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Al Areen Palace & Spa’s Keizo restaurant, which has a flair for dishing up fabulous Asian fare, as recently reviewed on this page, is finally joining the kingdom’s Friday brunch brigade.
The desert venue is offering a selection of savoury dishes and live cooking stations in an upbeat atmosphere for the entire family to enjoy.
For the past three years, the restaurant, situated in the villa-styled hotel complex in Sakhir, has been attracting a host of diners craving classic and current Japanese, Thai and Chinese cuisine.
Now, as well as feasting on a variety of Asian-fused food, families can delight in a medley of meals from the Middle East, India and Europe in a tranquil resort-like setting every Friday from 12.30pm to 4pm before enjoying complimentary access to the pool and kid’s club.
Simon Gomes, the hotel’s food and beverage manager who has more than 15 years’ experience in the hospitality business, is excited about the new offering and aims to showcase the resort as another great brunching destination.
He said: “This is the first time that Al Areen Palace & Spa has ever held a brunch and we are excited about the new endeavour.
“Executive Sous Chef Janardan Das and his team have created a variety of dishes giving guests a number of food options to choose from.
“Keizo is a great location. People have the option of sitting indoors or out on the terrace – either way there is something for everyone. The venue is lovely too with views of Al Areen Wildlife Park.
“We have many live cooking stations so guests can create their own combinations. We want everyone to have a great time and a memorable experience. Since this is also our first time, we welcome feedback.
“Parents have already commented about the joy of having access to our pool and children can play in the kid’s area or recreation room too.”
The brunch event enjoyed a great start last weekend as it was packed full of laughter and good cheer and my husband, Sam, and I, who were sat at a cosy table-for-two, couldn’t help but soak up the atmosphere of a venue brimming with happy faces.
We were impressed at how quickly the castle, which is surrounded by a moat, filled up. Since it was such a beautiful day, more diners asked for their tables to be moved outside.
The restaurant itself was as elegant as ever, with silky draping from the ceiling, tiny flower buds on the walls helping to emphasise the Oriental ambience.
After settling down, we spotted a familiar face, singer and guitarist Leo Guzman who is renowned for his sultry voice and has played at various venues across the kingdom. Leo’s guitar strumming and soulful sound kept the crowd clapping and tapping their feet as they tucked into their meals, bringing a lively feel to the occasion.
The highlight though was the large spread cooked up by Chef Janardan and his 20-strong culinary team. The salad bar and appetisers selection were delicious. We had no trouble devouring our superb selection of sushi (one outstanding example had a clever curry kick), salmon, an assortment of veggie and seafood tempura and leafy greens. The dim sums were scrumptious as well.
It wasn’t long before Sam caught a glimpse of the lamb ghouzi and he was gone in a flash. I saw the Italian cooking station and beamed with joy. I asked for spinach ravioli with, of course, extra cheese, with an accompanying tomato and cream sauce.
A plateful of roasted potatoes, chicken roulade with wild mushroom, ghouzi and grilled chicken and tikka skewers followed for Sam as I picked a creamy seafood thermidor, grilled prawns and paella. Also available were steamed veggies, kibbeh, spring rolls, chicken biryani, bamya (an okra tomato-based saucy meat dish) and white rice.
The beef rosini station looked delectable too. The beef dish comprises of a filet mignon pan-fried in butter and topped with a hot slice of fresh whole foie gras that is pan-fried at the last minute.
There was also a shawarma station at hand, of course, and a curry section featuring a stunning-looking butter chicken – something to look forward to on our next visit.
The buffet was busy with diners going back for seconds and thirds. Children played in the kid’s area not far from the buffet, giving parents a chance to chat and relax while also keeping a close eye on their little ones.
The jaw-dropping desserts table was so large that it was given a whole private room for display purposes. There was every Arabic sweet imaginable from local favourite Um Ali to Kunafa. There were tiny cups full of tiramisu, chocolate mousse and fruity treats as well as pies, tarts and the most velvety cheesecake I have ever tasted.
A chocolate fondue fountain with marshmallows, fruits and biscuits to dip was a huge favourite with the children and young- at-heart alike. It was like being let loose in a candy store!
Families set off for the pool but my only thoughts were on a nap. I was going to have nothing but sweet dreams after this brunch delight.
The brunch is priced BD19++ with selected soft drinks and BD25++ with selected in-house beverages. For details, contact Al Areen Palace & Spa on 17845000, extension 250.
