard, Burj Khalifa, Dubai; +971 4 888 3444

More on CNN: Meet the world's best new skyscraper


Dubai Creek/ Gold Souk

Dubai Creek/ Gold SoukDubai Creek, where the city's gold can be bought.One of the oldest and most established areas of the city, the creek has been used for hundreds of years as a crossroads for trading between east and west.

Iranian trading boats sail alongside local water taxis, or "abras." This area is one of the most densely populated in the UAE and many nationalities from different parts of the world live here.

Locals call this area the heart of the city. 

Dubai is known as the "Gold City" and the abundance of jewelry shops in the gold souk allow the Emirate to live up to that name.

Gold and diamond jewelry can be bought here and it's a popular site for visitors to the country. 

Gold Souk, Deira District, Dubai

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Le Petit Maison, Dubai International Financial Centre 

Le Petit Maison, DubaiOne of the best restaurants in the world.DIFC is the Canary Wharf or Wall Street of Dubai.

Within its gleaming walls are the world's largest financial institutions.

It also contains some of the finest restaurants in Dubai, one of which is "Le Petit Maison," recently voted one of the best restaurants in the world. 

During the financial crisis in 2009, DIFC became locally known as Dubai International Food Court because though many of the businesses had to shut, the restaurants remained. 

Le Petit Maison, Gate Village 08, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai; +971 4439 0505; opens daily from noon-3:30 p.m., 7-11:30 p.m.; bar opens daily from 1 p.m.-midnight
More on CNN: Six things you shouldn't find in the desert

Skydive Dubai

Skydive DubaiDefinitely the coolest way to see the Palm Islands.Thrill seekers enjoy falling through the sky over Dubai's man made palm tree shaped island -- the Palm Jumeirah.

The spectacular views and sunshine make Dubai's skydive experience one of the most popular attractions in the Emirate. 

Skydive Dubai,  Skydive Dubai, Palm Islands (+971 50 153 3222) or Skydive Dubai the Desert Campus (+971 50 154 2992)


More on CNN: Best Dubai brunches: The good, the very good and the 'drunch'

Guests

Abdulla Al Kaabi, filmmaker
Simone Heng, TV and radio presenter
Nadine Kanso, jewelry designer – 'Bil Arabi"/photographer
Samantha Wood, founder, Foodiva.Net
Andrew Gibson, bassist, Juliana Down
Dia Hassan, vocalist/guitarist, Juliana Down

Soundtrack

"Control" -- Juliana Down
"This is the World" -- Kamal Musallam
"Desoriental" -- Kamal Musallam
"Good for Nothing" -- Juliana Down
"Blues for Elie" -- Kamal Musallam
"Rimma" -- Kamal Musallam
"Blues for Elie" -- Kamal Musallam
"Out of My City" -- Kamal Musallam
"Hollowman" -- Juliana Down
"Dancing Horses" -- Kamal Musallam
"Bint el Shalabia" -- Kamal Musallam
"Rush" -- Juliana Down

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