Brunch is back with exciting new elements at the hotel on the beach.
The majestic Al Raha Beach hotel occupies a special place in our hearts. Its location, on a small rise overlooking the superb Al Raha beach with views across the canal to Yas Island, is a strong family favourite for us and many of the residents of Abu Dhabi.
The hotel offers a variety of exciting dining options, amongst which our favourites are Sevilla and the Al Manzil Restaurant, and now we are so happy to see the Friday brunch is back at Sevilla.
The Venue
The recently updated decor of Sevilla took us by surprise, it had been pleasantly restyled with pleasing colours and seating adjusted to the correct distancing that is currently required. It has been transformed into a warm and inviting place, with its terrace offering those stunning views over the pool and the canal.
We found the place abuzz with activity and the buffet was in full swing. We are warmly greeted by the team, the faces are so familiar, and they too recognize us which makes it so much more special, Adel, the manager is there and shows us to our table after spending some time enquiring about us, this personal touch is something we really love and makes it so special.
The Food
It’s a multi cuisine brunch with an extensive array of food that is immaculately presented with attentive servers at each counter ready to assist. Chef Lal is on hand and takes us on a tour of the different counters, and we are really impressed with the huge variety.
The salad section is the starting point of the culinary journey, the variety is so extensive that just sampling all the different salads will be a full meal, so don’t get carried away and heap your plates!
There is a range of international and local favourites exquisitely displayed in colourful plates that compliment the colours of the salads, we lost count of the different varieties.
We get some of the classic Arabic salads to start with, the vine leaves are simply the best we have tasted so far, the fattoush and tabbouleh are strong followers and the little single bit salads we really loved.
On the central island, there is a bread counter displaying a myriad of freshly baked breads to accompany any of the dishes you choose.
We grab some fresh rolls with some butter and head to our table to sample the salads we have chosen, The taste is fresh, and the flavours are spot on. The shrimp salad was another favourite we must mention.
There is an extensive array of fresh seafood on ice to try, the oysters are fresh and taste amazing, the crab and the shrimp are just divine.
They offer an interesting option to upgrade your brunch experience by adding on some lobster, crab or some huge shrimp for a small additional charge.
The seafood selection is equally impressive as the salad selection, and we are completely at a loss for words as to the sheer variety on offer.
There is a full sushi bar where the Chef will put together a fresh plate of sushi made to order, the California rolls were our favourite,
Next up are the steamed dumplings, the chicken dumping are delicate and full of flavour, a touch of soy sauce just took them to the next level, loved them.
The live grilling station occupies centre stage at the buffet, rows and rows of different kebabs and a selection of steaks are on offer, all grilled to your liking. We sampled the steak medallions and the chicken tikka skewers and loved the flavours.
Next stop is the carvery where a delectable roast turkey awaits, the meat is moist and flavourful with a touch of the gravy and a side of grilled veggies.
Right next is the pasta station with the chef ready to make your favourite pasta for you on the spot, simply amazing.
There is a selection of classic Indian and Arabic mains to choose form, the Chicken Kabsa and the lamb offer you the perfect combination and the taste is exquisite.
By now we are absolutely stuffed, but we just couldn’t resist a bit of the stunning seafood biryani with a dollop of creamy butter chicken to end the meal.
The Desserts
After a bit of rest, we head on over to the dessert station that sits in the middle of the restaurant, sharing space with the bread counter. The selection again will blow you away.
The delightfully plated deserts are just so sinfully irresistible, we just had to have a sample of almost all of them. The pineapple vanilla cake, the churros and the raspberry mousse are our favourites here.
There is an entire section devoted to Crème Brulé with a variety of topping to help you customize yours to your liking, the taste is truly magical.
A separate section is devoted entirely to Arabic desserts, the Umm Ali is just perfect, but sadly we couldn’t sample any of the others.
The Verdict
It is truly a five-star buffet and the variety is astounding. The food is superb, with presentation and service to match. The ambiance is geared for families, with soft music adding to the soothing atmosphere.
The bright and cheerful feel with the high roof and floor to ceiling windows giving exceptional views is certainly one of the appealing features as well.
What makes this, so special is the warmth and hospitality of the staff, hats off to Adel and his team for creating this superb feeling of being at home for the guests, no wonder they have so many regulars, it’s almost like visiting family.
The Packages
The Friday Family Brunch packages are as below.
Soft Package – AED 215 / with pool access/ AED 285 / add drinks package to any for AED 89 and kids from 6 to 12 age are charged AED 107.
The Contact
For reservations, please call +971 2 508 0555
