For many locals and expatriates, it’s a return to the weekend brunches that gather loved ones around tables emblematic of the diversity and hospitality of the Arab world.
As the brunches return in full swing, the GDN Media team stopped by the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay’s Friday Brunch to kick off our epicurean autumn.
The vibes at the Bahrain Bay Kitchen, as we arrived, were immaculate as always, with plenty of scholastic decor to remind us, in case we’d forgotten, that school was back in session.
As we had a seat, enjoying the stunning views of the Bahrain Bay, the team and I caught up on our respective summer adventures, while enjoying some refreshing beverages, courtesy of the hotel’s mixologists.
I’ll admit I was feeling a hint of the post-vacation blues as I missed the many meals of a summer spent travelling – but looking at the smorgasbord of options being set up, it became easy to picture the world on a plate, in the comfort of the island we have come to call home.
The buffet at the Four Seasons has a certain familiarity by now – from the layout and the stage to the lively cooking stations.
However, the Four Seasons team had gone above and beyond, with new additions to the sumptuous spread.
Ever the health nut, my colleague Olivia Middleton, was drawn to the Bahraini-inspired Caesar station, where she enjoyed a Khaleeji spin on a Western classic with delicious marinated grilled chicken swapped in amongst the requisite lettuce and veggies, topped with zaatar and cheese flavours.
As for me, I was drawn to the smash burger station, which reminded me of school lunches and highway diners with their red-and-white plate decor.
While the first two decades of this millennium were marked by thick beef patties, the global burger culture has increasingly turned to a humbler cousin in the last several years, finding in small-town America the answer to its search for maximum crisp flavour.
While the origins of the burger are hotly debated, the method remains universal - maximise the heat, minimise the cooking time and let the Maillard reaction do its magic.
The key to a perfect smash burger lies in both the burger and the smash.
Thin patties with maximum surface area for browning and crisping, layered on soft buttery buns, were available in four delectable options – spicy, pepperoni, ultra and potato. And of course, paired with potato wedges to complete the import from the diner to the dining table.
And when I was done with the smash, the rest of the buffet still awaited, starting with the salad options from mango and edamame crunch to Thai lime and poached prawn salad,
Amidst the grilled options were roasted Sikandari lamb, BBQ beef short ribs and my personal favourite - charcoal-baked seabass with passion fruit butter. The sweet-savoury combination of seabass and passion fruit was delectable and sublime, and I took a break to let my stomach marinate and memorise its flavours.
The final course, and of course the one we were all eager for, was a trip through the desserts, with a lavish selection of cakes, pies, tarts and fresh fruit. Not one to be restricted to the dessert island, we also snuck off to the children’s area, where a fresh kunafa station and a mini ice-cream parlour awaited us.
What keeps people coming back to these brunches is not just the familiar hospitality they find there – but also the diversity which is sure to satisfy even the pickiest palates. And our experience last Friday echoed that, leaving each of us satisfied and way-too-full, but ready to do it again.
The Back-to-School Brunch runs throughout September, every Friday from 1pm to 4pm. It is priced per person at BD35 with soft beverages and BD48 with select beverages. Children aged five and under dine with the hotel’s compliments, while those aged six to 12 can dine for 50 per cent off.
n Call 17115500 to book your table today.
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