Excellent food in a vibrant atmosphere with pool access makes this new brunch perfect for the summers.
We heard that Rosewood Abu Dhabi has launched this fantastic Wood and Fire Brunch at the lovely Aqua and we just had to head over to give it a try. Having been to so many brunches across the city its always refreshing to try a new one and that too one that promises so much.
So here we are getting out of the lift heading to Aqua and we can hear a buzz, laughter and music pull us towards the door and we are happy to see the place is almost full which is an amazing considering its their first weekend.
Its a lovely setting, an intimate glass walled dining area with not too many tables and superb views, there’s a horseshoe shaped buffet counter fully stacked and families all over having a great time, we are really impressed.
Its a mix of buffet and table service spanning an eclectic mix of cuisines with a strong focus on the grilled and smoked selection, there is a lovely and quiet extensive printed menu at the table that tells you what’s on offer and there are so many things to try.
The Food
There is an extensive selection of salads and fresh greens to choose from, the variety is huge and one could just get stuffed just trying each of the lovely salads, the folks manage to keep it tidy and looking spot on fresh all through the service. There is a selection of ceviche on the side that looks and tastes divine.
We walk by the Oyster Bar and are offered a plate of these fresh Dibba Bay Oysters, we also get some razor clams and scallops try and are really happy as they all taste like they were swimming in the sea this a few hours ago. The seafood range is extensive and you can get quiet carried away if you are not careful!
We run into Chef Jaka Akbary who then proceeds to gives us a tour of the buffet and shows us his smoker where he smokes his Signature Burnt End Brisket and the spicy chickens. Turns out the brisket starts off in the oven for 4 hours and then its smoked 12 hours giving it that classic jelly jiggle and the amazing smoked flavor.
The Brisket is the star of the show, Chef Jaka carves a piece for us and its simply divine, perfect bark, excellent smoke ring, pink and moist in the center, juicy and just a delight to eat. His spicy smoked chicken is another masterpiece, moist, soft and spicy, just perfect.
There is a neat little Taco Bar where you can have so much fun assembling any style of taco, the Chef had them put together a sampler platter featuring three of his signature Tacos for us, the spicy chicken taco just blew us all away.
The Sushi Bar is another magnet, we just can’t seem to have enough of those delicate California rolls and the Salmon Nigari is absolutely delightful.
The Gravlax section is another draw, very unusual and so delicately put together, the neat silver trays look so stunning and the Szechuan cured salmon was something we have not tried before but the flavor was fantastic.
There is a lovely selection of cheese and cold meats to choose form, the duck rillettes and the chicken liver Parfait were extremely delightful on the country bread with some of the different mustards that were available. Right next to this is Pie Station which had the most amazing Cheese Tart with caramelized onions.
We end our food journey at the grilled meat section, there is so much to choose from that we would love to try, we get some of the short ribs and an order of the flank steak which are all done to your liking and sent to your table. The steak was perfect, medium and the ribs just fell off the bone, exceptional food.
The Desserts
As we went about our business we kept seeing this delightful little dessert trolley making rounds of the room with some stunning looking presentations like a visual reminder not to fill up too much and save space for the desserts.
The selection is not huge but what they do they do really well. The mixed berry Pavlova was a huge favorite and we loved the mango coconut cheesecake, a perfect balance between sweet and tart just amazing.
The Verdict
We must say we are really impressed, the food is fantastic, the service excellent and the ambiance is just electric. Its not a huge place but the tables are well spaced apart and the buffet is kept in perfect conditional which shows how attentive the staff is.
Its a jolly brunch that come with pool access as well so its great for the families as the weather is definitely getting hot now. We loved how Chef Jaka and his team were interacting with the diners and this created a sort of happy vibe hard to find these days.
The Packages
The Wood and Fire Brunch takes place every Friday and Saturday from noon to 3.00 PM and for Friday its AED 220 soft package / AED 345 drinks package and on Saturday its AED 310 soft / AED 410 drinks package.
The Contact
For reservations call +971 2 813 5550 or email AbuDhabi.Dining@rosewoodhotels.com
