Brad’s Brunchology

All good parties have a serious side that goes along with the fun.  Today’s party for Brad’s 40th has a good deal of both! Let’s Brunchology!

My friend Diana (wife of said birthday boy), has given up a girls’ weekend, organised a surprise birthday party with 33 guests, plus other weekend surprises (a mini break at the Burj Al Arab no less) as well as having coordinated a house move in the last week.  Brad might have noticed the house move, but he certainly didn’t know about the rest!

Wednesday night he calls my husband, Jason, to see what we’re up to for the weekend…it’s his 40th and Di is going to be away, he’ll be home alone with their baby, Kenny.  “Sorry”, Jason feigns slight indifference, “we have guests staying, perhaps we can catch up for lunch or something”.  This isn’t far from the truth, perhaps just not how Brad envisages at the time, believing himself abandoned for the weekend!

The real surprise comes this morning when Di is supposed to be on her way to the airport.  Soon after the rest of the story/surprise unfolds so although we’re all here at brunch early in anticipation, Brad is cool as a cucumber, taking it all in his stride as he rocks up for his 40th extravaganza at Le Meridien’s Yalumba Brunchology.  And it’s clear that, apart from the months of planning, this is going to be serious.  And fun.  Yalumba know how to do brunch!

 Not long after arriving I spot the oyster bar.  There are some welcome niceties and a round of ‘happy birthdays’ But I’m still distracted by said oysters, even ditching my welcome cocktail to secure a half dozen.  Not that I really ditched my cocktail – it has worked nicely to save me a seat at the table.  Nor did I really need to hurry to the oysters – they’re being freshly shucked and there are plenty to go round.  I sprinkle a little of the dressings over mine – a mango salsa, tomato and onion combo and a little vinegar with shallots that turns out to have just the right amount of chili (perhaps I was mistaken about the shallots!).  The oysters are fresh, plump and succulent.

Tempted to go back to the oysters I instead get sidetracked by the sushi and sashimi platter.  There is a good selection and I extract a half dozen to my plate without even making a dent in the platter, extra pickled ginger piled on top.

As I sit back down a waiter comes around with test tubes of cocktails.  I start with the red one, figuring I can work my way through the rainbow as the afternoon unfolds.  Along with my cocktail I sample a couple of dim sums and some baked salmon and vegetables, careful to keep my portions to an entree sized serving as the roasts, salads, Indian dishes, breads and hot pots are all still waiting, not to mention the a la carte selection that can also be ordered to the table – think dynamite prawns, steaks, salmon cerviche.  Yalumba even describes the offerings as modern, eclectic cuisine.

During the various courses of the meal we try on our party hats and converse with our friends.  We have even brought along our weekend visitors, having secured my cousin, Rhonda, and her partner Aaron’s invitations nice and early. There are a few new faces and other familiar ones too and it’s great to have a chance to catch up without the usual distractions.

After choosing another cocktail from the rainbow (this one is blue) and before I fill up too much more, I make sure I browse the dessert bar for this should not be missed. It’s a little country garden display with carrot pineapple cakes that look like they were planted a few months ago and are just breaking through the surface.

Plump red raspberry chocolate cakes in the form of buffalo tomatoes nestle in cookie crumb ‘gravel’.  Little cherry tarts line up in rows just waiting to be plucked and there are lemon white chocolate cakes, lemon tarts, chocolate balls and little chocolate quail eggs in rainbow colours (matching the cocktails!).

Oh, and the little flower pots with edible flowers and chocolate ‘dirt’. This potting mix is exceptionally delicious!

After two trips to the dessert bar and an espresso martini to top things off, I really couldn’t eat another thing.

But wait!  There’s still birthday cake.  Another round of “happy birthday” ensues as is required of such a round number and the birthday cake is delivered along with a Big Bang of streamers and confetti to mark the occasion.

Now the serious side is done.  Brunch is soon over and all that planning and preparation has pulled off a great afternoon.   Some friends are ready to call it a day and start to bid their farewells.  The rest of us are ready to keep the fun going a bit longer.  And for some dancing.

As it turns out, there’s always room for a few shots and Brad & Di (plus a few others – you know who you are!) knock back a couple before they really get down on the dance floor.

The dance floor is fun, there are some watching and some dancing, others take matters into their own hands although I believe the shots may be to blame by now.  Either that or the DJ who can’t seem to keep up with us.

After a couple more hours we figure it’s probably time to move on.  We leave brunchology behind and jump in a cab, headed for Barasti.

Now, I understand that Barasti is a bit of a Dubai institution but I have been here once before (for one drink), I also understand that they have installed a pool.  Why would you install a pool in a beachside nightclub?  So that you can continue dancing, but in chilled water, of course!  The beach is too hot st this time of year.  Here the revelers revel and the DJ is targeted to a slightly younger audience than the DJ of the last few hours.

What fun!  The bar & pool are packed.  We strip to our togs and take a dip, Rhonda takes to the pool in her dress but it’s so hot that it’s inevitable.  Only the lifesaver has a problem with fully dressed patrons and Aaron manages to borrow some togs.

After a while we feel that we should rejoin the others and find them sitting in the air conditioning.  By now though, although it’s still early enough, we have certainly been partying for long enough and it’s time to get home for us.  Rhonda & Aaron are heading to the airport for a 2am flight (and possibly a shower and some dry clothes).  They still have a 12hr 30min flight ahead of them.  Now that is longevity.

And with some parting kisses the day is over and we jump in our respective cabs.  I am exceedingly glad that I’m not heading straight to the airport (have done that before from a night at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club!).  I do think, however, that we have rather managed to take care of the fun side of the day.  If you’re going to party, might as well do it right!

Would I Retun?

Yes.  Yalumba does a wonderful brunch. Brad, when’s the next 40th?