Zero Gravity, The Onshore Social
The Food
Served family-style, but with a distinct fine dining edge, You may not initially expect the quality of the food you will receive at Zero Gravity until we let you into a little known secret. (Zero Gravity is owned and operated by Dubai's luxury hotelier, Jumeirah Group…shhhhhhh). So, expectations firmly re-adjusted, we were told that the courses would come out to us and that we could re-order any of the dishes we took a particular liking to, starting with a healthy antipasti platter of cold meats, smoked salmon, asparagus and mushroom. Next up came a classic Cheese board (strange that it was served at the start of the meal as opposed to at its conclusion) and a selection of fluffy breads and focaccia with different toppings including Roma Tomatoes, Bocconcini, Mozzarella and olives. Sautéed Onion, Capsicum, and Gruyere Cheese.
The next sharing tray arrived with a wide selection of starter type dishes, including Dim Sum, Oysters on ice, a Sushi platter, a Tomato and Goats Cheese Salad, Onion Rings, and Crispy Asian Spring Rolls.
Next came the "mains" platter, including Tenderloin steak, Grilled Jumbo Prawns on skewers, Grilled Scottish Salmon steaks, Chicken Satay Skewers, a Wild Risotto, Meatballs and Scallops, accompanied by Creamy Mashed Potato and Mixed Vegetables. Any dishes we re-ordered were due to the impressive nature of them the first time around. Unfortunately, however, the Salmon Steaks and the Beef Tenderloin each fell slightly short of the mark in their second coming.
The final platter arrived in a flurry of colour and sweetness as pinks, yellows, greens and caramel browns engulfed the platter in a stunning array of different dishes. The Zero Gravity Exotica (White Coconut Mousse, Fresh Pineapple, Mango, Passion Fruit, Lady Finger Sponge), The Hazelnut Peanut Delice (Milk Chocolate Mousse, Hazelnut Peanut Biscuit, Almond Nougatine, Caramel Sauce, Chocolate Sauce), A Chocolate Fondant, Vanilla & Cinnamon Filled Churros, Vanilla Ice Cream with assorted Mixed Berries, The Gravity Banana Split, A Fresh Fruit Platter of Seasonal Sliced Fruits With Assorted Berries, Mango & Passion Sauce, a Chocolate Cappuccino with Citrus Jelly and Coffee Cream, and a Pop Corn and Candy floss machine for the inner child in you.
The Drink
On arrival, you are presented with an Amarula and Mint Muddle Cocktail/Shot to take the sting out of business-like procedure of paying for brunch upfront. The standard package is priced at AED 444 per person and the premium option (including unlimited Veuve Cliquot) is priced at AED 666 per person. Of course, there are plenty of premium drinks available to keep The Onshore Social exciting - including Skyy Vodka, Bacardi Superior Rum, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Dewars Whiskey, Red Wine (Malbec, Santa Julia - Argentina), White Wine (Chardonnay, Santa Julia - Argentina), Rose Wine (Syrah, Santa Julia - Argentina) and Bottled Beers (Amstel, Tiger, Amstel Radler) as well as Punch Bowls and Boozy Watermelons.
Atmosphere
Upstairs at Zero Gravity, the Brunch is split into a large main room, and a smaller back room with music filtered through the large speakers, gradually gaining in volume and likeliness to Mardi Gras as the hours tick by. There are also intermittent performances by a troop of dancers who don various costumes and dance to tracks in a Great Gatsby-esq fashion. The first of these performances was a little unexpected, and if I have to admit, a little too early into the Brunch, however as the Watermelon's flowed and day turned into night, the crowd warmed to each performance with a little more fever and it is not uncommon to see revelers up strutting their stuff with the professionals. And the party doesn't stop once last orders are called, or even at 6pm. Guests of The Onshore Social are then invited to stay on at Zero Gravity as the sun sets, and can enjoy complimentary access to its weekly Friday event series, Aurora, featuring international artists. On our particular night, we were treated to a History of House Music with local legend Mark Pickup, along with greats of the game Allistair Whitehead and Graeme Park.
Overall
In terms of a concept, the Onshore Social works on many different levels. The fusion of brunch straight into nightclub alleviates the often stressful decision of how and where to bridge the post brunch lull between 4-8pm. With tasty sharing plates, interactive entertainment, fabulous free flowing beverages and a unique location all wrap into a winning combination. Zero Gravity is like Jumierah' s naughtier, cooler younger brother, being able to outlay all of the lavish and exacting high standards that you would expect from an Al Qasr or Madinat Jumeirah, without any of the conventionality usually associated with the Group. A difficult balance to attain, but achieved flawlessly.
It may be the new kid on the block, but the Onshore Brunch is here to stay.
