What’s up all ya all? What’s new – besides the already horrid weather? M is out of town (again), and I’ve been down in the dumps with a backlog of work, an apartment move next week, and procrastinating like a pro. I really, really needed to shut my brain off today, and wanted to brunch like it’s no body’s business, so I called up my friend Rida, and we headed to the Hakkasan Friday Brunch. I mean seriously, what better way to lift my spirits than with good dim sum? No better way.
The Hakkasan Friday brunch starts at AED 199 for the non-alcoholic package. Sounds like a great deal doesn’t it? Well, don’t forget to factor in the additional AED 69 for water, soft drinks and mocktails, because the non-alcoholic package comes with only bottomless teas. Yes, I had two pots of beautifully fragrant jasmine tea, because well, have you met me?
Truth be told, my heart sank when I initially saw the menu and was told that between the two of us, we can only pick 4 varieties of the 8 steamed dumplings, 4 varieties of the 8 fried, and expect 2 pieces of each variety. We also had the option to pick one main course each of the three in the menu (beef stir-fry, duck breast in black bean sauce, and steamed grouper in lotus leaf). To my greedy, hungry, brunch-seeking, breakfast-skipping appetite and pigging-out mood, that didn’t sound like nearly enough food.
The joke was on m (which happens more often than not), and I bit my tongue for being presumptuous enough to assume I’ll have to stop at Hardee’s on the way home because (a) I didn’t realize that there are also two live stations offering unlimited helpings of whatever is the special that week, and (b) one can really only eat so much, and my greedy self was just annoyed at having to pick favorites amongst the dim sum. The specials this week at the two live stations were pecking duck rolls (yum), and two types of dim sum: a chicken, and a spicy beef (double yum). Long story short, while the focus was (as it always should be) on quality more than quantity, no one has to worry about going home hungry or not getting their money’s worth in pleasure by food.
Needless to say, before we were even halfway through our 8 plates of dim sum, and far from our main courses, we were already full. Greed prevailed though, and I made sure to have all the dim sum I could; and I have no regrets, not even a single morsel. Every single bite of food I had was sheer and utter perfection. The dim sum and mains were seasoned and cooked perfectly and there is absolutely nothing I would have changed – except perhaps serving some sauces with the pecking duck rolls.
It’s worth mentioning that the meal was paced well too. It started off a little rushed, as our first round of dim sum from the menu were brought to us while we were still working on our pecking duck rolls, but once I told the server to please wait till we finish before bringing us the rest, he made sure to pace himself in line with us.
Dessert was not too shabby. I loved the lemon curd white chocolate truffles, amongst other things. The caramel in the dark chocolate and caramel truffles, however, tasted burnt.
Overall, the Hakkasan Friday Brunch was an absolutely delicious meal, and a reminder of why Hakkasan are a time-honored institution.
