Fifty Shades of Food

 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 favourit

 We went to Maiden Shanghai, a much touted Chinese restaurant at the Five on the Palm in Dubai with much expectations. The Five is a busy location with a vibe that is difficult to define so getting through the busy entrance was a small achievement. The restaurant is over three floors with the first offering outdoor seating and the third with an outdoor terrace. We opted for the first floor though a narrow reception begged the question how would they handle a party of more than four arriving together? The welcome greeting was a bit cold and distant, though the girl who ushered us to the table was very helpful in finding a nice table. Our waitress Shama, was helpful and knew the menu well.  The menu was a bit confusing and one needed the waitress to explain the offerings.The spring rolls were amazing, fresh and crunchy, though would like a little more sauce. The dim sum platter was mixed, with the mushroom, beef and shrimp dumplings being exceptional, the turnip dimpling was a flop and t