Cravin' Cajun - The Bucket Brunch, Novotel Al Barsha
Set amongst the side streets of Al Barsha but close enough to the harried chaos of Sheikh Zayed road and in the shadow of the Mall of the Emirates lies the modern-yet-unassuming guise of the Novotel al Barsha, and within it...a secret known only to a small group of well-informed foodies. Cravin' Cajun is a modern American eatery which features an collection of foods and flavours that can be found throughout the USA, with a hearty and soulful slant towards the Spanish influenced Creole cuisine from Louisiana and the French-Canadian traits found in Cajun cooking.
The Food
We kicked off our adventure across the Deep South with a visit to what seemed like an all-encompassing salad bar and our first experience of the day's recurring theme…BUCKETS! All of the salads were served from artistically over spilled buckets with every kind of greenery imaginable. The non-exhaustive list included a Waldorf salad, Tomato and Mozzarella, buckets of House Caesar, Chicken & Avocado, Carolina Coleslaw, Charred Asparagus with Berries & Hazelnuts, Crispy Chicken with Pomegranate & Scallion Potatoes, Skirt Steak with Rocket and Parmesan Shavings and an Old fashioned version of a Caprese Salad made with fresh Mozzarella, tomatoes and Basil. For anyone seeking the DIY option, there was also a make-your-own salad bar from which you could select your leaves and condiments from the selection of hanging baskets. At this stage, we were impressed.
Moving past the greenery, we came across a selection of dishes which embodied a typically American approach to nutrition, insomuch as they steer towards bountiful portions and glutinous flavour combinations with very little concern towards the waistline. Dishes such as Beef Quesadilla's, Chicken Taco's, Footlong Chili Dogs, BBQ Veal Short-Ribs and Blackened Perch with Sausage Ratatouille were all in evidence, as well as large crock pots filled with Shrimp & Grits, Clam Chowder, Mardi Gras Rice with Andouille Sausage, Mac n' Cheese with Crab Meat & Shrimps, Chipotle Spiced Lamb Chops with Bean Stew and a hearty Chicken Parmigiana with Smoked Turkey Gravy which we had earmarked to visit at a later date.
Following on from our Salad course, we returned to our table to find that Buckets had been left for us in our absence. These silver buckets contained Corn on the Cobb, Cooked Lobster Tails, Southern Fried Chicken Tenders, Buffalo Chicken Wings, Onion Rings and Potato Wedges. A nice touch as a sampler, if not a little overwhelming considering the huge list of hot dishes we had just earmarked to try next. We made a courteous, yet feeble attempt to sample all of the bucket dishes and found that the execution of the Wings and Onion Rings in particular were unfortunately of a similar standard to our efforts, with the wings proving to be too soggy and the rings too brittle for our taste.
Hoping to wipe the slate clean, we visited the "Pork room" which was a small larder with a wooden table serving up Farmers Pate, Parma Ham, Smoked Black Forest Ham and Pork Salami, before a quick and refreshing visit to the cold Seafood section which was a healthy assortment of Marinated Blue Crab served with a tangy Mango and Tomato Salsa, Marinated Chilean Mussels, Smoked Salmon, Beetroot Marinated Salmon, BBQ Squid and Nile Perch Crudo (raw).
By the time we had returned for the "entree" dishes we had so eagerly marked out earlier, a few of them had lost their "just cooked" freshness and were no longer piping hot as they had been left in their pots unrefreshed for an extended period with only a small candle underneath to keep them warm. Perhaps on a busier day in the restaurant, the dishes would have been replenished more frequently and we could have experienced them in their full, flavorsome glory. However on this occasion, the excitement we had built up in our heads before tasting was sadly left unrealised.
Fortunately, we ended our meal on a high note, and the selection of desserts (as you would expect from our transatlantic cousins) were a triumph. We selected with a bucket of assorted Donuts, a bucket of Toffee Trifle and a bucket of Chocolate, Banana & Toffee which we still have no idea how they get into the bucket in the first place. For quintessential dessert classics, you cannot get any more American than Apple Pie, Chocolate Oreo Cake or a Peanut butter Cake to go along with the various cheesecakes, a Tower of Eclairs and the now obligatory Chocolate fountain.
The Drink
The drinks creations at the bucket brunch are anything but conventional, and fit very much in with the novel and creative themes which permeate the restaurant's food offerings, although in this case they aren't served out of buckets. (A good idea for future reference though!) We began proceedings with a glass of Jean-Louis Cuvee sparkling Brut whilst we wandered up and down the colourful bar counter, displaying a menu of either Mojito, Rasmopolitan or Fruitini Cocktail Lollies, House blends of Mixed Berry, Citrus, Fruit Cocktail and a Peach Cooler and Inspirational Lemonades & Hard Teas which came in either Peach, Citrus or Green Apple flavor. Along with these classic cocktails, the health conscious amongst you will be pleased to see a selection of detox beverages, smoothies and shakes in various guises, including a Scateo non-alcoholic sparkling wine, a brand famed for its low calorie, high-vitality sentimentalities.
Some other uniquely interesting methods of serving drinks came in the form of the "Wheelbarow, " which began as a stationary item but soon developed a life of its own as the "barrow", stacked full of ice, Beers (Budweiser & Amstel Light), Wines (Cuvee Sabourin Chardonnay & Blush) and Alcopops (Bacardi Breezers & Smirnoff Ice) was wheeled enthusiastically around the venue, stopping off at random tables to offer its wares to unsuspecting and appreciative guests. We were also treated to a cocktail in the form of a barrel of Bacardi Rum, served with an upturned bottle of Crabbies Ginger Beer and an ingenious drinking game which can only be described as shot-glass naughts and crosses.
The Other Stuff
This Brunch certainly represents excellent value for money, and it is important to recognise that whilst our criticisms are quite stern in areas, we strive to judge all brunches by the highest possible standards, which usually sit somewhere in 500-600 AED bracket. For the price you will pay at the Novotel, it certainly holds its own in the 200-300 AED bracket. As discussed earlier, the concept is similar to a Guy Fieri style tour around America's greatest "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives," which as huge fans of the show, and of Creole cuisine in general was like a match made in heaven. The playful staff and the multiple beverage options, most notably the shot glass naughts and crosses were major plus points, and we feel that with the background music turned up a little louder, and a few additional bums on seats than were in attendance on our particular visit (to help with the atmosphere as well as keeping the hot food replenished with greater regularity), this brunch has the potential to turn into one of the city's most unique brunch concepts.
Every Friday from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM
AED 195 - Non Alcoholic Package
AED 295 - Alcoholic Package
To Book: email h6535-FB1@ACCOR.COM or call: 04 304 9171
