It's no secret that brunches are the thing to do on Fridays in Dubai. With countless hotels and restaurants having their own tempting packages, cuisines and activities, you can practically try a different one each week and still want to see what the others have to offer.
But what if the brunch was in a different emirate? Would you be willing to drive a long way to get there? And would it be worth it?
Well, a few weeks ago, my family and I were invited to try the
GourMed Brunch in Basilico Restaurant. Understandably, Hubby was hesitant to go because he didn't want to drive all the way to Ras al Khaimah (it was a little over an hour from our home), but I managed to convince him when I said it was at
The Cove Rotana Resort. We've always wanted to visit the place so this was a good opportunity. And besides, spending weekend afternoons in the malls was getting boring, so the new scenery would be a very welcome change.
So that Friday found us driving up the road towards the entrance of
The Cove Rotana Resort, which is nestled on the beachfront of UAE's northern most emirate. As soon as we stepped out of our car, we were enchanted by the serene atmosphere of the place and the sparkling blue water on the pristine beach. Caila and Sophie were immediately excited and I remember hearing my youngest singing the song from Moana:
"See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me. And no one knows how far it goes..."
But of course, swimming had to wait because we were all hungry and it was time for brunch. Besides, that's why we were there in the first place, right?
Stepping into Basilico, we were immediately welcomed by the friendly staff who directed us to our table at the terrace. Although summer had already arrived, the cool sea breeze allowed us to enjoy our meal while savoring the fresh air and take in the amazing views of the resort.
Like all brunches we've tried, the GourMed (Gourmet and Mediterranean) brunch has an extensive variety of dishes spread out buffet-style throughout the award-winning restaurant.
Unlike the rest, though, they also have an a la carte menu. No, I don't mean the live cooking station (although it does have one as well); I'm talking about 3 kinds of seafood dishes, 4 various meat dishes, 2 different burgers, and 2 varieties of pasta that can be ordered upon request! The best part? There's no extra cost! Our favorites were the
Lamb Chops (cooked well done to perfection with ratatouille and rosemary sauce),
Wagyu Burger, and
Spaghetti Alla Chittara (black ink spaghetti with shrimps, mussels, calamari and white wine sauce). Yum!
That's not all. They also have staff and chefs roaming around the restaurant offering freshly cooked appetizers. Our girls especially liked the
Mozzarella Sticks,
Pizza slices, and
creamy Risotto from a cheese wheel. I think Sophie had up to three servings of the Italian rice dish. It was that good!
They have dessert, of course. And we were absolutely delighted at the wide and colorful variety of beautifully made cakes and sweets. I guarantee everything we tried was so delish!
Needless to say, we devoured all our food with gusto while this duo entertained the diners with their easy, relaxing singing and music.
Finally, we didn't have any more room in our tummies for another bite, so off we headed to the pool. Yes, brunchers can enjoy the resort's pool and beach for the day. Woohoo! As you can expect, our girls were absolutely delighted as they splashed around and swam in the water. They spent more time in the comfort and security of the children's pool, but they also tried the infinity pool (only at the shallow end) just to check out the views. There were quite a number of people (individuals, couples, and families) enjoying the water and soaking up the sun, but the area wasn't too packed, so we were still comfortable with our space on the lounge chairs.
So was it worth it? Of course! I'd definitely go back. The views were amazing, the food and service were great, and we all enjoyed ourselves. Until now, my daughters keep asking when we'll return because they also want to spend a night (or two) there, so that says a lot.
Want to try the brunch too? You're in luck because they have a
Special Summer Offer going on! Prices are Dhs199 including non-alcoholic beverages, and Dhs275 including alcoholic beverages. And after your hearty meal, you can enjoy the resort's pool and beach for the day...for free! The Friday GourMed Brunch takes place from 12nn to 4pm.
Oh, and you can
Win an Overnight Stay for Two at The Cove Rotana Resort!
Simply make sure to follow
@thecoverotanaresort on Instagram, take a selfie during the brunch, post your photo on Instagram with
#GourMedBasilico and tag
@thecoverotanaresort and 2 of your friends, and wait for Sunday for the resort to announce who took the best photo that weekend.
Disclaimer: We were invited to try the GourMed Brunch as guests. However, all views and opinions are my own.
GourMed Brunch
Basilico Restaurant, The Cove Rotana Resort
Ras al Khaimah
Phone: 07-2066000
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