A Brunch Fit for a King at Ballarò Dubai

  • Category: Food
  • April 12, 2018

The Ballarò brunch at the Conrad Dubai is quite possibly the biggest spread of delicious food under one roof. The difference here is the interaction of the chefs with the guests; they ask you your preferences, explain cooking techniques, and are on-hand for any guidance.

With an option to dine al fresco, we chose to dine indoors in their expansive space. Most of the live cooking stations were indoors except the barbeque area where a chef grilled meats according to preference.

There are numerous live cooking stations here including a quesadilla station, fresh shawarmas, and roast chicken with the trimmings, a meat grill, live pasta station, seafood station, and a carving station.

I started with a seafood soup, packed with prawns and baby octopus in a spicy broth. The kids went straight for the Frito Misto counter which served up bite-sized savories including mini slices of quiche, jumbo fried prawns, mozzarella balls, and wedge fries; served with garlic and cocktail sauces.

Next was the quesadilla station where the chef was making fresh homemade flour tortillas from scratch and then stuffing these with fillings; I had mine with fresh slivers of chicken, guacamole, cheese, and heaps of sour cream, topped with tomatoes and cilantro.

From the live carving station, we had the short ribs with au jus and mashed potatoes with steamed vegetables. There was also a roasted duck on offer which was cooked perfectly.

The sushi section was loaded with a large variety of nigiri, sashimi and all kinds of salmon, tuna, and California rolls and was one of my favorites. And did I mention that here, the salads section is humungous with just about every kind of salad under the sun: salmon dill, crab salad, beetroot salad, and other endless varieties. There was also a fondue pot bubbling with melted cheese for dipping. Then moving outdoors, I had a beef tenderloin steak, cooked medium well, just as I like, with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy.

The desserts section was as expansive as the mains. There were too many to list, but some standouts were the green tea Crème Brule, mixed fruit cheesecake, and my absolute favorite– the fruit tarts which we couldn’t get enough of. The kids enjoyed homemade ice cream with toppings as well as some lemon cake.

The Verdict: Ballarò is a place to take a true gastronome; everything here is fresh, delicious, and presented beautifully. The chef and servers here will make you feel at home and with the live entertainment, this brunch is meant to be taken in over a leisurely and relaxed afternoon.