Lemon & Lime Martini Brunch - The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa
Brunches, brunches, brunches. Every hotel has one. I have mentioned what a fascinating sub culture it is. With so many brunches though, quite a few of them are nice, but soon disappear into the annals of lost memories. They are not terrible by any means, but just the same. Not memorable. Then a brunch like this comes along and really succeeds in redefining certain key elements of the brunch.
Some talking points from the brunch
Concept
A Saturday brunch? Very smart. Personally I hate Saturdays. There is that feeling of impending doom with work the next day, and that is the mind set. However, The Westin has created a reason to extend the weekend pleasure, if you will. Who says that Friday brunch is the only way to have a an afternoon of great food, music and drinks with friends to make the weekend that bit extra special? It makes so much sense to have a Saturday brunch. But I like that they have not just created a buffet and called it Saturday brunch. Here it feels like a Friday brunch on a Saturday. Women in their heels with an extra dash of perfume and beautiful people chatting over martinis - nice.
Venue
Brunch is set in Lemon & Lime, the hotel's bar. Emphasis is on relaxing and sitting back. It is a Saturday brunch, so with work the next day for most, relaxation is emphasised. Low tables and sofa seating creates that very laid back feel, already making it a different brunch. With some seating giving views of the golf course through ceiling to floor windows, one cant help but chill. With a capacity of around 60, it makes for a unique brunch experience. I have often used the word 'intimate' to describe a few brunches - this takes intimacy to the nth degree, and yet privacy is afforded because seating is spaced out.
Entertainment
It is an adult brunch. Set in a bar, you can be assured you will not have kids running around. Even the entertainment reflects this. The cool element in the brunch is personified in DJ Enjie, an ultra stylish DJ spinning tunes. The music is pitched at the right volume and while my guest and I are able to have a normal toned conversation, the beats are always there. Classy and sophisticated!
Food stations
Don't expect a traditional brunch with excessive stations. This brunch pretty much had almost everything I would want at a brunch. There were 4 varieties of oysters: Marennes-oleron, Fine de Claire, Kumamoto and Belon; something fairly unprecedented, with perhaps one other brunch I have tried offering such variety. It is really impressive, especially when you reach the Ceviche station. Tuna saku, Loche Fyne salmon and Yellow tail king fish are just some of the ingredients you can have. On the crab front, expect more variety from King crab to Tourteau crab and Rock lobster to Atlantic lobster.
There was also a Foie gras Table, as it is called, that had foie gras in different guises, but I stuck to the pan seared variety. At the same table, you can be helped to Beef Wellington. The latter is there to satisfy those with a craving for something meaty.
One of my favourite stations though, was the Italian Flair. I absolutely loved the ravioli! This is hardly surprising if you consider that trip advisor's favourite Italian restaurant in the city is Sacci - in the same hotel.
I overheard a guest saying she thought there were not enough food stations, and my question was: How much food do you really need to eat at a brunch? Granted, a couple more meat options and of course a dedicated salad bar would be brilliant, but I thought there were enough options. I think there are enough brunches catering for the trough mentality where people feed themselves as if they were preparing for a famine.
Finally, this is a Martini brunch. That which it sets out to do, it does quite well, with 16 martinis to choose from. This is another area where the brunch reveals how unique it is. It actually offers balance between dishes and drinks variety. This continues with a choice of red, white, rosé and sparkling wine. Finally, if you wish to break from the martini afternoon, there are further drinks options available.
The Martini brunch is worthy of the accolades it has received in a short space of time. As a concept, it works wonderfully well. While a Saturday brunch is not unique ( I have been to two others in the last couple months) it is everything combined that makes for a unique afternoon. This is not a family brunch which is great. I have 9 year old I dote on, but I think there needs to be a place where adults can enjoy without children in attendance. Finally, as good as this was, there is still room for improvement, which is a worrying note for competitors! One of the most important brunches to emerge in Abu Dhabi in recent times.
The Essentials
Lemon & Lime Martini Brunch
The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa,
http://bit.ly/1FNaAz202 616 9999
335AED ++
Some talking points from the brunch
Concept
A Saturday brunch? Very smart. Personally I hate Saturdays. There is that feeling of impending doom with work the next day, and that is the mind set. However, The Westin has created a reason to extend the weekend pleasure, if you will. Who says that Friday brunch is the only way to have a an afternoon of great food, music and drinks with friends to make the weekend that bit extra special? It makes so much sense to have a Saturday brunch. But I like that they have not just created a buffet and called it Saturday brunch. Here it feels like a Friday brunch on a Saturday. Women in their heels with an extra dash of perfume and beautiful people chatting over martinis - nice.
Venue
Brunch is set in Lemon & Lime, the hotel's bar. Emphasis is on relaxing and sitting back. It is a Saturday brunch, so with work the next day for most, relaxation is emphasised. Low tables and sofa seating creates that very laid back feel, already making it a different brunch. With some seating giving views of the golf course through ceiling to floor windows, one cant help but chill. With a capacity of around 60, it makes for a unique brunch experience. I have often used the word 'intimate' to describe a few brunches - this takes intimacy to the nth degree, and yet privacy is afforded because seating is spaced out.
Entertainment
It is an adult brunch. Set in a bar, you can be assured you will not have kids running around. Even the entertainment reflects this. The cool element in the brunch is personified in DJ Enjie, an ultra stylish DJ spinning tunes. The music is pitched at the right volume and while my guest and I are able to have a normal toned conversation, the beats are always there. Classy and sophisticated!
Food stations
Don't expect a traditional brunch with excessive stations. This brunch pretty much had almost everything I would want at a brunch. There were 4 varieties of oysters: Marennes-oleron, Fine de Claire, Kumamoto and Belon; something fairly unprecedented, with perhaps one other brunch I have tried offering such variety. It is really impressive, especially when you reach the Ceviche station. Tuna saku, Loche Fyne salmon and Yellow tail king fish are just some of the ingredients you can have. On the crab front, expect more variety from King crab to Tourteau crab and Rock lobster to Atlantic lobster.
One of my favourite stations though, was the Italian Flair. I absolutely loved the ravioli! This is hardly surprising if you consider that trip advisor's favourite Italian restaurant in the city is Sacci - in the same hotel.
 |
| Ceviche |
Finally, this is a Martini brunch. That which it sets out to do, it does quite well, with 16 martinis to choose from. This is another area where the brunch reveals how unique it is. It actually offers balance between dishes and drinks variety. This continues with a choice of red, white, rosé and sparkling wine. Finally, if you wish to break from the martini afternoon, there are further drinks options available.
The Martini brunch is worthy of the accolades it has received in a short space of time. As a concept, it works wonderfully well. While a Saturday brunch is not unique ( I have been to two others in the last couple months) it is everything combined that makes for a unique afternoon. This is not a family brunch which is great. I have 9 year old I dote on, but I think there needs to be a place where adults can enjoy without children in attendance. Finally, as good as this was, there is still room for improvement, which is a worrying note for competitors! One of the most important brunches to emerge in Abu Dhabi in recent times.
The Essentials
Lemon & Lime Martini Brunch
The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa,
http://bit.ly/1FNaAz202 616 9999
335AED ++
Brandon Stoltenkamp
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