I have quite possibly witnessed the future of Friday brunching and it’s a thing of beauty.
Having tried my fare share of brunches — strictly in the name of research — over the years, the traditional format was starting to feel tired. Venues that used to have well-paced, well-priced Friday feasts seemed to have become a little greedy of late with double the punters packed in for nearly double the price.
Then along came Frioul. Named after the Frioul Islands off France’s Mediterranean coast, this restaurant feels like its been transported from its scenic origins. Situated alongside the waterways of Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah, the restaurant is set slightly back from the frenzy of the souk and stands in the shadow of Burj Al Arab.
The interior is Franco-chic with ash parquet flooring, white studded banquettes, brass lamps and backlit amber panels. In cooler months the folding doors of restaurant’s façade are pushed back to reveal the most French-like of terraces, and that’s where my guest and I sat to sample the all-new brunch menu. Our waterside table came with views of brightly coloured fish below, who splashed around for our entertainment, and a much-welcomed breeze. And no sooner had freshly baked bread from the kitchen been delivered to our table then small birds began to flutter around the aromatic onion rolls. Natural paradise? So far, so good. But how would the service and food stack up, we wondered.
The menu was served a la carte with sharing in mind. First up and a true winner was the zingy artichoke, pea, sweet lemon and basil salad. Also finished in record time was the smoked tomato, burrata pizetta and the spinach-Taleggio garlic bread. Of the four main courses, we rated the slow cooked beef rib with sticky smoky glaze and garlic pomme purée the tastiest. While the omelette with melted Brie was equally quick to disappear. For desert, we were most definitely back on French soil with classics like pain perdu and featherlite croquettes, creme Anglaise and chocolate sauce.
The vibe throughout the meal was wonderfully relaxed, the meal felt unhurried and the service was incredibly friendly. Helping set the mood was live music courtesy of jazz singer extraordinaire Rachael Calladine who has performed at leading venues the world over from the Café de Paris to Ronny Scotts. While the music sometimes felt a smidgen too loud inside the restaurant, outside it made for a very romantic atmosphere. Yes, even in the daytime with not a candle or fairy-lit palm tree in sight.
So, if you’re a Francophile looking for an alternative to the en-mass buffet-style brunches Dubai provides, beat a path to Frioul. Value-wise, it’s reasonable, with soft-drink packages starting from just Dh295. Merci pour la memoire Frioul — save my favourite table, I’ll be back soon.
• Flick through our slide show of pictures from the meal. To book a table, call 04 567 0011 or click here.
rduane@thenational.ae
