First impression: Classique Saturday
Set your taste buds alight with a succulent gourmet brunch that'll keep you asking for more
Say the word brunch and what comes to mind are hazy Fridays where thirty-somethings let it all hang out.
The Saturday gourmet brunch at Le Classique at the Emirates Golf Club however is a different kind of decanter. Set in the middle of 18 holes of lush green grass it is a place where you set your taste buds alight, wallow in the flowing reds and whites and hear the head chef from Toulouse, France say "Cor Blimey" every time he wants to complain about his achy knees.
Made to order
Chef Francois Porte of course has a tough job. This is not an ordinary spread because although there is a starter and dessert buffet set up, the 10 main courses are all cooked to order and one need not wait for more than 20 minutes between one succulent dish and the next.
My brunch companion and I are both slightly overweight foodies and we had decided we would pick and choose to savour as much as possible without damaging our waistlines further.
The welcoming Kir Royale was very refreshing. A short tasting later we settled for the Georges De Boeuf Brouilly as our favourite tipple for the rest of the afternoon. We picked our way through the cold starters, a selection of sushi and fish and sea food tid-bits cooked to perfection and immaculately presented.
Fresh and delicious
Chef Francois makes his own graved lax from fresh Norwegian wild salmon; so, no pale pink flaccid slices of farmed salmon anywhere in sight. It was a rich orange and tasted delicious. The sushi, prawn with mayonnaise vinaigrette, a mini bowl of gazpacho with a slither of bruschetta and the seared tuna on a bed of apple and tomato went down a treat.
Meanwhile, the aroma of fresh duck liver being sautéed in hot butter had filled the room. Served with peach and a port reduction it was truly the crowning glory of the whole meal. The liver was fresh, a rare treat.
Hot off the stove
The mini main courses then arrived hot off the stove. Tiger prawn with pak choy, scallops rolled in filo pastry with a vegetable barigoule, filet of roast duck with poached pears and a bilberry sauce and filet of venison on a creamy risotto. The meats were perfectly seared on the outside and perfectly pink on the inside and well married with the garnish. Very autumn, very seasonal!
And all the time the service was friendly and unobtrusive, traditional jazz playing in the background. Dessert, cheese and coffee followed leading to a long walk at the golf course. Very satisfying!
Brunch at Le Classique starts at 12 noon and is available for Dh295 per person including the beverage package or Dh 195 for food only.
