I’m generally not a fan of brunches, with their warehouse-sized dining halls and segregated food stations with people queued up to pile their plates with as much food as they can cram on there.
When I consider a brunch, I think of none other than Zuma’s! At this magnificent gastronomic experience, the quality of the ingredients and the immaculate presentation alone make it great value for money, but the menu’s choice is what takes it to another level.
I have been coming to this brunch for the past 10 years, and it still holds true to its standards. Your glass is never empty (standard to any brunch in Dubai), so if you’re trying to keep a tally on your consumption, you may want to let the ninja-like waiters continuously topping them up know. I love the 70s mustard décor vibe of the restaurant and all the light that spills in from their floor-to-ceiling windows. It is a sophisticated brunch without being pretentious.
With COVID-19, the set-up has changed somewhat, with everything that was previously available to select from the buffet is now brought to your table instead. This includes a sumptuous selection of 15 different salads, hot starters, skewers, tempura, and an elaborate arrangement of sashimi, nigiri and maki balanced on an eye-catching platter. And the best part? You can re-order any of these dishes again as much as you like! Don’t go crazy though, because you’ll quickly fill up, and you most definitely want to leave room for the main course.
Ordering the mains remains the same as before, with one dish from the selection of 8 on the menu per person. These dishes comprise of the most premium ingredients, including wagyu beef, lobster, king prawns and the like. We won’t pick a favourite, as between us we tried them all, and they were all absolutely superb!
Then of course, comes the dessert platter. Again, balanced on a towering display of decadent treats resembling Willy Wonka’s picnic basket, you can expect wonders such as chocolate fondant, crème brûlée, passionfruit mousse, panna cotta and so on. It’s truly spectacular!
We do have one qualm though, which is their use of bluefin tuna. Bluefin tuna populations have declined severely from overfishing and illegal fishing over the past few decades – not just Atlantic bluefin tuna, but also Pacific bluefin tuna and Southern bluefin tuna. Population declines have been largely driven by the demand for this fish in high end sushi markets. Zuma, this is not a sustainable option. There are other responsible options your chef could incorporate into the menu adding more value to your ethics.
All in all, this remains my favourite go-to brunch!
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