BRUNCH

SKY HIGH BRUNCHES

Brunch with a side of spectacular Dubai views

01 Cé La Vi

Sensational flavours, stunning views and live music await at this Saturday brunch on level 54 of Address Sky View. Indulge in garlic prawns, roasted salmon, black truffle risotto and more. It runs on Saturday from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Enjoy the house package for Dhs490. q @celavidubai

02 Observatory Bar & Grill

Aptly named Sky High Brunch, this brunch features pulled beef bao, assorted sushi rolls, pumpkin ravioli and more. Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah views will keep you company as you indulge for Dhs499 from 12.30pm to 3.30pm on Saturdays. q @observatorydubai

03 Prime68

Tuck into a meaty feast with unbeatable views from the 68th floor of the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai. Brunch is from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday. Pay Dhs495 for the house package. q @prime68dxb

MYRRA

Travel through the soulful cuisines of the Greek and Spanish Mediterranean islands…

You can’t walk by Myrra without it catching your eye. The bright yellow restaurant is decked out with cascading floral branches and cerulean plant pots, making it one of Dubai’s most Instagrammable restaurants.

The restaurant has a new adults-only summer brunch that features some its most popular dishes, and we couldn’t wait to try it. Unfortunately, the Dubai summer forced us to dine indoors away from the gorgeous outdoor on the beach.

Service is quick and soon after arriving, a plate of freshly baked bread with butter appeared on the table – ‘a warm-up’, we were told by the friendly waiter. A trio of dips is next with spicy feta (our personal favourite), Myrra hummus and tzatziki, which you can mop up with warm pita bread.

From the five starters, we relished the explosion of flavours of the peinirli – a boat-shaped open pie with tomato and Greek-Turkish Kasseri cheese; and the tuna carpaccio vanished as quickly as it melted in our mouth with flavours of truffle, Greek yoghurt and crunchy pine nuts. The kataifi was also enjoyable but could have been perfected with more honey.

For mains, the corn-fed baby chicken, although tender, was a little bland for our liking, although it comes with tzatziki, which did add flavour to the dish. Our second choice was kleftiko – a rustic traditional lamb dish served on the bone but given a modern twist. The 48-hour boneless lamb is gamey and comes on a bed of delicious feta mashed potatoes with tomato jus. For our sweet treat, the milopita – a traditional Greek version of apple pie – is served in a crispy filo pastry with vanilla cream. The pastry was soft, crunchy and had a light flavour. Our favourite was the torrija – a Spanish-style French toast with ice cream and hazelnut creme anglaise – a medley of flavours, temperature and textures.

Myrra, Club Vista Mare, Palm Jumeirah, Sat, 12pm to 5pm (three-hour package) until Oct end. Dhs399, Tel: (0)4 770 1433. myrrarestaurant.com WHAT’S ON VERDICT If you’re looking for great food and Greek island vibes, then check this brunch out.

REVIEW: PLAYA

This Palm West Beach spot may be all about the beach, but the food more than measures up...

The Club has been an instant hit on Palm Jumeirah. At the top of Palm West Beach, it made a strong start with beautiful SĀN Beach. Next came Tulum-inspired Eva Beach House, swiftly followed by Playa, a vibrant, Peruvianinspired beach club with a boho edge.

Positioning itself as more than just another addition to the daytime tantopping scene, the team behind Playa has put a strong emphasis on giving a true taste of Peru to diners. Inside the restaurant, the design details are everywhere: shimmering scales on the ceiling in shades of purple, pink and orange merge into walls covered in stenciled murals, and a long bar tiled in a warm papaya shade shifts into a dining counter with seating for twelve.

More social seating comes in the form of wood and stone booths designed for big groups to gather over Playa’s array of Peruvian plates. There’s also alfresco seating on the terrace, where diners can catch-up with their toes in the sand, a mix of DJ beats and the sound of the sea providing a welcome soundtrack.

At the helm of the kitchen, chef Carlo Valentino has created a menu of Nikkei dishes that features a selection of ceviches and tiraditos, salads, meats from the robata and josper, plus an array of meaty mains. Playa’s founder Dani Khairallah revealed to us that his Peruvian wife had a strong part to play in the culinary direction.

From the raw section, a highlight is the beautifully-plated salmon tiradito (Dhs85) packed with punchy, citrus flavour, and the classic Playa ceviche (Dhs90) theatrically served on dry ice. To go alongside the fish, we opt for a meaty wagyu maki (Dhs90) and it doesn’t disappoint. Each piece is a mouthful of tender wagyu and soft sushi rice topped with fresh spring onion. Salads aren’t so impressive, with the seaweed salad (Dhs55) lacking flavour, and while

we enjoy the truffle and caviar additions to the Peruvian corn salad (Dhs65), the ratio of corn to lettuce and tomato wasn’t as high as we’d have wanted.

Main courses return to the high standard we saw at the start, and if there’s only one thing you order at Playa, make it the melt-in-the-mouth lomo saltado (Dhs195) – marinated sirloin cooked to perfection and served in delicate cubes. Paired with a side of crispy fried yucas fritas (Dhs45), it’s a meal we’re still talking about weeks later.

Peruvian cuisine may not be on the map for its desserts, but the Playa fondant (Dhs65) is a sweet note to conclude on, as we fight over the final spoonfuls of chocolate. Playa, The Club, Palm West Beach, 10am to 2am daily. Tel: (0)50 504 4506. @playadubai WHAT’S ON VERDICT Playa may be a beach club, but the restaurant is a superb dining destination in its own right.