Here’s a harsh home-truth: it’s a herculean task to entertain three children (twin boys aged three and a girl aged 7) for a total of three hours during lunch.
These exquisite and exuberant mini versions of myself have the collective attention span of a squirrel, so keeping them engaged while dining out is a constant worry. As any parent would tell you, it’s also mighty embarrassing when you child throws a full-blown tantrum out of sheer boredom.
But such parental misgivings (by that I mean gut-wrenching fear) are obliterated the moment you walk into the Mazina restaurant at the swanky Address Dubai Marina. All the forces there are at work to enchant your children with a deep-sea fantasy. The theme of the new brunch is pirates and mermaids. So, naturally you are greeted with cutouts of pirates and mermaids along with a treasure chest overflowing with stones and pearls to drive home that theme. That corner doesn’t work just as a sign board, but doubles up as a photo-booth for children. My younger twin boy thought it was a good idea to stick his face into the cut-out and make faces at unsuspecting guests, but the best part was that nobody judged him and instead waved at him, indulging his whims.
The hotel staff, who were also dressed as mermaids and pirates with an eye-patch, made it their business to make the young diners comfortable. The service was warm.
But the real treasure is not at the entrance. A special zone dedicated to entertaining children awaits you. A large bouncy castle, that is manned by a couple of attentive staff to look after the safety of children, a temporary tattoo station and magician called Phil are at work to make the pint-sized diners feel on top of the world.
Apart from a well-equipped, safe play area, the buffet station filled with bite-sized canapes and children staples such as pasta, french fries, child-friendly portions of burgers and shot-glasses filled with julienne vegetables were up for grabs. Since the access to the food station for the children was next to the play area, it made it easy for the parents to feed the children as they got busy. And for those who like to dress up, this brunch gave them an opportunity to go all out as there were prizes awaiting the best-dressed mermaid and best-dressed pirate. The games that were introduced in the latter part of the afternoon kept the children on their toes. Parents were also invited to join for a few games making it an interactive experience for both parties.
But it’s not just the children who had a good time. The adults can feast on an international buffet that has delicacies from across the globe. The best part about this buffet is that there’s something to appease every palette. If curries make your world go around, so be it, or if the Japanese sushi is what makes your heart skip a beat, then there’s enough to satiate you. The wellington beef and the shucked oysters on a bed of ice were standout dishes that afternoon.
The variety in this buffet is staggering, but the quality isn’t eroded here.
Every cuisine stayed true to its roots. Among the desserts, the sticky toffee date pudding was worth every calorie that you took in. For those who like to eat clean, there are fresh fruits and salads you can dig into.
If you are looking to spend some quality time with your little ones, then the brunch offered at Mazina will rock your child and their guardians’ lives. Every hand on this deck was good at making it a memorable afternoon.
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Don’t Miss It!
Where: Every Saturday at Mazina, Address Dubai Marina
Time: 12.30pm to 3.30pm
Price: Dh330 per person, including soft beverages; Dh460 per person, including house beverages; and Dh622 per person including house beverages and free flow bubbly. Children aged 5 and below dine for free.
