Brasserie 2.0, Le Royal Meridien

  Taking Brunch to the next Level...   If the slogan for Brasserie 2.0's new offering sounds familiar to you, it may be because it is not the first time it has been tagged to a new Brunch in the city. We won't say where, but the slogan is probably where the similarities between this brunch and the other one come to an end. So with this familiar assertion ringing in our ears, albeit in an unfamiliar location. We pricked up our expectations, readied ourselves with a smidgen of skepticism and strolled into the brand new Brunch 2.0 at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, wondering whether this was indeed a new level of brunch, or simply Brunch 1.0 in fancy dress.     The Food   It would be difficult to describe a particular theme that runs through Brunch 2.0, so instead we have tried to describe what they have got, rather than struggle to pinpoint what they do not. Sufficed to say that they have all bases and cooking styles covered from fried, to steamed, to smoked and sautéed across the 10 live cooking stations both indoors and al fresco. As we were sat outside on the large terrace, we could not help but start with the imposing outdoor grill and smoker which we could smell as soon as we entered the building. The Smoked varieties of Brisket, Short rib, & BBQ Chicken were served up on a platter fit for a cowboy, along with the Cabrito - a regional specialty of various latin and Iberian cuisines in which a young goat is slow cooked over charcoals for upwards of 8 hours. All of these meats were made all the more delicious with the addition of the chefs homemade chimichurri amongst a myriad of hot sauces from across the globe, including a brand of African ghost pepper sauce which we have never laid eyes on before…but will live long in the memory (for one reason or another….)     Staying outside, the next station along allowed guests to further satiate their meat cravings by affording them the opportunity to build their own burger or select from fresh Lamb Chops, Beef Steaks and Kebabs which would then be cooked & brought over to your table. Feeling the need for some light relief, then step inside to the superfood laden Salad bar where again you could make your own or choose from a selection of pre-made including a seared Tuna Nicoise with Quails Egg & Shallots, steamed Asparagus with shaved Pamesan, Wild Rice & a roasted Onion Salad with a balsamic reduction.     With time running out, we made a swift pass through the regional entrée's to sample an Ossobuco Milanese (braised veal shanks) a huge Seafood Paella, a live pasta station manned by an impressively knowledgeable Italian chef and then onto the 2 kinds of Wellington (Salmon & Beef), a Marinated Rack of Lamb and a Beef Prime rib at the roasts station. Mrs B on the other hand went for the Fish Tajin, Prawn Tikka (Indian Station) and Bangers n Mash (Pork Station) before a final fishy flourish of Scallops, Lobster, Langoustines & Crab Claws from the live stations which afforded the tiniest of breaks as they were once again cooked a la minute and brought to our table.     Both of us failed to give the desserts the time in the sun they deserved, but from what we could see the selection of Tarts, Crumbles, Rolls, Brulee's, Creams and freshly made popcorn seemed more than capable of keeping the sugar fanatics appeased.       The Drinks   Remarkably, this is the first brunch where we had heard whispers of a "wine tasting" station, and true enough there it was at the far end of the buffet. Intrigue gripping us as it does, we stood entrapped for 20 minutes between the Sommelier and his wares, including a large bottle of Belaire Rose, a Terroirs d'alsace (pinot blanc) and various decentered reds. Outside of the wine tasting, health aficionados can make use of the refreshing juice and smoothie bar, or the Old Smokey cocktail bar outside which made us an Aperol Spritz which we aren't the biggest fans of but accepted graciously anyway, and was the base from which the majority of the outdoor guests were topped up with either their beers (Becks & Stoli) house beverages, sparkling wines (Pierlant Brut) or if you are like us…your Laurent Perrier Champagne.       The Other Stuff   Although there is a lot going on both indoors and out, it is the outdoor garden terrace where the action truly lies so we would suggest grabbing a seat on the sprawling al fresco space while the weather is still agreeable. Not only will this allow you to take in the spectacular views of the Arabian Sea, neighboring restaurant Geales and engage in a bit of our personal "guilty pleasure" of people watching as hotel guests sun themselves by the adjacent pool. It will ofcourse also give you a front and centre seat to the live entertainment, provided by the peerless Josh McCartney Trio.   Commissioning a live band is a brassy route to go down for a brunch, especially one which comes with a fully stacked drum kit manned by riff-rolling, flare-flicking, cymbal crashing Josh Bannister, Bass Guitarist Frankie Baeuchesne and Lead Vocalist/guitarist Josh Mcartney who complement each other effortlessly, as well as allowing each other to shine as individuals in equal measure. They play across a variety of musical genres from the classics to modern day hits, and even take requests. Their combination of showmanship, technical ability and just that added bit of eye candy makes for an all-round entertaining afternoon with the trio who are sure to have you up dancing before too long.   The spectacular array of prepared and a la minute foods, the drinks, the wine tasting station, the band, the location, the afterparty…indeed, Brunch has definitely been taken to a new level.   Every Friday from 1:30pm to 4:30pm AED 400 inclusive of non alcoholic beverages. AED 525 inclusive of selected alcoholic beverages and Sparkling. AED 725 inclusive of selected alcoholic beverages and Champagne. Kids between 6 and 12 AED 200. Kids under 6 eat free.