NorthernLad

We've not been to a Friday brunch in a while, but got guests arriving so we said we'd take them.

Called Fairmont - 450dh. Al Qasr - 385dh. Yalumba 399dh.

They weren't always that expensive, no?

There is only so much you can eat and drink in 3 hours, seems to me that the value of these brunches are not what they used to be.

Madam Medusa

fairmont has been that much for a while. Al Qasr i didn't realise had gone up, it was 295 dhs...

I'm off to Mina al salaam today, so god knows how much that will be, better make sure i get my money's worth, lol...

MM, xx

NorthernLad

Mina Salaam is 395dh too. Don't want to sound like a pikey, but did ask what extra you get for the increase on the phone. I was told 'we are adding more things sir'. A more diverse salad bar I suspect.

After the first few drinks I end up forgetting to eat my fill anyway.

Madam Medusa

lmao...that's just not true, they have taken loads of things away, including all the pork stuff which now has to hide in the kitchen and you only get it if you know about it and ask...

agree about not eating anything after a few drinks...i'm the same...lol...

MM, xx

NorthernLad

Ah yes, we took some friends and family to Al Qasr on Christmas day. They were all looking forward to the suckling pig and were bitterly disappointed.

It's starting to lose it's attraction - will be like a Harvesters carvery in the UK before you know it.

Madam Medusa

i know, it's bad isn't it...they still do all the pork, just ask for it...apparently someone complained about having pork on display so they removed it...let's hope they don't take exception to booze as well, lol...

MM, xx

Meow

Do you really thing that Dhs 385 for a Madinat brunch is expensive for what is provided? Unlimited alcohol - Jacobs Creek sparkling rose, beers, mojitos, bloody marys? A HUGE selection of food.



Some people seem to want the moon on a stick....

The Dean

I think the idea is that, because it's an all-you-can-eat deal, you think you're getting value for money - but of course it doesn't work that way.

The lower end of the market - which a working class lad from Bedfordshire still regards as luxury - offers deals to include FIVE drinks (which can be pints of beer, or house beverages, or whatever) - but nobody ever drinks that much in the time allocated (and, no - I've seen people try, trust me).

Places like Waxy's and Good Fellas do the full English breakfast, but tell you 'one visit to the buffet only'. They charge AED 60 or thereabouts, and include the five drinks. Great value seemingly - but expensive relative to what you actually consume.

At the Medusa end of the market, the best value I found was at the Pergolas (Al Murooj Rotana). Can't remember the price but do remember thinking it was the best value I'd had in Dubai.

And on the thing about pork not being on display........

........... prompts a wider thought that needs a new thread.

Give me a few minutes.........

NorthernLad

I think if you add up how much you eat and drink, it's not as good value as what it appears.

Last time we were there the standard had gone down, not as good as Latitude.

Madam Medusa

NL, is latitude any good with kids (sorry meow, at least if it is, you will know to avoid it, lol...)

MM, xx

NorthernLad

Our friends kids seemed to like it - a PS2, soft play area etc... I guess it was good as hardly saw the kids for the afternoon.

Meow

I last went to an Al Qasr brunch the Friday before Xmas. We all ate so many oysters and drank so many mojitos that I think we probably did OK.

I don't remember seeing roast pork and that used to be a highlight of the Mina Salam brunch. I agree that the price has increased a lot over the past year - from Dhs 299 to Dhs 385 is a 28% hike!

There are plenty of other brunches at lower prices, but visitors have always enjoyed the Madinat ones, especially when you can sit outside.

Meow

Ha ha - handy to know!

I clearly have a repuation as a child hater! I don't mind them when they are fairly quiet, but get annoyed when the parents let them run riot in public. Nobody likes a badly behaved child.

IndieG

Best not to go/or take kids (if you want them to sit quietly for 3 hours that is) to such places.......I wouldn't because i don't think it is fair on my kid either....... It is not bad behaviour, completely normal for kids/toddlers to find it hard to sit still for more than 30 min at a stretch

Meow

There was a four year old girl on my table at the last brunch I went to. She wasn't fidgety until the end as she had colouring books and we kind of took it in turns to colour & chat with her. She loved walking around with a plate & choosing things to eat.

I have done numerous brunches with friends' children and 95% of the time they don't cause a fuss as a) they have been brought up to know how to behave in restaurants, b) we all make sure that they do behave and c) WE keep them quitely entertained. Just doesn't seem that hard to me.