Eating Out: Fizz Factory Royale Brunch, Le Royal Meridien, Abu Dhabi

Both Le Meridien and its royal sibling are among the oldest hotels in Abu Dhabi and when someone describes something as “old” here, it usually means “outdated and tired”, not “classic and romantic” (note that, an “old” building in Abu Dhabi would normally still fall under “new(-ish)” in Europe or the Americas). This was one of the main reasons why these hotels were never in my bucket list. Not that they are necessarily bad, but when newer, far more opulent hotels springing up like mushrooms all around you, they would just go further and further down the list. Well, that was until I found out that Le Royal Meridien had decided to catch up with the competition and carried out a complete two-year refurbishment project to claim back its business.

So I finally decided to pay it a visit – a year ago – for my routine me-time solo dinner at its all day dining outlet, Café Palmier. I must say my first impression was very positive. I loved how the sleek and hip design intertwined with the grandeur of the original structure (most notably the high-ceilinged atrium and huge glass windows). Unfortunately, the dinner itself was at best mediocre and the atmosphere sombre – not what you would expect from an establishment who also boasts an outlet inspired by Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Well, just last week I decided to give it another try – this time for a Friday brunch. So how did it fare?

The Atmosphere

My arrival experience involved braving a soap bubbles attack at the entrance, but once I went past this, I was warmly welcome and swiftly escorted to the table. One thing that I immediately noticed was how different the restaurant looked and felt. Not only that it was much brighter (thanks to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows and the light-coloured furniture), but the presence of other diners really added to the overall liveliness of the outlet. My first impression was that it felt crowded – not really because there were too many people, but because everyone was seated in the same area and the tables were placed a bit too close to each other. Luckily the buffet was well spread out (more about this later) so there was hardly any buildup in any one section. There were also a few tables on the terrace, though, so no worries even if you have a tendency to claustrophobia. In fact, I was quite tempted to dine alfresco, but it was windy. There was also a dedicated kids area which was reasonably spacious and inviting (for them, not me), and with complimentary access to the pool included in any brunch package, your children will be occupied throughout.

The Food

This was without doubt the highlight of the day, and would most probably be the only reason I would recommend this place to others. Not only were there literally 100+ options to choose from, the overall quality was quite good too. While the main restaurant (Café Palmier) had all the usual brunch suspects, the neighbouring outlet (whEAT) is where you head for desserts. Walk a bit further away and you would find their Italian restaurant, Amalfi, where I was told I could get “pizzas and pastas”. There was also a BBQ station on the terrace, although this did not seem quite popular.

As usual, I started with sushi and sashimi, two very popular dishes in Abu Dhabi’s brunch scene but also two dishes very, very few all day dining restaurants get right, hence I always approach sushi counters with a mixed feeling of excitement and distrust. Luckily, I was delighted with what I found. Although the sushi & sashimi selection was limited (only four types of nigiris and no makis), their quality was actually quite good. The only disappointment was the rice, which was on the dry side.

I then headed for some oyster hunting at the cold seafood counter and was disappointed to see that there were almost no oysters left not even midway through the service (and those left over were obviously there for a good reason) but a quick call to the manager got this sorted out. This new batch of oysters was a winner – abundant, large, and fleshy (I am drooling as I type now)! Right next to this section was the salad & appetizer section, from which I took heaps of artichoke salads and fattoush, only to find that they were both too salty for my liking.

My next venture was to Amalfi, which also had their share of antipastis (this is where I found the buffet lay out a bit strange, because Amalfi did not just have “pizzas and pastas” as advertised, but a proper full buffet comprising selections of antipasti, cured meat, and main courses – including its own seafood station!) I was also pleasantly surprised to see four types of cured pork meat on offer (the prosciutto was really good). Apparently you can also opt to dine at this restaurant (presumably preferable for Italian food fans as the distance between the two restaurants can make multiple trips tiresome), but the ambience here felt considerably less bright and cheerful as Café Palmier’s.

Going back to the main restaurant, the main course section here was dominated by the usual suspects, including ouzi and curries (as mentioned earlier, there were also main course items offered at Amalfi). I am not a main course person, so I only tried a few dishes, including the baked whole salmon (really soft, moist, and delicious, even without the accompanying velouté sauce), the roasted wagyu with mushroom sauce (did not have a wagyu quality, in fact, it would not even pass as premium non-wagyu meat – stay away!) A personal favourite, apart from the live foie gras station, was the live seafood wok station, where I got an assortment of shellfish (including rare treats like snails and razor clams!) poached in wasabi-infused clear sauce (there were three types of sauce to select from). While the sauce unfortunately lacked wasabi’s distinct pungency, the seafood was nonetheless cooked perfectly and tasted as they should.

Full and generally satisfied, I headed for the dessert station, which is located next door at whEAT. The options were not overwhelming, but did include a chocolate fountain, a few inviting cakes, and some 10 (?) types of cheese. There were no fresh fruits in sight, but upon enquiring with the hostess, she promised to get the chefs to prepare one and have it delivered to my table (great job!) Unfortunately it did not arrive until I followed up on it much later. Once it did, though, it arrived with the hostess’ profuse apologies and honestly, it did look much better than I expected. So, forgiven.

Overall, the food was good and plentiful. I however noticed that a number of dishes were not labelled or had a name tag (I only knew there was foie gras because I could smell it), which could make your dining experience stressful if you cannot have certain types of food due to allergy or any other reason.

The Service

Like many other outlets I have been to, this was where Café Palmier dropped the ball. I had to ask for almost every single thing, from a drink refill to extra cutleries, and I was not even being fussy (I only had sparkling water and orange juice throughout the entire meal). Yes, I was sitting in a quite corner, but the tables around me were all occupied and as far as my observation was concerned, there were actually enough staff available to cover the operations. Once you manage to get their attention and placed a request, though, it would be fulfilled in a timely manner (although often with an indifferent attitude).

Verdict

The place to be if you are into big buffets or simply want to take your friends or family along for a fun-and-filling gathering. The service was a let down, but the food more than made up for it.

LIKE: The wide variety and overall food quality.

DISLIKE: The inattentive and often indifferent service.

PRICE: AED 190 for soft drinks package, AED 299 including house wine and beer, and AED 399 including all the above, plus champagne.

DETAILS: http://www.cafepalmierabudhabi.com/

DATE OF VISIT: February 2016

#review #food