The location
Iris Yas Island, in the Yas Island Marina, is one of the nicest spots to chill out in the city. I love the real tree out on their deck, and the venue offers a choice of high-top tables or couches.
The atmosphere
At first things were lovely and very family-oriented, not at all like some of the party time, hectic brunches that happen on Fridays. But the volume of the music and the voices got louder as the afternoon progressed, and near the end, we couldn’t really speak to each other comfortably.
The food
The menu is limited and simple, but we enjoyed what was on offer: tacos, cute mixed salads in mason jars, lots of BBQ goods including grilled seafood, bangers and burgers, and chicken shawarma and flatbread pizzas. For dessert, there were two options of lush crepes built around Nutella or an assortment of ice cream. As always in this glorious UAE winter, flies are an issue and staff battled them by covering food and doing lots of shooing throughout.
Who is it best for?
The brunch is geared towards families and it is definitely a draw for that set: there’s a fun little dining area for little ones, arts and crafts and Iris staff to keep them occupied, not to mention an excellent play structure within clear eyeshot of mum and dad. However with the DJ turning up the music as the afternoon wore on, I can’t imagine a family enjoying themselves or the noise being good for children. And by the end, every seat around the lush outdoor bar was filled with a mix of singles who looked ready to mingle.
The verdict
This is a fun thing to do on a Saturday afternoon. Perhaps families might aim for the start of the brunch, clearing out about halfway through before things get too clubby.
The National was a guest of the venue.
Saturdays 12-4pm, priced from Dh200-450 for adults, free for children. Iris Yas Island, reservations 055 160 5636 or reservations@irisabudhabi.com
amcqueen@thenational.ae
