Selections

    A natural part of Abu Dhabi life seems to be the extravagant brunches on the weekends.  And competition is fierce.  Each of the hotels engages in a full-fledged attempt to win over the hearts of their diners.  This past weekend we chose to go to revisit a favorite which we had found a few years ago... back when we were only visitors: Selections Restaurant at The Intercontinental Hotel.  

It is very near to the popular beach area known as The Corniche and has been in Abu Dhabi for longer than many of the chic hotels, so it may not be all that new and flashy, but you can always count on it as a staple of high quality and service. 

The restaurant is light filled and bright, with a view overlooking the Marina Yacht Club below. There are not many places in Abu Dhabi where where you can look out onto all of the personal yachts that are just resting until their next adventure on the Gulf.
After being ushered to your table, you can request any special beverage that you like and then you are free to roam the counters choosing from any of the beautifully craft dishes. This brunch is especially known for the seafood, which proved itself with bright fresh sashimi, smoked salmon and mackerel, and a Indian based seafood biryani, just to name a few.

I was impressed how even in the prime of lunchtime, all of the food was immaculately kept and everything was clean.

I am really actually not a huge fan of the all-you-can-eat method, but some places know how to make it feel more like a banquet than a buffet.  And you won't see the place filled with your stereotypical (potentially overweight) American tourist either.  These hotel brunches fill with locals, many of whom are going out to celebrate the weekend with their family and friends... and are dressed to show it.

I went for a few different courses starting with the Lebanese mezze, then an array of smoked fish, and finishing with a deliciously crisp and bright green Thai papaya salad.  Brian went the meaty route especially enjoying the lamb and beef kebabs.  

The deserts were placed perfectly- and most importantly fulfilled the taste measure as well.  The offerings spanned the globe from the traditional Arabic sweets to, mini Baba al Rum (Italian rum cakes) to the all-American pecan pie

One of my favorites however, was a perfectly moist and decadent tiramisu.

The best part is that everything is already served in bite size pieces which are perfect for taste testing (my favorite job!).  

I don't need to tell you that we were definitely satiated at the end of our few-hour meal, although we did manage to finish the day with a deliciously thick cup of Turkish coffee. As we sipped our last few drops Brian emptied his grounds onto his saucer and looked inside his cup in an attempt to tell his future- (since he was recently told this was possible).  He shrugged his shoulders, squinted, and shook his head, "Ahhh..I think I see some sort of face....or... maybe I just need a little more practice.."

Cheers!  

Selections, Intercontinental Hotel

Open daily

Breakfast: 6:30am till 10:30am

Lunch/Brunch: 12:30pm till 4pm

Dinner: 6.30pm till 10:30pm

+971 2 666 6888