THE BLIGHTY BRUNCH AT YAS HOTEL

A new brunch that will transport you to a rural festival or party in the UK countryside!

YAS HOTEL now proposes no less than 3 different options for UAE residents to spend a great day brunching out (Thursday night and Friday at Origins + this new outdoor monthly brunch).

Their latest addition is called “The Best of Blighty Brunch” and occurs once a month. After a successful launch mid-January 2019, we were invited to join the mid-February event and the last event of the winter season is scheduled for Friday 15th, March 2019. 

What we liked most at this new brunch was the friendly vibes brought by both the outdoor setting and the overall festive atmosphere.

About 50 country-style tables are displayed at the grassy lawns facing the stunning architecture of Yas Hotel and each table has a county label such as Kent, Essex, Cornwall, Berkshire…with club flags flying in the air in between the high palm trees.

The picnic-style setting and decor instantly give a bucolic and rustic feel-the live entertainment and band playing throughout the afternoon adds to the atmosphere.

With lawns surrounding the brunch area, kids are in haven running, jumping in the bouncy castle, playing badminton, getting their faces painted, being entertained by the magician or simply relaxing on large soft carpets displayed on the grass.

The highlight for us is that this brunch is completely UK-oriented which is quite unusual and proposes an interesting mix of buffet style options with a couple of dishes directly brought to the table.

As the buffet is displayed outdoors, the team came up with the brilliant idea of serving most of the cold dishes inside glass jars with lids which has two advantages: avoiding flies coming around the food and enjoying a larger variety of food.

We really enjoyed tasting their seafood options, such as oysters, large shrimp marinated with spices and citrus, to smoked salmon with beets, crab legs, grilled lobster tails or lobster paws.

Of course, there were a couple of typical specialties to grab such as mushy peas, oxtail pudding, shepeard’s pie or fish pie to name a few.

We also tried scotch eggs that were perfectly executed with the egg yolk still running to taste along with a brioche and cheesy warm bread cut in slices.

We really enjoyed having the traditional fish and chips served in cones of paper. Make sure to not fill yourselves up at the buffet as an XL baking tray comes to each table filled with roasted beef and grilled vegetables including Brussels sprouts, roasted potatoes, broccoli and more. It was actually our first time tasting roasted beets with Provencal herbs and it’s a recipe we ‘ll make sure to prepare at home. Almost caramelized, we adored this unusual way to enjoy beets.

The identity of this outdoor Blighty brunch is paired with the multi-awarded live band “The International Playboys” entertaining guests all afternoon long. Well-known among the British community in Abu Dhabi, this band played famous tunes including Tom Jones, Lynyrd Skynyrd to Franz Ferdinand and many more.

 

There also are a few stand-alone stalls displayed in the Palm Garden proposing a large variety of mocktails and cocktails to enjoy with traditional British drinks to taste.

We really appreciate that the guests were treated with the greatest of care, with friendly staff checking on every table and rushing to bring drinks and even move the parasols as soon as the sun was getting high in the sky.

Save room for desserts as there is a large Eton mess coming to the table with large spoons to dig in. We couldn’t resist the mix of fresh berries and whipped cream with colorful meringues! There also are many sweet options from liquid nitrogen ice cream to tarts and puddings.

Surprised not to see any bread and cheese, we asked about it and soon after a tasty platter of cheese with cold cuts was delivered to our table to end the brunch on a savory note, the British way.

We headed back home relaxed after spending a lively and fun afternoon brunching outdoors. Oh, and we also added a few new songs to our playlist and are keen to check where the band is playing next.

The best of Blighty Brunch really lives up to its expectations and is a must for those who miss the home or simply want a taste of British hospitality.

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NEXT EDITION SCHEDULED ON Friday 15th March 2019. 1 pm to 5 pm

Prices:
AED 285 with soft beverages
AED 395 with house and sparkling beverages
AED 495 with premium beverages

For bookings:
+971 2 656 0600, [email protected]

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THE BEST OF BLIGHTY BRUNCH | A monthly brunch at Yas Hotel, Yas Island

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