Hessa Street Kitchen @ Raddison Damac Hills

 Brunches, especially during the winter months, tend to get a reputation for being pricey and a bit of a glitz parade. Discovering the Hessa Street Kitchen brunch in Friday was as much coincidental and it was a pleasant surprise. The welcome was very warm, Jane, the waitress bumped into us in the lobby and escorted us all the way to the table. While the decor is minimal, and some of the snobs may not find it has the glitz of a five star hotel, it was functional and seating was amply spaced out. 

The Dh 295 full alcohol package and a Dh 175 non alcoholic package was really reasonable, all the more considering there was a buy one get one free offering. That meant the two of us end up paying only Dh 295. The alcohol package while basic was by no means spartan. There were offerings of spirits, red, white and rose wines, beers and half a dozen cocktails, the negative being all but one were beer based. We would suggest the cocktails might well be revamped to include some of the more favourite cocktails. 

The essence of the offering is always the food and while the buffet laid out was not extensive, there was enough of a spread for someone not to get bored. Starters were sushi, (including crab), dimsum, soup and salads. Given there was a Malaysian accent to the food, as the Head Chef is Malaysian, there were excellent satay on offer, (perhaps the best we have had). The main courses were a mixture of Malaysian curries, and South Asian curries. The only complaint would be that for vegetarians there was really only an Okra curry, (which was delicious) and perhaps the menu could be expanded with a couple of dishes.

An added feature of the afternoon was the singer, Eve, who was simply brilliant. With her powerful voice, especially rendering a song from Aretha Franklin, lifted the afternoon. The staff were excellent and very friendly and helpful. We would imagine that given the catchment area surrounding the Hessa Street Kitchen, they could end up being the place to go for brunches. The management might need to give a little think to build on the excellent quality of the food by expanding the menu just a little bit more. 

Pros:

  • Not Pricey and value for money.
  • Very good and pleasant staff.
  • Good quality of food.
  • Good entertainment. 
Cons:
  • Buffet menu to be slightly expanded, adding some vegetarian dishes.
  • Reconsider the cocktail offering.
  • Reconsider a slight redecoration of the place bringing in some brighter colors to replace the dark browns and insipid wall paper. 
Overall:
Great value for money, with some of the suggestions we have made this can be a really 'must go to' place in the area. They have good food and great staff and this where many others lack behind them. The things they need to fix are easy and will bear fruit. Well done for having a place that can offer a good brunch for less than Dh 300/ per head.





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Flamingo Beach Resort @Umm Al Quawin UAE

 Set aside any pretensions of snobbishness, and arouse the true beach experience enthusiast within you and you will find that tucked away in Umm Al Quwain is a quaint but delightful experience. Close to the mangroves and literally at the end of this long stree, which towards the end shows you old UAE, you come upon the Flamingo Beach Resort. Arriving here took one back to the late 1980's when the East coast of UAE had a few privately run beach resorts. From Umm al Quwain to the end of the Fujairah coastline they were priceless destinations. This was way before hotel chains or booking.com got onto this scene.  Flamingo Beach resort reminded us of those days, with a very pure formula: Excellent service, a beach, and shaded pergolas and staff that attend to you all the time. There is a pool too, and a kids pool and showers and toilets all handy. Its not pricey and you pay a fraction of the price you would to put your towel on a sun bed in hotel on the Palm. True this does not have the
Read more

Crescendo Brunch @ Anantara The Palm Jumeirah DXB

Image
 Dubai, as a destination, is known for the overwhelming offers for brunch experiences. An exploration of all that is on offer will take years to fathom and discern. Nevertheless, there are some experiences which immediately appeal not only to the taste buds, but also the who range of senses. After half a dozen repeat visits, each perhaps with a view to find something wrong, finally one had to surrender and admit that the Crescendo Brunch at the Anantara ranks in the best five one can experience in Dubai. Is it the oriental welcome, is it the relaxed detail to customer care, or it is simply the food?  The welcome is warm, the staff attention is always subtly always present but not in your face. The food is what does the trick. The salads without exception over all the visits stand out as the best on offer. A particular favourite is the Thai Beef salad that seems to have an Anantara twist to it. The food stations are many, from Japanese, to Sub Continental, Mexican, Italian, Arabic, Sing
Read more

The Bolt hole @ Villanova Dubai.

Image
 The Bolt Hole at the new community of Villanova (on E 611 near Habtoor Polo) is the latest addition to community centred food and drink offerings in Dubai. Community focused eateries always have a challenge to cater to the diverse cultural composition of residents in Dubai's communities. The Bolt Hole certainly overcomes that challenge with ease through two simple steps; a diverse but uncomplicated international menu and secondly with an impeccable quality of food and service. Yes for out of the main stream restaurants TBH comes across as pricey, however in fairness this Jumeriah group owned place does have a mix of price points that can let you enjoy a good meal without breaking the bank.  There is some chatter that a price review is in the offing but still judging by the reception the place is getting there are a lot of good things going on here. The decor is very good and inviting; comfortable, uncluttered. The open kitchen is an attraction in itself seeing 8 or 9 staff busy, s
Read more