Saturday Brunch at Taparelle: Saadiyat's Best?

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STARTERS

Where do I start! The crispy calamari and seabass carpaccio are excellent (a contender for one of the best raw fish dishes around). We love that you can order things you love again … enter: the warm prawns! What a dish!

By way of an interlude, you can choose from a couple of pizzas - these are made in the little house with the oven in the garden and we kick off with the somewhat kicky diavola which has solid levels of both crunch and cheese on a really good base. If you’re doing the carbs, do the carbs! - the rigatoni alla Garcia steals the show - these big fat tubes of pasta with a delicate sauce are very hard to stop on.

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MAINS

Not everything is carby though, making this a great brunch to go to if you want to keep things light. Mains include the most beautiful, light baby chicken with a delicious mojo dojo sauce and a really nicely cooked sea bass. The broccolini and sweetcorn sides are a step up from the average and packed with flavour … I think even my two-year-old would convert to vegetable eating if they tasted this good all the time!

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DESSERT

We wrap up this beautiful table service brunch with a feuilletine tropézienne - a name that sounds far more complicated than it is. In reality, it’s light, crispy honey layers with cream and a mixed berry center, and thankfully, just as easy to enjoy as it is hard to pronounce.

Entertainment is kept simple with a great DJ, and the atmosphere is friendly and unpretentious. The service is incredible and the vibe spot on, both inside and outside.

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Champagne is Perrier Jouet Brut (the champagne package is the most reasonably priced at brunch in Abu Dhabi) and there’s a great selection of cocktails - and mocktails for the non-drinkers! I like my Aperol with sprite and it came very fresh and very well put together. We also love the Nive rum-based cocktail which comes looking pretty and is an easy drinker. If you're fans of beer on draught at brunch, this is another plus - the Birra Moretti is a bonus - but if you don’t like draught there’s also bottled beer, wine, soft drinks, juice, and coffee.

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We’ll be back to this brunch - it’s relaxed but brimming with vibes and feels like the perfect brunch to escape and enjoy quality food and drinks. It feels special without trying too hard, and is the kind of brunch you come to and leave already planning your next visit with a different set of friends!

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Where: Taparelle, Manarat al Saadiyat

Time: Saturdays 3PM-6PM

Price: AED300 soft | AED350 house | AED400 champagne

Booking: 02 657 5832

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