Imperium Jazz Brunch, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, DXB

Let’s talk about brunch. The beautiful fusion of breakfast and lunch, this meal has become something of a fashion statement. The cool hipsters eat brunch in the form of gluten free bread and avocado and almond milk lattes while those sophisticated ladies who lunch have moved forward their dining experience to suit this hybrid mealtime. The appeal of brunch for many, however, is that it is the first opportunity of the day to enjoy an alcoholic beverage without judgement. What a time to be alive. Luckily for us Dubai is known for its extravagant brunches so we whisked ourselves off to Jumeirah Zabeel Saray’s Imperium Jazz Brunch to put these wonderful claims to the test.

Despite the plethora of brunching options in the glamorous hotels of The Palm, the Jumeirah hotel group’s Zabeel Saray property won out over its competitors because of its New Orleans Jazz themed extravaganza. Bottomless beverages accompanied by a live band         banging out some Louis Armstrong jams is my idea of a swell time. Upon arrival we were handed that golden ray of sunshine sometimes referred to as a mimosa while we were led outside to our table on the terrace. The important thing to note is that these popular hotel brunches are usually buffet service which is valuable for those who want to get the most bang for their buck and leave feeling like they have abused their bodies in the best way possible. Ole Sib and I are well versed in the art of buffet navigation so we divided and conquered to sniff out the best eats.

The options were endless. Half of the restaurant inside was filled with different cuisines ranging from an English roast and a beautiful beef wellington to mini hamburgers, fresh fish and Middle Eastern delicacies, not to mention a salad bar (really didn’t want to mention) and a huge dessert area. It would take too long to actually list everything that was available but rest assured your tummy would be a-rumblin’ at the sight of it. Another cool element was the crustacean station (I think this sounds like an awesome lair for an army of superhero prawns) outside where the chef was grilling up some fresh seafood. This was a winner with Papa L whose qualm with buffets is that the food is mass-produced and therefore sometimes lacks quality. Let’s just say he ate his words as well as his multiple courses on that front.

The top of the class for me in terms of food was the beef wellington followed closely by the barbecue chicken wings, however the dessert course deserves a special mention. Cheesecakes, chocolate cakes, tarts, pies, cobblers, a chocolate fountain, fruit (pointless) and a thousand other deadly sweets adorned the tables. You name it: it was there. The highlight in my opinion was the Oreo cake because I respect a dessert that has taken one kind of dessert and made it into a super dessert. Oreos rock. Of course there was also a great selection of cheeses for those diners who want to be fancy and have a cheese course (Papa L).

All of this food enjoyed while knocking back several mimosas, a fair few glasses of wine and a couple of gin and tonics was only further improved by the live band playing those jazzy classics. There really is something great about watching live music and this particular group played excellently to enhance the lazy brunch vibe without being overbearing or intrusive. A wonderful all-round experience was only bettered by enjoying the spectacle of a drunk guy being carried to the bathroom by his friends in an effort to pry away his precious alcohol. Clearly brunch is a dangerous game but, hey, that’s what friends are for. I certainly see the draw of a Dubai brunch and can most definitely understand why it takes pride of place in the weekend events line up for those hard-working expats looking to let loose with a mimosa or twelve.

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