The Collective Brunch @ The Grand Hyatt

Located inside the plush tropical gardens of the Grand Hyatt hotel, the "Collective" aims to introduce to a fresh experience which is not merely about the food, but also the stories behind the food and the quality of service provided to each guest as epitomized by the slogan "eat, life, stories" which is emblazoned across the entrance.   Having previously experienced the (now discontinued) Pepper Crab brunch here, we were eager to see what this incarnation had to offer and so arrived slightly before the 12.30pm start time, to which the more than apologetic hostess explained that the staff were still adding the final touches to the brunch and were not ready for us to enter. Unfazed by this we took the opportunity to explore the hotel and soak up the ambience of the indoor tropical gardens with the hulls of sunken ships looming large from the ceiling above. A novel interior design feature, even by Dubai's often outlandish standards.   Needless to say we returned promptly at 12.31pm. The layout of the brunch is separated into several distinct areas. The larger, family tables were located towards the centre of the restaurant, closer to the ‘action' (the food) whilst the smaller tables (for groups of 3 and 4) were in the open plan area of the hotel lobby, right next to the steam of water that flowed next to the restaurant. We were located on a table for 2 on the outskirts of the restaurant and although it was tranquil and picturesque to be situated so close to the gardens, we did feel we were slightly detached from the majority of the other brunchers. We also felt slightly restricted with the size of our table being so small. With all of the promise of great food, surely we would need a table large enough to accommodate our sizeable appetites?   THE FOOD   Whilst contemplating where to start we were grateful for the one of the staff members who guided us through the four micro concepts which were: The Levant Emporium, The Grill Bar, The Bombay Café and the Bakery. Having o crowbar Mrs Brunch away from the bakery, our friendly waiter led us back to a more obvious starting point in The Levant Emporium.   The Levant Emporium offers both local and Turkish cuisine with hot and cold mezze, and a selection of tagines to choose from. We began our journey with the cold Mezze selection and the fresh and colourful delights, but careful not to fill our plates too early, we sampled small spoonful's of the basil hummus, the tasty carrot and potato dip, beetroot and the cous cous and shrimp salad. All complimented with the warm Turkish Pide which was fresh out of the oven. The standout dish was the basil hummus which was definitely the best version of hummus we had ever tried, and well…who can be disappointed with freshly baked bread?   Greedily moving on to the warm mezze; chicken mahshi, a roasted chicken stuffed with buttery pine nuts, spiced rice and ground meat was a personal favourite; kebba bel Laban, the Levantine stuffed dumpling meat dish with yoghurt and the beautifully presented and equally tasty parcels of lamb and rice known as Lamb Ouzi. If you manage to catch them while they are fresh, the simple yet divine crispy cheese rolls are not to be missed. Unfortunately, they had run out when we returned for a 2nd helping but were quickly brought over to the table as soon as a fresh batch had been prepared.   During the brunch, waiters circulate the venue bringing samples of freshly prepared fare from each of the kitchens along with an explanation (although not always too clear) of what everything was. Some of the more memorable we were hawked were the soft shell crab, the kebab with a yogurt and chili dressing and the utterly incredible Parsi dish of bread rolls (Pav) filled with keema. They sound pretty standard, but trust us, they are anything but. It was a fantastic way to sample food that we may have otherwise missed, however, it was definitely one of the main contributors in us struggling to squeeze in dessert.   The Grill Kitchen, as the name suggests is the home of grilled and roasted meats and seafood. Diving straight in, we shared a meaty cheese burger topped with a spicy harissa sauce on a sourdough bread. Disappointingly though, when we went to check out the selection of seafood on offer, we found that everyone else had seemed to have the same idea as there was only a limited selection of baked oysters in a cream sauce and red mullet available. The chefs were quick to rally however, and freshly grilled king prawns and lobster were soon brought over to our table. Unfortunately, we felt that the prawns were slightly overcooked and lacking any real flavor. Luckily though, the salmon we had chosen was perfectly cooked and was particularly enjoyable with the accompanying salsa verde.   The Bombay Café, which served traditional Parsi cuisine, was the kitchen we were both looking forward to from our earlier sampling, although we were previously ignorant as to exactly what Parsi food was, (Iranians who migrated to Gujarat, India in case you were wondering). We were pleased to find the familiar dhansak, which is a staple in Parsi cuisine, rice with juicy shrimp and a chicken and lamb curry which we both found enjoyable, without setting our mouths alight with flavour or spice. However, it was here that we found our favourite dish of the day, Patra ni Macchi; The delicate hammour was topped with a chutney made from coconut, chilies, coriander and mint, then steamed in a banana leaf. These small parcels, although not the most aesthetically pleasing, were packed full of flavor. True street food at its finest…   As mentioned earlier, squeezing in dessert was a struggle but the smell of freshly baked cookies tempted us back over to "The Bakery." There was something for everyone here, from the warm, soft comforting cookies, to individual sticky date puddings, large cakes and ice cream jars complete with hundreds and thousands, Arabic sweets, cakes, a pancake station and an array of fresh fruit which was cut and prepared right in front of you. Being so engrossed in the main dessert area we missed the pancake station., however, as we returned to our table with a plate full of goodies, we discovered an American pancake with all the trimmings waiting for us. Were we surprised? No. This was the beauty of this brunch, that if you missed something good, you only had to think and it would be brought round to you. We both agreed that the American pancakes with fresh berries, Nutella and vanilla cream were our favourite…. that was until we tried the cookies, and then the ice cream……needless to say all of the desserts were good but we were not able to do them full justice.   It was at this stage that the Moroccan tea was brought to our table, this sweet tea may not to everyone's tastes, however, the theatre of the tea pouring made this a nice addition to the bunch and a perfect distraction while we nursed our stomachs' into submission.   THE DRINK   We were quickly shown to our table and just as quickly left to our own devices. However, with no drinks menu's on the table and having arrived bang on the start time there were no other brunchers to take our lead from, leaving us feeling a little bit lost. We were eventually talked through the drinks menu, and assuming that we were able to order what we liked from the menu, were then surprised to be told that spirits were not available. Instead, we had the choice of 1 beer (cobra), red wine (Malbec, Catana, Medoza, Argentina) white wine (Pinot Grigio, Ca' Montini Valfredda, Trentino, Italy) Sparkling (Prosecco Prima Perla NV, Italy) and the Cocktail of the Day, which changed on a daily basis, (we were fortunate that it was a rum based cocktail ‘Triple Berry', although we did feel the drink contained more ice than rum). If we were being ultra-picky, we would class the drinks selection as somewhat limited, and more geared more towards the non-alcoholic drinker.   The soft drinks package priced at 299 AED this where they seemed to excel. Alongside the usual soft drinks that you would find included in a brunch there was also an array of fresh juices which you could help yourself to and fabulous ‘daily creations' menu, where you could go to the drinks station and see your chosen drink made in front of you from the fresh ingredients on offer.   Towards the end of the brunch, milkshakes were also being offered to each table. Although this was something we wouldn't have rushed to try at this stage of a brunch, it was a good opportunity for us to experience the daily creations on offer. The ‘Dreamy Berry milkshake' was thick, creamy and extremely fruity.   THE OTHER STUFF   Overall this was a great brunch experience, however, as we were seated in the open area, far away from the food stations and this was a fairly quiet Friday, we did feel that at times the atmosphere was slightly somber. Maybe for us, the background music was just a little bit too far into the background. We did not have too much time to dwell on this, as our brunch conversations and observations keep us very busy, along with the attentive staff who always seemed to be ferrying something off to someone in another area of the jungle. Although the service was a little pedestrian at times (in particular with the drinks) and not all of the food stations were always fully stocked up, each of the members of staff we encountered went out of their way to ensure we had what we needed (eventually.) Hassan in particular was on hand all afternoon to make sure that our wine glasses were continually topped up once he realised how important this was for us and that we had tried all of the signature dishes. Executive chef Roger said that he wanted this brunch to feel different and it did. We enjoyed the wackiness of the indoor jungle, the interaction between the guests and the staff and we felt that they believed in the concept, "eat, life, stories". For us food isn't just about eating…it is about the interaction and the conversations surrounding it. Great food and service in a collection of relaxed settings.   Every Friday 12.30pm - 4pm AED299 inclusive of soft beverages AED399 for the alcoholic brunch package To Book call +971 4 317 2221 or email: dubai.grand@hyatt.com