Outdoor brunch season is back, marked by the triumphant return of Emirates Palace’s al fresco foodie fiesta at La Brisas. But this time it brings a new twist.
The venue may be palatial, but you can still pop on your floatiest casual dress or trousers and boho sandals or kicks – Brunch at the Palace a laid-back lazy affair with garden-party vibes. That’s not to say this new incarnation has lost its regal edge. It’s undeniably high-end – oysters and lobster still take pride of place at the fresh seafood bar – but the setting is casual and easy-going.
The all-new Brunch at the Palace is set up like a farmers’ market. You walk through stalls of impeccably presented varieties of fresh organic produce, but rather than filling your hessian bag to take it all home, you get to fill your face with it right there, with friends, facing a big, swirly swimming pool, with hammocks in it. If you’re a fan of farmers’ markets, you’ll be in your element here.
The food is set out on rustic wooden boxes, some strewn with straw to give it that fresh-from-the-farm feel, others draped with gingham cloth, adding an old-school picnic vibe. There’s plenty to please your palate, too, with lots of live cooking and preparation stations – chefs whip up pasta with sauces of your choice and prepare fresh mozzarella and burrata salads with slices of heirloom tomatoes if that tickles your fancy.
There’s a carvery, with chefs serving up a cracking British roast featuring a delightfully tender prime rib, honey-glazed roasted parsnips and Yorkshire puddings. But get there early for the top-notch quality – Yorkies and veggies get a little limp as the afternoon wears on.
Of the other pre-prepared plates, there’s Spanish tapas, a fluffy lobster frittata, with punchy rocket and patatas bravas – a great opener to proceedings – as well as paella, an indulgent cheese and truffle quiche, and tender, gummy beef cheeks with piquillo peppers.
Those looking for lighter options have plenty to choose from, too, with a range of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean salads. But if you’re not watching your waistline, the spiced lamb ouzi is well worth digging into.
Of course, brunch wouldn’t be complete without dessert. The sweet-toothed are well catered for with baklava, ridiculously rich, gooey and chocolatey cakes, muffins, doughnuts, tarts and more, and there’s a “Bomboniere” serving old-school classics such as squares of fudge and sugar-coated cola bottles, which will appeal to both your kids and your inner child.
Staff have the knack of showing up just as you’re ready for a top-up, and the live Latin band keep the spirits and holiday vibes up throughout the afternoon, perhaps most importantly, without drowning out conversation.
It’s a garden party that by the time 4pm rolls around has put you in a great mood for the weekend. It’s an elegant yet relaxed epicurean Friday feast.
Brunch at the Palace is on Fridays from 12.30pm to 4pm, and costs from Dh370 for adults and Dh185 for kids between 6 and 12 years. Call 02 690 7999.
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Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
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Scotland v Ireland:
Scotland (15-1): Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, Sam Johnson, Sean Maitland; Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (capt); Josh Strauss, James Ritchie, Ryan Wilson; Jonny Gray, Grant Gilchrist; Simon Berghan, Stuart McInally, Allan Dell
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, D'arcy Rae, Ben Toolis, Rob Harley, Ali Price, Pete Horne, Blair Kinghorn
Coach: Gregor Townsend (SCO)
Ireland (15-1): Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack Conan, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Quinn Roux; Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, John Cooney, Joey Carbery, Jordan Larmour
Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Favourite things
Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery
Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount
University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China
Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai
Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China
Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Wonka
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Seattle from Dh6,755 return in economy and Dh24,775 in business class.
The cruise
UnCruise Adventures offers a variety of small-ship cruises in Alaska and around the world. A 14-day Alaska’s Inside Passage and San Juans Cruise from Seattle to Juneau or reverse costs from $4,695 (Dh17,246), including accommodation, food and most activities. Trips in 2019 start in April and run until September.
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
