Saturday afternoons just got better with this new pool side brunch family brunch.
Situated in a quiet enclave just outside Abu Dhabi, the Millennium Central Mafraq Hotel is an oasis of tranquillity, making it an excellent choice for families and business travellers.
We are long time fans of the Hunter’s Bar and when we heard about their new poolside Sundowner Brunch, we just had to go and give it a try.
The Venue
The Sundowner Brunch takes place in the garden area that normally is the Oasis Pool Bar, it’s a fantastic setting with the pool on one side, green lawns with tall palm trees festooned with lights and a huge array of food stations lining the edges.
The cuisine is international with a live grilling station, multiple carvery options and as it’s a family oriented brunch the kids get their own dedicated brunch area with all the favourites like burgers, hot dogs and fries along with activities like face painting, movies and more.
Every weekend on Saturdays, the new weekends we are still getting our heads around, the Oasis Pool Bar transforms into this magical family venue serving some excellent food, drink and entertainment, simply amazing.
The Food
We are shown to a nice table in the middle of the lawn and our drink orders are taken, we are then taken on a tour of the buffet, there is a nice shawarma station where the chef shaves off some of the meat to try, it’s perfectly grilled with great flavour.
There is an entire pergola offering an extensive selection of cheese, salads and finger food, all neatly laid out waiting to be sampled, we have them put together a sampler platter for us which was amazing, we loved the little sliders.
The salad selection is absolutely vast and each one is so stunningly presented we almost felt sad taking pates out to try. The cold Arabic mezze were really tasty and the seafood salad with the oysters was stunning, fresh and delightful.
The selection of salads goes on, here are the compound salads.
We stop by the bread station that features a variety of freshly baked breads, we grab a few samples and head over to our table to enjoy the salads.
The food is absolutely amazing so far and there is so much more to try. We head on over to the live grilling station, there is a variety of seafood, beef steaks, chicken kebabs and much more which the Chef will grill to your taste, the steak was incredibly soft and tasted amazing.
We stop and get some sides for the steak and the grills, the potato mash was creamy, the corn perfectly done, and the grilled veggies added that extra flavour to the meat.
The soup station is next, featuring two kinds of soup and some toppings to add the extra zing, we loved the creamy seafood soup.
Next up the Arabic nibbles section, the kibbeh were hot and tasty and the samosas were crisp with excellent filling.
There are three separate carving stations, starting with the corn fed chicken which was moist and tender with a delicate flavour
Just after this is the grilled Turkey with a variety of sauces to choose form, absolutely a must-try.
Finally, there is the grilled fish, a huge fish awaits perfectly grilled, flaky and just met in your mouth tender.
Next is a variety of Arabic mains featuring stuffed quail which is a must-try, we loved the grilled aubergine in cheese and the beef mussakhan was absolutely divine.
There is a nice little pasta station as well tucked away in a corner where the chef will rustle up any pasta you would like.
Right next to is a crêpe and waffle station waiting for your orders.
Finally, there is the Indian corner featuring a delectable chicken biryani along with an absolute mouth watering butter chicken that we feel is the absolute highlight of the evening, we had to go back for seconds and thirds!
As it’s a family brunch, there is a separate area with a kids buffet set on low tables, so the kids can serve themselves while they indulge in activities like face painting and more.
The kids even get to watch movies and shows on a big screen, it’s just amazing how much attention has been given to making the kids feel comfortable.
The Desserts
After all this food there is hardly any place for desserts, but there is a whole dessert counter waiting to be tried, so off we go to see what’s in store.
The presentation again is absolutely magical, rows upon rows of single serve dessert portions neatly displayed waiting to be sampled.
The variety is so vast we were left gaping as to what to try.
The highlights were the crème brûlée, the tiramisu and the huge variety of pastries, each a delight in itself.
The Verdict
We are absolutely blow away the food is amazing, the variety mind-boggling and the service is absolutely spot on. The ambiance is truly magical, and we loved how the place changes into a mystical Arabian Nights style setting as the sun goes down and the lights in the tall palms come on.
We highly recommend a visit with your family or friends but make sure you go starving as there is so much to try that you will be overwhelmed.
The Packages
The Sundowner Brunch takes place every Saturday afternoon from 3.00 PM to 7.00 PM by the pool and the packages start from AED 159 for the soft package, AED 259 for house beverages and AED 359 with the bubbly and all these are net prices.
The Contact
For reservations and further details, please call +971 2 659 6666, Email: fb.mcma@millenniumhotels.com or
WhatsApp: +971 54 582 8463
