Is this Abu Dhabi’s most Buddha-ful brunch?

We’re going to keep our opinion in regard to that question to ourselves but what we will say is this… If you love brunching, then don’t miss out on this!

words Derek Issacs

It’s a short drive to Saadiyat Island from central Abu Dhabi city, yet it’s a world away where pristine white sand forms the majority of a landscape dotted with notable buildings such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi and some of the UAE’s most luxurious resorts.

Driving into the courtyard of the palacial The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort you know you’ve reached the next level and you ask yourself if it can get better than this.

You realise the answer when your host guides you through the splendour of the hotel, down to the lower-ground floor and along the scent-filled path gently winding down to the beach, culminating at the grand entrance to Buddha-Beach Bar. Bliss!

Like the name suggests, there are sweeping views of the beach.

We’ve chosen the Night Brunch, starting from 7pm.

The lights are low, electro-ethnic rhythms (Not unlike this beauty) pulsate, but nothing’s too dark or too loud so you can’t enjoy a tête-à-tête with your fellow diners or see what you’re eating. The mix is perfect!

We’ve regretfully forgotten the name of our server;  she’s from Burma and her effortless, authentic, unintrusive ways (a rarity these days) made sure our time was special. The dishes need no introduction, nevertheless knowing that bit more about each one only adds to the experience.

Brunch buffets have been consigned to the history books for now (we all know why), so it’s a sit-down affair. Presonally, we prefer this setup and it’s certainly slams the brakes on food wastage, which is a great thing!

The dishes are servered with a warning: “There are many, unlimited courses so save room so you enjoy them all.”

We didn’t heed the warningof course, nor would you. The images here don’t do them justice in our opinion. Head over to Insta Stories and see what we posted there.

The sharing style yields multiple dishes from different countries and cities of
the Pacific region.

To kick off, a gigantic variety of  garden-fresh salads, Sushi, Nigiri and additional hot starters is served. To follow are delicacies from the Robata Charcoal Grill, that shows off Japanese culinary traditions to the hilt.

The signature seabass melts in the mouth

The bubbly, by the way, is free-flowing and and an added and welcomed accompaniment. Buddha-beach Bar’s master mixologists even paid us a visit to our table, merrily adding to the mix!

Signature highlights found their way to our table for the main course and included Chilean Seabass, Beef Tenderloin and Wok Chicken Kung Pao.

A dynamic sorbet palate cleanser

Sweet tooths of the world unite… in delight!  We certainly did.

We loved the hot chocolate pudding, so we ate two each! But it’d be a crime to miss out on the rest of the desserts for a rather grand  finale to a spectacular evening.

There’s the eye-catching Apple Tart Tatin, Eclairs and Crepe Soufflé to delight your palate. Again, there’s an unlimited supply so take your time and soak in the atmosphere of this legendary brunch.

We’ll be back!

 

Packages

Day Brunch from 1pm to 4pm or the Night Brunch starting from 7pm.

AED 325 including soft drinks; AED 450 including house beverages; AED 525 for premium beverages. NOTE: Reservations are mandatory due to limited capacity.

Buddha-Bar Beach, The St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort. For bookings, contact 02 498 8888 or email restaurant.saadiyat@stregis.com or Reservations.Saadiyat@stregis.com

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