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Spring is approaching in Bahrain, and even though people seem to be wary of being outside with the current public health concerns, the weather is that perfect temperature of inviting, especially to enjoy by the beach while nibbling away at some finger food.
So when the Friday morning dawn turned into a warm noon, hot enough to be on the beach yet cool enough to survive the adventure, we decided to stop by the Jumeirah Royal Saray Bahrain (JRSB)’s famous Friday brunch.
The thing I most enjoy about visiting Bahrain’s many resort hotels is that each of them offers a different kind of beach view, even though they all exist on the same island, reflective in many ways of the island’s inherent diversity. While some offer the classic white sandy beach view, the JRSB has the classic Mediterranean view. Just enough beach with a perfect pool nearby for those tired of having sand end up in every bit of your clothing, it’s also the perfect exclusive retreat.
And executive Chef Claudio Dieli’s brunch buffet is the delicious cherry on top. The buffet, which includes complimentary access to the pool and beach, has a curated selection of cuisines from all over the world.
This time, to get our beach fill, my colleagues and I decide to eat outside on the patio overlooking the pool, cabanas and beach, within close enough distance of the buffet.
Beyond the sheer diversity, having experienced Chef Claudio’s meals before, I knew he paid particular attention to sourcing the highest quality ingredients that were perfect for the flavour he wished to share with his often awe-struck audience.
To start off and to assure my mother I was having my veggies, I heaped my plate with four different salads – a very intriguing and delicious melon and meat salad, a chicken and eggplant salad, a well-balanced pasta and vegetable salad with basil pesto dressing and fattoush.
After my herbivore fix, I couldn’t help but get distracted by some of the sushi, and enjoyed the spicy tuna maki roll with flying fish roe, the salmon sashimi, the sweet potato maki and the seared salmon nigiri.
The fish was fresh, with options both for raw and cooked fish lovers, as well as a few for vegetarians, as our photographer was quick to discover and devour.
Speaking of vegetarian options, not only are there the usual steamed and grilled vegetables, there were some well-prepared Indian Mughlai-style dishes, including Dal Makhani and Kadai Paneer.
And of course, no Italian chef’s culinary banquet is complete without fresh pasta – available in traditional tomato and the exquisite squid ink variant.
The sea salty briny flavour of the pasta works so well with fresh tomato sauce and basil that I can never recommend it enough, no matter how many times I have tried it.
Just as I finished my pasta, a couple of waiters were making their rounds passing out fresh mozzarella pizza and stuffed arancini balls. Now, I don’t need to remind loyal readers of my pizza passions and this one just upped the game. Thin crispy crust, with just enough sauce and cheese made each bite nothing short of heavenly.
One would think I’d be full by this point, but until you have experienced the scents of a fresh BBQ wafting over, you do not know how quickly the stomach can move things around to make room for an appointment with hammour kebabs and lamb chops, each impeccably prepared by Fahad, the fantastic resident butcher and BBQ maestro.
Needless to say, we also made extra room for the desserts, including a tantalising tiramisu. This is also when I discovered the kids’ corner, which had its own buffet, including chicken nuggets and a chocolate fondue, but my colleagues vetoed my idea of sitting on the kids-height table and reliving my wonder years. It might also have been because the view and ambience outside was close to unbeatable, but we’ll never know for sure.
Stop by every Friday from 1pm to 5pm to enjoy while the live band and DJ keep the beat flowing all afternoon. Enjoy complimentary access to the pool and beach at this buffet, priced at BD27net with soft drinks and BD35net with selected beverages.
Scan the QR code to dive into the water-side buffet with us!
