One of Dubai’s most powerful brunches in terms of sheer culinary excitement and energy, MASTI spoils our weekend rotten with an outstanding presentation of The Elephant Bath brunch.

It is trendy and chic…

…and totally sinful and sophisticated…

And probably the best brunch I’ve been to in Dubai!

First thing to know, it begins at 2 PM – which is very sensible, and also totally decadent, assuming a rather late start to the day, and aiming for a leisurely brunch into the evening hours.

Secondly, expect surprises… this is no ordinary brunch.

Thirdly, MASTI defines its approach as Indian Inspired Global Cuisine, and I agree.

You find the root elements of Indian culinary tradition, and yet they are teased and expanded and reformulated into a new universe – too far to be called Indian Fusion, yet tantalizingly still carrying that unique DNA fitting so well into the flavors of the planet.

So don’t expect any of the usual brunch suspects – at MASTI you go with the flow.

And speaking of flow, The Elephant Bath brunch includes an unlimited drinks option, and the bar was staffed by five, and they didn’t rest for a minute! Brilliant selection of cocktails, and mocktails, if you prefer – and some fantastic mixing going on while the live music played.

I’m pretty sure the elephant wasn’t bathing in water…

As with the whole dining experience at MASTI, nothing was left to chance – see the ice cube, cleverly branded into the ice. Well played, MASTI.

But let us have a peek at the food.

The brunch kicked off in style, with a threesome composed of a cheeky chaat – a cassava chaat with arugula, sweet and sour chutney, and tomato lace; a super-freshy beetroot and watermelon salad, with peanut, ricotta, and gherkin-mustard relish – to die for! – and a tremendously vibrant Tuna Bhel Tartare, with chickpea crisp and avocado crema.

And those aren’t even the appetizers yet – they just show up at your table to share, just to say hello! We’re pleased to see you.

A very impressive beginning – the three dishes playfully bounce off each other, and together they really set the pace, pointing the way towards what you now know is going to be a very memorable brunch indeed!

Let’s look at these three dishes in detail, because, really, MASTI, you could have just served those three dishes and left it at that, and I would have been content…

The cassava… an under-estimated root and often considered as lacking in taste – oh you just try MASTI’s cassava, and apologize to the white tuber! A firework of a dish!!! Spectacular in taste and texture, and blessed by that sexy sweet and sour chutney, and the framework of acidic tomato (but also sweet, like the tomato mirrored the chutney, but at a deeper dimension of taste; perhaps we could say serving as a sort of foundation, upon which the other flavors built up).

And then paired with the cool and crunchy, and juicy, beetroot and watermelon, cunningly cut into same-sized cubes, and steeped in the gherkin-mustard relish – where does one dream up such amazing combinations??? What was the good Chef smokin’ to come up with that – maybe the gherkins and mustard…

A fantastic salad – stellar, in fact.

And the third side of the triumphant love triangle is the Tuna Tartare – but not just tartare, with vibrant flavors that bring it into ceviche territory, and even beyond!

In fact, it is a Bhel, one of India’s beloved street foods, I believe based on puffed rice, but then mixed with all sorts of varieties of spices and chutneys and, basically, whatever you think can be tasty – and at MASTI that happens to be top-quality tuna, and a very carefully curated concoction of pure foodie bliss!

As I mentioned, those were just the pre-starters!

Now you get to choose your appetizers, including three kinds of Bao, your mains, and desserts!

One could write an entire book about the recipes, and the origins, and the innovation, that went into The Elephant Brunch, but I’ll leave that for you to explore further, and will just leave this next one for you to ponder: Butter Chicken Pizza, with Burrata cheese, Arugula, and Basil:

However, whatever you do, please do not leave MASTI without requesting their Lotus Tiramisu dessert – trust me on this one.

Actually, or any of the other desserts, come to think of it…

And all the while you are basking in idyllic surroundings, like brunch royalty.

Serenaded, and caressed by the soft rays of the sun himself

as the afternoon evolves into evening, and the evening into night – and then MASTI really comes alive!

All in all, The Elephant Bath is a formidable brunch concept, professionally delivered in a unique ambiance, and exquisitely supported by an outstanding menu – one of Dubai’s unforgettable and unforgivable brunches!