Check out Kay's first food review below:
In the hallway leading up to the restaurant, we had our first glimpse of a superhero - Spider-Man - and you gotta admit, it’s hard not to get caught up in his web. Then we entered and it was Iron Man greeting us. My seven-year-old niece was so stoked that she ran ahead of us, excited to see who else might be there.
First impressions make all the difference, particularly with themed brunches like this. After all, you have to, well… establish the theme. On that front, I must say Mazina did not disappoint.
Before being seated, we were kindly given a quick tour and briefing of the stations. I’ve been to a few other brunches so I was delightedly surprised to see that the Superhero brunch had an extensive spread. And I don’t mean that they offered a lot of different cuisines, although they did – Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Spanish, Indonesian and Continental – but that they had something for every taste and palate, with different types of meat and a variety of salads available. I mean, they had a pork corner and a healthy corner. Just from that, you can pretty much tell they’ve got everything covered.
[caption id="attachment_4079" align="alignnone" width="800"] Healthy Station![/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4078" align="alignnone" width="800"] This looks like part of the healthy section but do't be deceived, that's the chocolate fondue right behind it[/caption]
And talk about seafood madness! The steamed version looked fresh and mouthwatering presented in a giant wok. If I had no self-control, they would have been gone in a Poof! Then I need only to point at Batman as the culprit. Who’s to say that he’s not hiding them all under his cape?
Speaking of whom, kudos to this band of caped crusaders, err, staff, for the incredible service. They were friendly and attentive but not in the in-your-face bordering on stalker kind – checking in on us, clearing our tables promptly and asking about or refilling our drinks every now and then.
[caption id="attachment_4067" align="alignnone" width="800"] Got a plate full of these![/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4072" align="alignnone" width="800"] Guilty as charged[/caption]
The food in general was superb although there were a few misses for me. I enjoyed the salmon and tuna sashimi so much I went for seconds, I mean thirds. The miso soup, on the other hand, was bland. It was a sad moment, I’ve been craving for it for days. Maybe I should have had it before any raw fish. My bad. The flavors of the roast beef and grilled pork leg were right on point that just thinking about them has me salivating and believe me, I will be salivating for days. I’ve got to admit I was slightly disappointed with the seafood paella. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it because the flavor was there but it just didn’t come together as a whole. I think this is what generally happens when the rice and seafood aren’t cooked together, which I can only assume is the case here. To be fair, I just had paella at a Spanish restaurant a couple of days ago so you have to understand that I’m coming from a different standard. The cheese and pork ham were so, sooo, sooooo good together. They need to replace the nuts though, stat.
[caption id="attachment_4071" align="alignnone" width="800"] Roast Beef - I saw it and fell in love[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4070" align="alignnone" width="800"] I love how wide the food selections are ---- of course I am enjoying this station![/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4076" align="alignnone" width="800"] Dumpling for breakfast! Yes please![/caption]
They had a massive dessert station. It was easy to get lost in that wonderland which was complete with white and milk chocolate fondue. I zeroed in on the apple crumble, which I loved and, if I could, I would’ve not stopped eating.
My sister and I loved the Peking duck, which was cooked perfectly and served in generous portions. She said the Indonesian grilled skewers were really good, too. And she’s not useless in the kitchen so you can count on her words. My niece loved the winter garden salad and ate every morsel of her roast turkey.
[caption id="attachment_4077" align="alignnone" width="800"] A sneak peek of sugar land, where we all secretly wish we could live and never get fat[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4068" align="alignnone" width="800"] Peking duck wrapped in pancakes made just for me. Something I don't my sister and niece understood[/caption]
Of course, these are all a matter of preference. We ate the ones we liked most and can only give feedback based on these. I couldn’t try everything if I wanted to. I did want to, just to be clear. But between the stuff I generally do not eat (I’m a picky eater but slowly trying to be more adventurous) and the need to limit my calorie consumption (I try although I tend to abuse the hashtag #dietstartstomorrowagain), my hands were tied. And, alas, none of the superheroes could help me with this dilemma.
I think the concept is perfect for families. I can see the pull, particularly for parents. The kids have a play area where they can bounce in an inflated castle until they’re tired enough to fall sleep, or so the adults can hope. Spouses can catch up with each other and their friends while the children have their face painted and devote their full attention to the most captivating superhero of them all – the magician.
Altogether, it was a truly enjoyable experience. You can expect great food in a relaxing ambience where everybody. young and not-so-young, wins. I would Zap! my way back there in a minute. But I’ll have to wait until next Saturday.
The Superhero brunch happens every Saturday from 12h30-15h30 and starts at AED315 per person including soft beverages.
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