Indulge in an Afternoon of Feasting and Fun

There is no better way to spend a relaxing Friday afternoon than by feasting at a Friday brunch. This particular brunch, at the Ajman Hotel, was particularly enjoyable as it was outdoors and offered a lovely view of the seaside with beach and pool access.

We sat on the terrace overlooking the beach and there was a live singer for entertainment. The brunch is spread indoors and outdoors. Indoors is the salads section with all kinds of salads; from smoked salmon tartare — which I loved, to chicken Caesar’s salad, shrimp cocktail with dill and melon (another favorite), egg and vegetable salad, Italian potato salad, spicy seafood salad, beetroot and feta cheese with pistachio, and pasta and tuna with rucola leaves. The Arabic favorites included stuffed vine leaves, hummus, moutable, tabouleh, and some flavorful grilled mushrooms. Add to this spread was an expansive selection of breads and a variety of cheeses.

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A chef at the Asian live cooking station was proudly creating superbly plated dishes; mine was a jumbo prawn atop black Japanese rice, garnished beautifully with edible flowers. This was an understated fusion of flavors that was almost too pretty to eat.

Moving outdoors, the first live cooking station we hit up was the pasta station which had a chef churning out fresh pasta served just how you like it. I had mine with pink sauce and lots of sautéed mushrooms with a generous helping of parmesan cheese. The shawarma live cooking station had a chef making fresh Saj bread and putting together bespoke, flavorful shawarmas packed with salad and condiments.

Moving into the garden, a chef had a trolley for customized pav baji, or for those of you who don’t know; a Mumbai-styled street food with freshly toasted buns drizzled with hot butter, served with a freshly sautéed spicy vegetable mash mixture. This is garnished liberally with onions, tomatoes, and coriander and is not only fun to eat, but delicious. Another live cooking station was the Indian curries which included: a dum biryani, spicy paneer curry, and a lamb curry; served with tiny flaky breads. This was not fusion food, but purely authentic North Indian cuisine at its best. At another station was a chef creating tiny, customized bruschetta that was served at the table.

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The barbeque section was huge and included even non-meat items like pineapple, capsicum, and tomatoes. For the carnivores, there were platters of chicken, beef, lamb, and kebobs as well as salmon steak, tuna steak, sea bass, king fish steak, and fresh jumbo prawns—another perennial favorite; all cooked exactly how you like. I opted for the beef steak cooked medium well with sweet corn on the cob and a baked potato with grilled pineapple and capsicum with a drizzle of mushroom sauce. The kiddie corner had some fun finger foods: nuggets, fries, pizzas, and the ever-popular popcorn machine to keep the little ones entertained.

Inside there were fresh crepes being made and garnished with hot chocolate or vanilla sauces, fresh fruit, nuts, and blueberries. I had mine with chocolate sauce and strawberries and a smattering of nuts. This place has an endless number of desserts and some standouts that I loved were the chocolate and caramel mousse cake, pannacotta raspberry jelly, fruit trifle, the fruit tarts with a flaky shortcut pastry, and of course, the tiramisu. Others included single serving style jars with cut-up pineapple, watermelon, melon, and papaya. Also, chocolate trio mousse cake that the kids adored, apricot and white chocolate mousse log, Framboise, and Chocolate hazelnut and there was also ice-cream to enjoy with sauces and toppings.

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The Verdict: The Friday Brunch at the Ajman Hotel offers a huge selection of food and is a leisurely afternoon of live entertainment, a beautiful ambiance, and friendly service. There is a huge array of food here so come with a big appetite and enjoy the afternoon!

Visit: Ajman Hotel

Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Street, Ajman + 971 6 714 5582