Nosh Family Brunch, Movenpick JLT

  The first impression we had of Nosh as we entered from the lobby was "wow, this is bright & airy for a totally indoor venue." Which we must admit we were not expecting from it's shadowy, scaffold-laden entrance. We like to approach most brunches completely blind, and with as little in the way of preconceptions as possible, so we quickly gathered that this was going to be an uber family friendly affair from the amount of push chairs parked up, and were also pleased to discover that our Brunch at Nosh also allowed us to access the BBQ downstairs at UBK. An unexpected 2-4-1 bonus!   THE FOOD   Nosh is an all day dining restaurant with a mixture of live cooking stations and a couple of novel dishes which caught the eye on our initial walk around. The first to grasp our attention was the large nautical display of fishermans nets and sea shells which was home to an eager chef who was ready to fry or grill a selection of Red Snapper, Sea Bass, Sea Bream, Sardines, Blue Crab, Prawns or Calamari and add to it your own preference of spices. We also took note of the sign stating that "in support of local fishermen, all fish are caught locally and from sustainable stock." A tip of the hat to the chefs not only for their ethos…but for the perfectly seasoned bounty of oceany-goodness which arrived at our table less than 10 minutes after ordering. The next to spark our interest was the "make your own mini Pizza" station where you selected your toppings Subway style which the chef would then oven bake and bring fresh to your table. Whilst waiting for our 2 made to order dishes to arrive, we took a short trip to the Salads, an entire Salmon dressed with thin slices of Cucumber and a Chat Trolley featuring Pani Puri, Behl Puri, Papri Puri & Dahl Wada.   We began to noticed a real foodies attention to detail with the condiments and accompaniments to certain dishes. For example, the Homemade Burrata came in not one, but 3 flavours (Olive, Truffle & Basil Pesto). A feature that was repeated with the Mustard's accompanying the Beef Brisket and Yorkshire Puds (Grainy Mustard, English Mustard, Dijon Mustard) and the Salts accompanying the Eggs, Hash Browns & Waffles (Sea Salt, Garlic Salt, Rosemary Salt). We were particularly impressed with the fine dining elements found in the extravagant White Gazpacho with Mint & Truffle & the Mini Caesar Salad in a dome. Entrée's were wide ranging and generally more rustic, including a variety of popular Noodles & Curries such as their Chicken Massaman Curry, Penang Lamb Curry and Lamb Ouzi with Kabsa Rice, coupled with a dish that we have yet to see attempted anywhere else, Crispy Jerk Chicken. It was not exactly like mamma used to make, but an admirable effort nonetheless.   Desserts are everything that you would expect from a family brunch with a sign goading you to "ring the bell for ice cream," a cotton candy machine and over spilled jars of jelly and sugary pic n mix to go along with dishes such as Sweetcorn Panna Cotta with Kiwi Jelly, Baked Yoghurt, Blueberry Chocolate Tart, Red Velvet, and ofcourse a chocolate fountain; with its multiple streams of flowing white and milk chocolate.   THE DRINKS   A simple and straightforward affair here, although we did have to ask a couple of times as we were one of very few tables partaking of the Alcoholic package on the day. It was refreshing to see a healthy selection of Mocktails available as part of the main buffett, including Lemon Mint, a Walk on the Beach which we presume is a virgin alternative to its err ahem alcoholic older brother, and a Banana Bonkers all in self-serve icy glass jugs. The waiters also ran through the other top shelf selections with us which included Beers (Tiger, Bud), Wines (DB Sauvignon Blanc, Cuvee Blush Rose or DB Cabernet Sauvignon), Sparkling Wine (Nederburg Cuvee Brut) and Spirits (Skyy, Dewars, Bombay Sapphire, Bacardi).   THE OTHER STUFF   As part of the brunch package, patrons are also invited to enjoy the delights of neighbouring outlet UBK whose motto is "EAT, DRINK, CHILL." This was certainly the vibe we felt in this lazy backyard BBQ with the small selection of food which included Coleslaw, Mushrooms, Cous Cous, UBK Wagyu Burgers, Chicken Sausages, Roasted Corn, BBQ Soy Calamari, Fresh Tenderloin Steaks and Whole Roast Lamb over a spit. The dichotomy of environments was signified by the mellow family/middle eastern vibe upstairs, the separate children's playroom and the low music taking on pop/rock classics with a bit of Michael Buble thrown in for good measure. Downstairs took on a more soulful vibe, although both could do with turning the volume up a few notches to help with the atmosphere. Downstairs in particular suffers from little brother syndrome as the noise, music and general bouyancy of the neighboring Pizza Express brunch pours over the walls and invades the quiet oasis, leaving the few guests that were downstairs constantly looking over their shoulders with a little bit of envy in their eyes. The band which comes on at 3pm in UBK is a nice change of pace to the lazy afternoon either upstairs, in the sun, or both.   Every Friday from 12.30pm - 3.30pm   Cost: AED 119 per person including buffet and soft beverages AED 244 per person including buffet and selected alcoholic beverages Kids six and under dine complimentary   To Book: hotel.jumeirahlakestowers.fb@moevenpick.com or call +971 4 438 0000