We have enjoyed the Surf n Turf Brunch at Mistral at the Ibn Battuta gate on numerous occasions, but on this occasion, our Travels, much like that of the Hotel’s namesake took us a little further afield, into the little known depths of a secluded Moroccan garden oasis that basks in the shadow of the imposing figure of the Battuta Gate.
The Food
Food at Moroc is a modest affair, and rather than feature endless dishes of uncertain quality, Moroc focuses on exactly what is says on the tin…which is the BBQ! The lead up to the main event are a selection of starters which are served to your table in small, authentically ornate, tapas-like dishes. These include a selection of Arabic Breads, Fattoush, Tabouleh, a Green Salad, Potato Salad with Spring Onion and Radishes, Tahini and a tasty Cilantro infused Pasta ribbon salad. Before too long we had tired of picking politely at the mini dishes and were thirsty for our fill of BBQ meats and so tiptoed merrily across the searing mosaic tiles toward the chefs stood expectantly by the raw selection of covered proteins waiting to be selected and grilled to order.
What strikes you about the selection is its size. Whilst 8 different proteins may not sound abundant in the grand scale of Dubai brunches where you are usually blind sided by an undefeatable army of foods that even in your wildest fit of gluttony would you everr hope to finish, the selection here has enough variety and interesting pre-marinades and seasonings to give your stomach that sense of adventure, whilst retaining a feeling of comfort, safe in the knowledge that you could easily sample everything on offer. We started with the Marinated Salmon and Prawn Skewers which were cooked to perfection before moving onto the Arabic Mixed Grill selection of Chicken Kofta, Shish Tawook and Lamb Khashkash which is rolled lamb seasoned with chili pepper paste, parsley, garlic and pine nuts. To complete our mission of sampling every protein on offer, we then moved onto the Marinated Mini Steaks, Seasoned Chicken Breast and the West 14th Burgers which are on offer from the Palm Jumeira steakhouse.
All of the items cooked for us arrived in a timely manner and we were never kept waiting for more than 5 or 10 minutes depending on what we ordered, which was perfect time to fill the gap with the section of side dishes accompanying sauces, including Corn on the Cobb, Fried Rice, Onion Rings and Jacket Potatoes.
As a conclusion to the meal, an unexpected and uncomplicated Dessert platter came to our table served on a wooden chopping board featuring a chocolate muffin with purple icing, a chocolate Brownie slice with tangerine and pistachio, a deconstructed key lime cheese cake and a strawberry macaroon.
The Drink
Being an outdoor Brunch in April, we were subject to an unseasonably tropical heat-spike and so to be greeted with an ice cold glass of water was a very welcome change to our normal drinking patterns. Following this short sojourn, normal service was resumed with a glass of sparkling Prosecco Valdo Seleccion (Italy) followed closely by a Medium-Dry Cuvée Speciale (Barton et Gustier) White Wine from France.
Our Helpful barman, eager to escape the confines of the direct sunlight shining behind the bar was all too eager to come to our table and suggest a list of cocktails he would be happy to make us if we so desired. Now I am not sure if he had been privy to any of our previous reviews, but this was the red flag to the bull for us and the start of a very busy afternoon of muddling and shaking for him.
We started with a classic Cosmopolitan, before moving onto a Whisky Sour, then a Gin Fizz, a Margarita, a Mojito, Tequila Sunrise and finally a Caprioska (The exact order in which they arrived may be subject to a little artistic license…I blame the heat!)
The Atmosphere
As chilled out back garden BBQ’s go, the secluded and almost exclusive vibe of Moroc’s upstairs lounge or seated terrace has got to be up there and in terms of an iconic backdrop, you would be hard pressed to find another brunch closer to a more picturesque landmark other than those set in the shadow of the Atlantis, The Burj al Arab or the Khalifa. The relaxed, shisha-loving crowd along with the steadily increasing BPM’s of the sassy DJ Jen provide the perfect soundtrack to an afternoon of unperturbed indulgence as the sun slowly sets into the arc of the gate.
Overall
Laid back, uncomplicated and easy on the eye. The extensive shisha menu, garden furniture, pergola bar and bushy foliage shielding the sight and sound of the tooting taxi’s and unknowing mall goers transports you both into the mystifying Moroccan theme and the comfort of your garden all at the same time. If I had to critique the service, along with a small suggestion, the BBQ chefs became all but redundant after 3pm once guests had finished eating and could have perhaps been redeployed as the drinks waiters became overrun and the pace of service slowed considerably. The outdoor nature of the BBQ does leaves it vulnerable to the elements and as such has a shelf life in terms of comfortability as we draw closer to summer time, but the simple ingredients, immaculately seasoned meats and inventive drinks creations of the bar staff override those risks, as long as your expectations are set from the start.
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