Saffron
Location: The Atlantis
Pricing:
535AED – Alcoholic Package
Timings: 12.30pm-4pm

“Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Alongside Bubbalicious, Saffron is the other Heavyweight in the Dubai brunch scene and winner of numerous awards. Offering over 200 dishes, 12 food stations, and 6 drinks stations, the sheer number of options is truly impressive. The massive restaurant serves South-East Asian cuisine, and the brunch is centered on this.
After paying at the reception we are ushered to our table with the venue absolutely buzzing with happy brunch goers. We decide to tour the drinks stations first which are categorized by cocktail or shot, for spirts with a mixer you need to approach the main bar. I experiment with a few rum and gin based cocktails but find them too watery and bland. The stations are under pressure from the queues of people so they produce the drinks in a rush. I settle on rum from the bar and proceed to the food.
The first station I visit is the Sushi & Seafood Bar. Wary that I have so much food to sample, I fill my plate with tiny portions of sushi, oysters, mussels, prawns, and lobster. The sushi disappoints, ensuring I don’t return for seconds. The oysters, lobster, and prawns are fresh and tasty. I skip the gigantic salad bar and move on to the Dim Sum station and the Hawker Noodle station. The dumplings are nice and juicy, but the pecking duck is dry and lacking the appropriate crispiness. Next stop on my Asian tour is the Wok station where I sample the crispy prawn, signature crab, and fried squid. I am unimpressed with all dishes, none come close to the standards of other Asian restaurants in the city. Feeling stuffed at this stage I skip the Indian station and decide to conclude my mains with sampling of the Western Grill & BBQ station. I sample the roasted beef, roasted lamb leg, baked salmon, and roasted snapper. The meats are dry and the fish dull. I conclude the meal on a high with ice cream and crepe.
An abundance of quantity with a complete lack in quality is the sad theme that prevails in this brunch. After experiencing it once, I doubt you will ever feel the urge to come back for seconds.

Rating
Ambiance: 12/20.
Beverages: 12/20.
Food: 12/20.
Service: 12/20
Value for Money: 5/20.
Total: 53%