Finally getting settled in Dubai, I took the opportunity this weekend to book a sunset brunch at Sun&. The concept is small bites and unlimited booze, which seemed a good fit for Hubs and I. After all, we’re usually up quite early on the weekends and waiting until 7PM or later to eat is tough for someone like me.
We went for drinks after with friends, and when they asked how we enjoyed Sun&, what I thought was a good time actually turned out to be a lot of dishes we didn’t like. All things being equal, I would still go back. I don’t think Sun& is trying to establish itself as an incredible fine dining experience.
Reservations? I did e-mail via the website, but received no response. In the end, I called on Wednesday and made the reservation.
Ambiance? Chilled out beach vibe. As this restaurant is tucked away near the fronds of Palm Jumeirah (technically, Marina West), it is not the easiest place to find – however, once you are inside, the rest of Dubai seems far away. We were seated at a cabana outside, which I would definitely make a request for on a return visit. Arriving at promptly 5PM (I do like being on time), we beat the post-brunch crowd by 30 minutes or so. A fantastic DJ started spinning close to sunset. In a city full of great spots to enjoy sundowners, this ends up high on the list.
Food? I think the largest room for improvement is here. While the bites were all nice enough, they weren’t particularly elevated. Many of the dishes were served quite a bit cooler than I preferred. After trying most of the menu on the first pass (6 small dishes to share), I wasn’t particularly excited to try any of them again on the next round.
The wait staff informed us that the menu constantly changes, which to me is great news. Still, they look quite nice, don’t they?
Service? Polite and friendly with personality. We specifically asked for the food to be brought out in stages, which was honored. I received flat prosecco, which was replaced quite quickly. Our drinks were proactively taken care of, even in a busy atmosphere.
Cost? AED333 for 6 plates and unlimited drinks (2 people dining together can select 12 plates).
Parting thoughts from Hubs… [Looks cool in his sunglasses and enjoys a G&T].
