Claw BBQ - "Da Brunch"
Having previously dined at Claw on one of our first dates just a few weeks after it had opened its Crabby doors, I had mixed feelings about returning to try the brunch.
Whilst I remembered it fondly, a swathe of negative reviews from every corner of Dubai had us walking through the door with a sense of trepidation.
Never being ones to blindly follow the opinion of the "nay-sayers", we were instantly put at ease as we were greeted heartily at the door by the effervescent Eve and Siobhan. Both delighted in showing us the different brunch packages and walked us through the dimly lit interior to our table, situated on the newly opened terrace overlooking the picturesque Souk al Bahar.
The Food
The Brunch Menu is huge, featuring a selection of Claw's most popular dishes, albeit with a disappointing lack of the Crustacean namesake of the restaurant itself. Prior to choosing one of the Seven appetizers available on "Da Brunch" we were given a bowl of crunchy, well-seasoned Nachos with spicy salsa and an equally nectarous bowl of shell-on shrimp which gave a whiff of the sea and the spices of the deep south all in one.
I chose the Buffalo Hot Wings which were hot, crunchy, tangy and lick-your-fingers fun to eat, while Mrs Brunch chose the Spinach and Artichoke Dip. The warm creamy blend of sautéed spinach and artichoke hearts, simmered with garlic and blended with cheese (and yet more Nachos) had the perfect lava-like consistency to them…delicious.
Moving onto the Entrée's, and of the 14 on offer, you could roughly catergorize them all into either Burgers, Salads or Sandwiches with a true Southern Melody playing through them all. The items causing the most consternation and making our minds play roulette were the Cobb Salad, the Jalapeno Bacon Burger, The BBQ Beef Sloppy Joe, and the Fish Taco's. Ultimately, we decided upon the Texas Beef Brisket, and the Half Rack of BBQ Ribs.
The Ribs were smoked for over 8 hours and basted in their very own Texas BBQ sauce which was sweet, smokey, and more importantly fall off the bone tender. The smoked Beef Brisket was cooked in a slightly sharper sauce than the ribs, but the slow smoked ends of brisket still melted in your mouth like ice in a fire pit. The Texas Toast was a rather bulky accompaniment along with the sweet Slaw, but this didn't put us off the meal and is more of an individual aversion to carbs rather than a criticism of the meals makeup itself.
The Dessert selection was a quintessential choice of the Classic American Brownie, Key Lime Pie, or Mamma's Apple Pie. I went with the warm, buttery, cinnamon-infused and caramel laden Apple Pie which made my heart want to sing along to the blaring juke box tunes which now sprang from the speakers. Mrs Brunch went for the Key Lime Pie which had a refreshing, ice cream-like top, contrasted with the crunch of its buttery biscuit base. Both very sweet and satisfying as a finale to any meal.
The Drink
There are 3 packages available, The Freshman (195 AED), The Varsity (295 AED) which includes premium spirits (Skyy Vodka, Jack Daniels, Bombay Saphire, Bacardi), and the Pro (345 AED) which includes the Varsity, plus a healthy selection of Margaritas, Lynchburg Lemonades, Daiquiris, Bloody Mary's, Mojoto's, Cosmo's Long Island Ice Teas, Caipirinhas and Martini's. The Package also comes with the following jovial taunt…. "You've finally sworn off swearing off alcohol - Time to run with the Big Dogs!"
There was only one package to choose, and only one place to start…as recommended by Eve, we began with 2 of Claws signature XXRITA's. Oversized margaritas, served with an upside-down Dos Equis beer which drains itself into your glass as you slurp on your flavoured Margarita.
In keeping with our tradition, we did try the Sauvignon Blanc on offer (purely for research purposes ofcourse) and it was a pleasant March Bianci "Terres Cortesi." A good quality and easy to drink accompaniment for when you are feeling "safe."
Today, however, was not a day for safe with the variety of beverages on offer and we quickly moved on to a selection of shots which were served obligingly by Manager Lauren in tiny jam jar shot glasses. (Flavours included Strawberry Vodka, Passion Fruit, Tequila-Tobasco, and Jack Daniels followed by Pickle Juice…which was strangely moreish)
The Atmosphere
The décor of Claw, with its gingham table cloths, novelty bar signs and over-sized cocktail glasses point everything towards this being a party brunch that does not take itself too seriously, but strikes the balance perfectly so that even couples would not feel alienated in amongst the larger groups wanting to fully exhaust the list of shots and get into the Superbowl Spirit. The Music is also an interactive part of the day, with diners able to select their own songs from the Jukebox inside and also request songs from the very talented singer who takes to the stage with his guitar later on into proceedings.
Overall
The attention to detail with each little slogan and colloquialism on the menu ( ie "So good it'll make you wanna slap yo' mamma") and the humerous road signs, neon lights and other scattered paraphernalia all add to the overall feel of being in a Southern Shack rather than the upmarket hub of Downtown Dubai, where etiquette and protocols are all-important.
Claw is unashamedly brash with its table manners, and so it should be. It's hospitality, sense of fun, and free flowing beverages give it every ingredient to be a big player on the Brunch Scene. It is certainly without comparison anywhere this side of the Atlantic.
Claw is Classic comfort from the heart, the home and the soul.
