You know it’s summer brunch time when Executive Chef Anthony Roy sets the strawberries free!
Strawberries and cream – what a classic chilled dessert!
But I’m getting ahead of myself – in fact, the good Chef and his team have put together a smashing Summer Brunch at Icon Bar, presenting an excellent selection of favorite pub dishes prepared at very high standards – and believe you me, nobody goes home hungry from the Iconic Summer Brunch!
The piece de resistance in my humble opinion: a luscious, almost sensually slathered massive serving of ribs, lovingly cooked gently over hours, and again juiced up on the marinade the following morning – the king of beef ribs in Dubai bars…
Fred Flinstone would be so proud…
And no knife needed – the tender meat just falls off the bone, leaving it spotless clean. Any better and it would jump into your mouth on its own…
Truly a masterpiece.
But actually, I singled out the ribs out of my own personal preference – the other dishes comprising Icon Bar’s Iconic Summer Brunch were prepared with equal expertise and welcomes of “wow!” at the table.
But let’s start at the beginning…
Among all other sorts of exciting promotions, and the live coverage of international sport events, Icon Bar has a pleasant open-plan airy atmosphere.
It’s the perfect place to meet up with a few friends, and also to bring the family out for a weekend brunch romp!
Lots of games for the kids, and the big kids… but also plenty of nooks and crannies to set up in privacy.
A smoking upstairs beckons…
… and even an outdoor seating section is available.
The bar seems to be the heart of the place, and indeed offers all that may catch your fancy; until you taste the brunch dishes!
And this is where Roarin’ Tony Roy takes over, and his years of expertise setting kitchens on fire really shines through!
An eclectic selection – something for everyone – and everything was a total yum!
Starting from the choice of optimal ingredients, salads were crisp and fresh, and generously seasoned – and the Spanish-inspired roasted green peppers added a flourish of green, too!
The starters also included a popping shrimp tempura – crispy and light, and served with a joyous mustard mayo dip!
But that’s not all!
Incredibly, the starters kept coming!!!
Have the good folk at the Radisson Blu Dubai Media City lost their mind?
Apparently so – the summer heat has removed all stops, and the Iconic Summer Brunch has taken over. Get in there while it lasts!
A genius rendition of breaded Brie – yes, Brie, not yer common mozzarelly – and then accompanied by an elegant sweet onion relish to boot!
And also a nod to the southern Mediterrenean and Arabian peninsula, with a lush serving of beetroot hummus, topped with walnuts.
And the mains have yet to come!
Already a few cold ones under my belt, given the unlimited nature of the flow, I thought the brunch was probably almost over – but it was just half-time!
A word for the wise: definitely the Iconic Summer Brunch at Icon Bar is one for pacing yourself…
In come the pizza, the peri-peri chicken, the fish, and those glorious beef ribs!
More than a weekend brunch, this was a modern version of a medieval summer feast!
And the quality was truly at the forefront.
Below, have a closer look at the fries on the side – because, insider tip: if there’s a place the sharp eye on quality blinks, it’ll be the sides – but not so at Icon Bar, excellent choice of potato type to start off with, then cut thick like a giant’s finger, and spot-on precision in cooking temperature and duration so that at the table they were light and fragrant, crunchy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside!
If there were a Miss Universe competition for French Fries, I’d suggest these may win… and they’d be called Mr Chips out of respect.
See for yourself:
Oh, care for a”little” dessert?
And tip-top in terms of presentation and flavor, too!
At some point, I fear some bean-counter with a miserly budgetary sense is going to tighten the coffer reins on this megalactic deal – but until then, I repeat: Get in there quick while it lasts!
Overall, a masterful effort from the team at the Radisson Blu Dubai Media City, who with the aptly named Iconic Summer Brunch at the Icon Bar have lobbed a surprise into the crowded Dubai weekend brunch offers – and they have blown the top off a fabulous winner of a weekend brunch, modern pub-style!