The Big Apple Brunch @ Tribeca, JA Ocean View

New Kid on the Brunch Block, TR!BECA aims to take a healthy bite out of the Big Apple, spit out the pips and hope they take root firmly in the undersoil of the Dubai Brunch Scene.

Named and styled after New York's cobblestoned and oft-coveted neighborhood that is synonymous with stars such as Jay Z and Robert De Niro. TR!BECA goes down the route of being ultra-chic and celebrity-cool, without stepping over the "Old Money" border and snobbishness of the Upper East Side." In a typically New York laid back style, Big Apple Brunch starts from 2pm each Friday, giving guests the chance to start their weekend in a relaxed fashion before joining the 4 hour affair which aims to highlight a host of organic delights.

The Food

TR!BECA 's unique focus is on wholesome and Organic food and Drinks. Generally people associate brunches with unhealthy binge eating and drinking, but at TR!BECA , they beg to differ. Their philosophy is that you should enjoy life and live it up, by making smarter choices about what goes into your body. This means that you can binge, without the guilt…(in theory at least!!)

Our guilt-free binge began with a trip to the salad bar, which had a healthy and colourful selection of wooden bowled delights, including a Quinoa Salad, a Beetroot and Goats Cheese salad, a Potato Salad, a Kale, Chic Pea and Avocado Salad, a Tomato and Goats Cheese Salad with Basil Pesto and a Lentil Salad with Spring Onion.

There is also a small selection of carbs to choose from with a Tomato and Basil shell Pasta, 2 different types of Gnocci, a selection of Bread Rolls and an Organic Lentil Soup which we sampled more to curb our curiosity, rather than to satiate any urges stemming from their visual appeal.

We then took a trip across to the chef's live carvery which featured a whole Roast Chicken and a Roast Loin of Beef, available in cuts of either medium or well done depending on your tastes. Accompanying our meats were a selection of fresh, well seasoned side dishes, including Roasted baby potatoes, Broccoli and Red Onion, Sauteed Baby Carrots, Mixed Courgettes with Peppers and Onions, Cubes of steamed Sweet Potato and a purple grained Rice with Calamari.

Now onto what I would describe as the stars of the show…an impressive looking (and tasting) whole Organic Salmon which lay majestically atop a bed of Greens, and 2 outdoor BBQ's. One featuring Beef Burgers and mini Fish Taco's, and the other, a Braii focusing solely on Pork including Ribs, Kofta, Chops and Belly manned instinctively by a rather entertaining South African who also turned out to be the operations manager…(You just cant keep a Saffa away from a Braii!). It is the finer details that make all of the difference in an art form as universally recognised and rudimentary as the grilling of meat and I do have to say that the dry rub used on the Ribs and the Serbian Chilli Relish called Ajvar were 2 of the finest subtle flourishes we have ever experienced.

Finally, just as we thought we had explored all that TR!BECA had to offer, we spotted the chef rolling around a silver trolley to each table like a well-oiled member of cabin crew, dolling out Freshly baked Foccacia with sprigs of Rosemary which he cut off in pieces with scissors before moving onto the next table. We thought this was a very novel idea and in keeping with the other ingredients we had tasted thus far, excelling in the fact that it was fresh out of the oven, hot, fluffy and moreish.

OK, so finally wasn't quite finally…as the Chef had surreptitiously erected a dessert station during the Brunch which again fits in with the theme of freshness, rather than having them sit there form the very beginning. These included Individual shot glass servings of Coconut and Raspberry Coulis, White and Dark Chocolate Mousses, Mango Sorbets and 2 highly colourful and ornately carved Fruit Platters.

The Drink

TR!BECA 's drink selections include shorts and mixers available to order from the talented barmen, who also made us an unnamed concoction with what seemed like every spirit under the sun, passion fruit juice and topped with a tropical Hawaiian flower encased in an ice bowl (and yes it was as impressive as it sounds). We were also able to order from their selection of Organic White and Red Wines (Bio Bio Bio brand) and a trip to the two drinks stations proved to be a true journey of discovery. The first, a Gin Punch which had a refreshing hint of Grapefruit, and the Second was a traffic light tower containing 3 different Vodka Cocktails. The Red was a Vodka Watermelon-Lemonade, the Yellow was a take on the popular Tom Collins, with Vodka, lemon juice and soda instead of the regular Gin, and the Green section was a Vodka Mint-lemonade. We also noticed a sign for Rakiya next to the counter, and a mysterious green bottle with shot glasses next to them and naturally our inquisitive side went into overdrive. For the uninitiated amongst you (including us before our mini lesson) Rakia is a Grape Brandy which is popular in Serbia and the rest of the Balkans, drank in shot form…and is very strong. You can fill up your own mini vile and bring these back to enjoy at your table, or as we did on numerous occasions enjoy with your server to our ever expanding library of Balkan expressions for Cheers! ("Naz dravie" - to your health and "Zivelli" - Lets live long)

Atmosphere

The ambience at TR!BECA is funky, laid back and non-pretentious. Throughout the brunch, resident DJ Stu Todd takes you on various Musical journeys which are equally enjoyable for those who simply want an unobtrusive background enhancement to help further ingratiate themselves with their New York surroundings, or for those who want an education in Soul, Funk, Hip Hop, Disco and even a bit of Reggae thrown in for good measure, mixed and scratched with equal aplomb.

There was an eclectic mix of people on our visit, ranging from people who had arrived fresh from the beach, to a couple of mothers enjoying a late lunch with their babies, to couples and a large group of early 30's friends including a mix of fashionistas, foodies and thrill seekers with some looking to go on for the rest of the night, and others ending it right there.

Overall

TR!BECA‘s décor is inspired by an abstract New York loft space, with an artistic urban motif - concrete floors, exposed brick walls, bare ceilings, exposed grates, wooden pallets, a pinball machine, a classic chopper, and vibrant graffiti motifs of famous films and their stars. This as a list in isolation could sound quite random, however combine it all together with the food, the vibe created by the music, and the eclectic, non-judgemental crowd and you could easily be on Chambers Street in any number of their famous eating establishments

We used to think "organic" food was just an indulgence, simply designed to cash in on those fad-crazed shoppers who weren't opposed to paying a premium for a nicer wrapper and a cleaner conscience. We are however, now members of the converted crowd, and whilst we recognize that there is a myth of total organic superiority, we would argue that TR!BECA 's simple, fresh, healthy, and quality offering certainly allows you to binge with a with a slightly lighter conscience, knowing that you are doing your bit for your body as well as the environment.

If you want a casual lunch with high quality ingredients and a wide selection of drinks, set to the soundtrack of lthe city that never sleeps, then, TR!BECA is certainly worth adding to your grocery list.

BIG APPLE BRUNCH is every Friday, from 1pm till 4pm.

199 AED (soft drinks)

299 AED (House Beverages)

399 AED (Bubbly)

Happy Hour from 4-7pm (Buy one Get one free)

Hip Hop Karaoke from 8pm - 3am

For Reservations

+971 50 345 6067

reservations@TR!BECA.ae or book direct with Eat App