A different brunch for the weekend

During a visit to the relatively newly opened Park Hyatt on Saadiyat Island a couple of weeks ago, I went to its Friday brunch, held at the Beach House. As the name suggests, the restaurant sits right next to the sand, with fantastic views of the unspoilt beach and the bluer than blue waters of the Arabian gulf.

What I enjoyed so much about the brunch was that unlike so many others, it had a really relaxed feel to it; we wandered along the sand in flip flops, before seating ourselves at a large wooden communal table. This was the weekend of the sandstorms, so sitting outside wasn't an option, but on a calmer day, that would have been lovely too.

We started by visiting a central table filled with platters of Mediterranean bits and pieces: quinoa with roasted vegetables, braised lentils with pumpkin, jars of lovely looking pickles and chutneys, tomato and mozzarella salads, marinated olives and plenty of fresh bread that was warmed up in the pizza oven.

After that - braving the sand - we ventured outside, where three different barbecues had been set up. Herb-marinated tiger prawns were fresh and succulent, the steaks were cooked as requested and the lamb was full of flavour. It was the beef short ribs that really stole the show, though, and had me returning for a second helping. The soft, sticky, smoky meat was delicious and fell into pieces when prodded with a knife.

For a very pleasant lunch in lovely surroundings (the grounds of the Park Hyatt are rather stunning), this place is well worth a visit.

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